24-10-2019, 17:31
JIM JAMES, TEDDY ABRAMS, THE LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA ~ The Order of Nature
![[Image: R-14271836-1571171563-7725.jpeg.jpg]](https://img.discogs.com/NLMq0vsWU8mQqcI6tdX6wuq_v0w=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-14271836-1571171563-7725.jpeg.jpg)
I have no idea why this album appeals to me – I’ve never really paid much attention to Jim James who is not the world’s best singer, in conventional terms – so weird, he’s all minor and off-key and yet the unlikely pairing of that melancholy voice and the spritely strings and keys of Teddy Abrams’ orchestra contrives to be just fine, thank you, lol! Must be the quirkiness, which is always preferable to stone cold boring. Perhaps it’s the almost impossible juxtaposition of the two, the incongruity that makes it work - an unorthodox offering, for sure – alt rock meets neo-classical. Discogs says it's rock - I have no idea what it is.
CH – you posted a single a while back upon which I was not sold and in fact, it’s my least favourite on here (although it’s become an earworm
– “Back to the End of the World” - and I can’t for the life of me dredge up where that tune comes from, most annoying), but the rest of album has me oddly enchanted. Who’da thunk? The whole thing is fairly laid back and laconic – no stress or ceremony at all which probably belies the underlying composition and arrangements, and there’s a bit of a cabaret feel – I can imagine James and the orchestra on stage in a slightly down at heel draughty theatre with faded curtains and threadbare, previously plush seats. I could just be talking rubbish, of course - happens sometimes. 
There’s a song on here which could be called melodic rap (before the orchestra kicks in properly towards the end), which is rare I would imagine - “Same Old Lie” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oya1Yt2xQ1E. And another peculiar thing happened – I would have been happy for it to continue past the nine tracks – was just settling into listening when I realised the album had drawn to a close. Huh! My alt fix of the year, I think.
“Who Am I” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3dDPvnpq8w
“In Demand” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=annNxPRMLxw
The lead track -
I have no idea why this album appeals to me – I’ve never really paid much attention to Jim James who is not the world’s best singer, in conventional terms – so weird, he’s all minor and off-key and yet the unlikely pairing of that melancholy voice and the spritely strings and keys of Teddy Abrams’ orchestra contrives to be just fine, thank you, lol! Must be the quirkiness, which is always preferable to stone cold boring. Perhaps it’s the almost impossible juxtaposition of the two, the incongruity that makes it work - an unorthodox offering, for sure – alt rock meets neo-classical. Discogs says it's rock - I have no idea what it is.
CH – you posted a single a while back upon which I was not sold and in fact, it’s my least favourite on here (although it’s become an earworm
– “Back to the End of the World” - and I can’t for the life of me dredge up where that tune comes from, most annoying), but the rest of album has me oddly enchanted. Who’da thunk? The whole thing is fairly laid back and laconic – no stress or ceremony at all which probably belies the underlying composition and arrangements, and there’s a bit of a cabaret feel – I can imagine James and the orchestra on stage in a slightly down at heel draughty theatre with faded curtains and threadbare, previously plush seats. I could just be talking rubbish, of course - happens sometimes. There’s a song on here which could be called melodic rap (before the orchestra kicks in properly towards the end), which is rare I would imagine - “Same Old Lie” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oya1Yt2xQ1E. And another peculiar thing happened – I would have been happy for it to continue past the nine tracks – was just settling into listening when I realised the album had drawn to a close. Huh! My alt fix of the year, I think.
“Who Am I” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3dDPvnpq8w
“In Demand” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=annNxPRMLxw
The lead track -
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson