And your ears shall hear…

The eighteenth studio album, Yummy, by the British rock band James, marks another milestone in their illustrious career. I was stopped dead in my tracks, or should I say mid-shower, by the power of their new single, “Life’s A Fucking Miracle.” “Raise your glass/Life’s a freaking miracle/We’re made of light/Our form is physical/If we love life, Life loves reciprocal/Celebrate/She, he, we, they/Welcome sign (She, he, they, we)” which essentially deals with the simple fact of life being a blessing. But I love what Tim Booth does with the pronouns, “He/She/They/We,” that he sings in his beautiful falsetto. It happens just after the chorus and works as a bridge; if you don’t listen closely, you’ll miss it.

This is a touchy subject for many on both sides but I like the way Tim approaches the whole identity thing. Instead of shoving it down your throat, he embraces it in a way that makes it palpable. I’ve always felt like the pronoun thing was being forced on me, especially in places like church or on Zoom, where the pastor has their name front and center along with their pronouns, like Joe Pastor, “He/Him.” It just seemed so unnecessary and off-putting, even hard to get away from. I’ve sat through lectures and sermons about why they are so important, but nothing more eye opening than managing a sales room full of young people that really opened my eyes when I explained my feelings to them.

One of my co-workers said boldly, “It’s not really about you, it’s about the other person, and making them feel comfortable. If you ask a younger person about their pronouns, they’ll feel much more secure around you, and you’ll instantly have their respect.” Really? I honestly thought it was the other way around, but this is from a 50-year-old man. Maybe I’m a little out of touch, but I’ve always felt genuine and accepting. This answer was hard for me to understand, but it was also enlightening. He went on to say that when he met a younger person or a contemporary for the first time, he would ask them their pronouns because it usually made that person feel safe. He explained that his cousin made the move to non-binary and wanted it known up front. This way, his cousin didn’t have to suffer through awkward banter and relationship questions. While this co-worker treats most new introductions this way, I still feel uncomfortable greeting someone with, “What’s your pronouns?” but now I might be more open to trying this in the future.

Now back to Yummy. It’s an incredible album with little to no filler. Look no further than “Way Over Your Head,” which brings the introspection that Tim Booth is known for and the instrumentation that has us constantly returning to each one of James’ albums. “In a hole way over, way over your head/In need of a friend to come ’round and take you to bed.” It’s beautiful, thought-provoking and feels like it could have fit well on their album Seven.

Album opener “Is This Love” begins with a fast-paced drum machine and relents to the lulling of Booth’s baritone and macabre lyric line about the “weaponization of love.” Though for the most part, we all weaponize love, trying to take what we need from it, rather than offering it openly without a price. There are brooding horns and big keys and hope for more from love, that’s the essence.

The keyboards swoon on everything’s “Better With You.” It’s a great love song that proves this band is at the top of their game. Scope the interplay between the bassline and the marching tempo of the drums. Then wait until the bridge for a subtle guitar lead and beautiful background vocals by singer/songwriter Chloë Alper, who is credited with additional vocal arrangements on Yummy.

There’s so much more here to champion including the singles “Mobile God,” “Shadow of a Giant,” and “Rogue.” Let me know what your favorite tunes are as you get used to the 18th James record. Think about that for a moment and remember, they once opened for The Smiths and were hailed as Morrissey’s favorite band. The Smiths also covered “What’s The World,” once upon a time, in 1985.