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Review of Jim Warren's Easy Listening Christmas Album

James Warren, that diminutive, definitive romantic poet first heard worldwide in Stackridge, the group that levelled the pampas grass in a wide swathe from Bristol and Bath outwards into the Known World, through musical territory the early 1970s musical cognoscenti considered impassable, has chosen to trip lightly again along the path he helped thrash through a quarter of a century ago. In this highly harmonic and  lovingly-honed collection of songs recorded in 1995, Warren gives the listener a "come on, let's go see" gesture, then ambles forward with you along that path he helped clear with Stackridge between 1970 and 1974, and which he and the Korgis cleared of bracken again in the early 1980s.

This time, Jim (as he prefers now) wields and waves an innocuous-looking sticker that serves him very, very well. Pampas Grass, and Wilderness as a whole, was stunned into retreat by 'Humiliation', 'Friendliness' and 'Anyone For Tennis?' and has since give this deceptively mild-mannered and inobtrusive man much quarter, regardless of when his last journey through the jungle was.  I assure you, chaos will be held at bay, and nightmares stabled, while Jim's Easy Listening Christmas Album is piping out of the music box.

Listening to this CD for the seventh time, I salute 'The Jungle' for perceiving quickly what I did slowly: this work is the essence of Civil. Civility. Civilization. These songs are precisely orchestrated, passionately conceived (or reconceived) then gently, with giggles and beneficence, offered like unlooked-for Christmas presents to us.

A man who can create 'Can't Get Her Out Of My Head', 'The Crying Song'  and, yes, 'Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime' has a force in him that the jungle draws back from, in respect. So walking down the path with Warren is sometimes wistful, sometimes troubling, but never terrifying to me. Sooner or late, The Jungle reclaims all paths we make, but this CD is a polished, precious work.

For now, I feel safe to keep my hands in my baggy trousers and amble along the road, because Jim Warren's bright, tempered paring knife keeps the pampas grass at bay.

Elessar Tetramariner 8/29/99
 

Jim's Special Edition Easy Listening Christmas Album

DAP records DAP102CD

A real 'tribute' album if ever there was one. Jim Warren (the artist formerly known as James Warren) displays the full range of his song-writing abilities and pays homage to those who have influenced him. Possibly the best way to give a real insight to this album is to run through it track by track

1. The Leaving Time.

A calypso with a Difford/Tillbrook (Up The Junction era) meets Jackson Browne feel about it.

2. Can't Get Her Out Of My Head.

A classic Korgis ballad, this is sultry lush late night listening right down to the compulsory sax solo. Great stuff.

3. Money Talks.

A real Salsa effort, this time it's Paul Simon who is to the fore. There is even a mention of 'Diamond on the soles of her shoes' (just in case you need the picture signed as well as painted!). This has a big brass arrangement.

4. The Frozen North.

Another big ballad. This time it's Bert Baccarach with his stylised string arrangements who is the obvious influence.

5. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime.

A surprise here, this is played to a slow techno disco beat and it works! A Korgis favourite comes out sounding great.

6. Someday They'll Find Out.

Very much a Stackridge sound via the Brian Wilson. There are even mentions of Wilson and the Beach Boys.

7. If I Fell.

On "Mr Mick" Stackridge arranged the Beatles 'Hold me Tight' as a light reggae number. Jim duets with Sarah Menage in a straight copy of this song from "A Hard Day's Night" and it's gorgeous.

8. We Didn't get Along.

Straight out of the George Harrison songbook. There's even a nice little signature Harrison wailing guitar solo. You'd swear you'd heard this on "All Things Must Pass".

9. Caroline No.

A Brian Wilson-like ballad (as the composers are Wilson Asher this may not be surprising!). There's even a 60's cheesy Hammond organ solo.

10. The Crying Song.

No other obvious influences here, just a Korgis torch song. A big ballad in the mould of 'Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime'.

11. Christmas In Japan.

A strange little song this one. If there is any influence on this it is probably 10cc.

12. Love, Death And Photographs

Well he's living and recording in Bath, so this just has to be a Peter Gabriel track. You could swear that Gabriel was there somewhere in the mix.

13. High On Love

A straight up-tempo instrumental number.

14. It Must Be Time For Bed

Jim tails his CD in exactly the same way the Beatles did with their White Album, with a little whimsical ballad.

15. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime

If the MC who does occasional intro's throughout this CD is to be believed this is the original demo. Who am I to disagree?

So overall a lovely retrospective album by 'our' Jim.

Gerry Prewett, 6th December 1999