From the home counties and little market town of Hitchin, via Brighton's BIMM where he honed is craft and graduated with a degree in Professional Musicianship, to the intensely competitive environment of the Nashville scene, centre of the country/rock musical universe, James Bay is having to quickly adapt to his new environment and situation; both physically and emotionally. The pressure, whether he feels it or not, is to deliver, particularly in light of his 'Critics Choice' award at this year's Brits, and the huge marketing operation that has seen him almost everywhere, in the lead up to the release of this, his debut album.
It truly is a remarkable turn around of fortunes for this young, chiselled, wide-brimmed hat wearing (one or two were bought at Mad Hatters, Brighton, fact fans) and former troubadour-in-waiting, who could once be seen at many open mics in the Brighton area, as well as busking on the streets. When you know this, it's easier to give the often confessional and yearning MOR songs of Bay the benefit of the doubt, his courage and desire to confront and to connect with often disinterested audiences. Suddenly though, he's been transplanted, spending much of his time in Nashville, where the album was recorded, with the usual crack team of highly skilled and sympathetic musicians. Hopefully, this is what he wants; fame, and perhaps some fortune, has already been bestowed on the 24 year-old.
Throughout there is a restlessness as befits classic rock'n'roll, as the pace of life, and the changes and travel involved in living the life of a full time musician opens so many doors not available to everyday folk, whilst at the same time slamming a good few too; the inevitable turmoil, and lack of routine and roots informing his lyrics throughout. Yes, indeed, that is really what he wanted all along, to get away from his roots, whilst at the same time, open heartedly articulating this spirit of adventure that we can only admire..
'Craving' sets out much of the album's template; driving, on-the-road american rock, where the wind is in your hair, and life is for living, as Bay details this 'craving' to leave town and find his place in the world. There's the motoring drum beat, slide, organ, crunching guitar, and his voice, the key to his message; a voice that is alternately able to belt it out, and to reign it in, as he does at the beginning of Hold Back The River, just guitar and voice guiding us to the cliqued couplet: 'Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes/Hold back the river so wide, stop for a minute and be by your side'.
It's all very radio friendly rock, with an eye on the big one (America), in terms of commercial possibilities, although Bay doesn't have one particular style. Able to amalgamate blues, rock, country, gospel and pop influences, from both sides of the Atlantic, and with a look and name that bridges that vast ocean of possibilities.
For instance, on Let It Go, a previous single from the album, in name and title, sounds much like Mike Rosenberg aka Passenger (who's is also a man with strong Brighton connections), made famous by his ubiquitous Let Her Go song, also a song about difficult, dissolving relationships. While If You Ever Want To Be In Love is standard American lite-rock, Bay's grizzly voice belying his youthful years, the songs AOR bearing is something you might expect from a more seasoned pro, A Jon Bon Jovi for instance. Moreover, songs such as the semi-acoustic Move Together are tepid, lazy lighters-in-the-air fare, while Scars, develops even deeper into traditional power ballad territory, despite the promising beginning where the fraught sounding Bay lays it all down, with just simple guitar and voice, and more lyrics that hardly stray from the simplistic pleadings of romantic :'I can't grow without you anymore'.
On songs such as Best Fake Smile, Collide, Get Out While You Can, and When We Were on Fire, Bay ups his game a bit, dropping the overly emotive rockisms, traditional stylisms and cliqued lyrics, for something approaching fun and light-hearted, the melodies all strong here, and less predictable than elsewhere. There's no doubt that Bay has the talent to write good songs, and on the evidence of this, hopefully he'll venture out a little more in the future.
When seen up close and personal, such as at an open mic, an intimate venue, or on the streets, it was fairly obvious that here was a talent that could appeal unashamedly to the mainstream given the right tools and backing. Not only has he lived up to that early promise, he has most probably exceeded expectations. And for that, one must doff their (wide-brimmed) hat.
Jeff Hemmings
It truly is a remarkable turn around of fortunes for this young, chiselled, wide-brimmed hat wearing (one or two were bought at Mad Hatters, Brighton, fact fans) and former troubadour-in-waiting, who could once be seen at many open mics in the Brighton area, as well as busking on the streets. When you know this, it's easier to give the often confessional and yearning MOR songs of Bay the benefit of the doubt, his courage and desire to confront and to connect with often disinterested audiences. Suddenly though, he's been transplanted, spending much of his time in Nashville, where the album was recorded, with the usual crack team of highly skilled and sympathetic musicians. Hopefully, this is what he wants; fame, and perhaps some fortune, has already been bestowed on the 24 year-old.
Throughout there is a restlessness as befits classic rock'n'roll, as the pace of life, and the changes and travel involved in living the life of a full time musician opens so many doors not available to everyday folk, whilst at the same time slamming a good few too; the inevitable turmoil, and lack of routine and roots informing his lyrics throughout. Yes, indeed, that is really what he wanted all along, to get away from his roots, whilst at the same time, open heartedly articulating this spirit of adventure that we can only admire..
'Craving' sets out much of the album's template; driving, on-the-road american rock, where the wind is in your hair, and life is for living, as Bay details this 'craving' to leave town and find his place in the world. There's the motoring drum beat, slide, organ, crunching guitar, and his voice, the key to his message; a voice that is alternately able to belt it out, and to reign it in, as he does at the beginning of Hold Back The River, just guitar and voice guiding us to the cliqued couplet: 'Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes/Hold back the river so wide, stop for a minute and be by your side'.
It's all very radio friendly rock, with an eye on the big one (America), in terms of commercial possibilities, although Bay doesn't have one particular style. Able to amalgamate blues, rock, country, gospel and pop influences, from both sides of the Atlantic, and with a look and name that bridges that vast ocean of possibilities.
For instance, on Let It Go, a previous single from the album, in name and title, sounds much like Mike Rosenberg aka Passenger (who's is also a man with strong Brighton connections), made famous by his ubiquitous Let Her Go song, also a song about difficult, dissolving relationships. While If You Ever Want To Be In Love is standard American lite-rock, Bay's grizzly voice belying his youthful years, the songs AOR bearing is something you might expect from a more seasoned pro, A Jon Bon Jovi for instance. Moreover, songs such as the semi-acoustic Move Together are tepid, lazy lighters-in-the-air fare, while Scars, develops even deeper into traditional power ballad territory, despite the promising beginning where the fraught sounding Bay lays it all down, with just simple guitar and voice, and more lyrics that hardly stray from the simplistic pleadings of romantic :'I can't grow without you anymore'.
On songs such as Best Fake Smile, Collide, Get Out While You Can, and When We Were on Fire, Bay ups his game a bit, dropping the overly emotive rockisms, traditional stylisms and cliqued lyrics, for something approaching fun and light-hearted, the melodies all strong here, and less predictable than elsewhere. There's no doubt that Bay has the talent to write good songs, and on the evidence of this, hopefully he'll venture out a little more in the future.
When seen up close and personal, such as at an open mic, an intimate venue, or on the streets, it was fairly obvious that here was a talent that could appeal unashamedly to the mainstream given the right tools and backing. Not only has he lived up to that early promise, he has most probably exceeded expectations. And for that, one must doff their (wide-brimmed) hat.
Jeff Hemmings
Website: jamesbay.com
Facebook: facebook.com/jamesbaymusic