Two #1 albums, five top ten singles, and his first Jukebox slot since 2006…
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[2.57]
Brad Shoup: These kids say they grew up listening to Stevie, but give ’em a record deal and they skip straight to In Square Circle. Surely we’re past pretending that owning Astral Weeks in high school = a formative musical education. It certainly didn’t enlighten James, who weds the bassline from “Stand By Me” to… the same general theme as “Stand By Me.” I suppose I’m thankful he serves as his own backing vocalists, rather than some other plastic-soul hired guns. If you’re still not totally down with the concept of “men,” this sodden, orchestral pop/rock drecklaration will tide you over.
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Doug Robertson: As unadventurous as a plastic sloth, James continues to sound vocally strained, confusing effort with emotion, and once again serves up the sort of warmed up slop that his fanbase will no doubt lap up with the enthusiasm that should be reserved for only the finest of soups, not this value brand substitute. He clearly knows who his audience is. If only he’d do the decent thing and let the appropriate authorities know as well so that they could finally get the help they so desperately need.
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Anthony Easton: I should stop reviewing this work, because I am completely allergic to the sentiments that it engages. His voice is bland, and it’s not quite whining — because whining suggests an explicit feeling. Not a particularly good feeling, but a feeling nonetheless.
[4]
Katherine St Asaph: Normally, I would hate this, but I don’t. Why? Objectively, little distinguishes “I Won’t Let You Go” from the surrounding scatter of rose petals in the genre. James is no prettier or less than guys who do this; it really depends on how little he crinkles his hair. He’s not an Irish musician, despite where he charts, so I don’t have that unconscious bias going. I just watched The X Factor, but if anything that’d fatigue me of pap. I’m not stupidly wistful right now, haven’t thought “what if” or “where are you now” in hours. Lately I’ve been listening to more music than usual with whirlpooling strings, but it’s for work. I can’t think of any other interfering variables, either. Guess that means the arrangement really does have verve and James Morrison’s voice grit.
[6]
Iain Mew: When you keep complaining about getting mistaken for Chris Martin, it’s probably not a good idea to write an intro which lends itself so much to “When you try so hard but you don’t succeed…” being sung over it. The rest of it? Still don’t like his voice, still boring, very little happening to even make it worth bothering to hate.
[3]
Jonathan Bradley: If nothing else, James Morrison has constructed a useful reminder to ’90s nostalgists of how terrible that era’s Bryan Adams ballads were.
[2]
Alfred Soto: James Blunt and John Waite tonguing each other as the waves pound into them. Their girlfriends watch approvingly.
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