Twentysomething

by

Jamie Cullum

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I definitely enjoy Jamie Cullum's "Twentysomething." Many people have blasted it for being too unoriginal, too boring, too "pop" sounding, etc., but the fact remains that this music is fun to listen to. I'd much rather listen to Mr. Cullum's music than Norah Jones or Diana Krall. Cullum runs through standards and originals as if both were his own. He takes songs by artists such as Radiohead and the legendary Jimi Hendrix and puts a spin on them that others wouldn't dare dream of doing. He takes a "no fear" approach to music. Perhaps that is why I enjoy this album so much. While other artists have become media darlings by pawning themselves to the public, Cullum seems to be content with doing his own thing. By being himself, he's captured the attention of millions. He's even played for the Queen.

Of the songs contained herein, "Twentysomething" is definitely my favorite. I enjoy "Singin' In The Rain" and "All At Sea." There isn't a bad track on this disc. Many have compared Cullum's sound to Billy Joel, and I can see that comparison, but Cullum is in a league all his own. He's fun to listen to and extremely talented. I highly recommend this one.

There's not a question in my mind that Jamie Cullum is a talented vocalist/songwriter/musician. He's also charismatic, earthy, and as cute as a button. I first saw him performing live on "The Today Show". In a brief interview with Matt Lauer, he came across without a hint of pretension, his performance of of the CD title song was lively, and he followed that by enthusiastically greeting a large gaggle of fans, many of which seemed to have just become immediately smitten with him. I can see that someone like Jamie would be very instrumental in bringing the joy of jazz to a younger audience.

I ran right out to buy "twentysomething", which I like a lot, but definitely do not love. If you're a jazz fan older than 30, I think you'll feel the same. The original songs (especially "These Are the Days" and "Twentysomething") work fine, but the standard "covers" are a mixed-bag. Cullum has a unique take on "Singin' in the Rain" (reminds me of Malcolm McDowell in "A Clockwork Orange) and "What a Difference a Day Made", but "I Get A Kick Out of You" and "I Could Have Danced All Night" are almost awful. The biggest shortcoming is Cullum's singing style itself, which is really style-less. It's one thing to sound smoky, but Jamie often sounds like he was yanked out of bed and pushed into the recording studio after a long, drunken bender. The arrangements sometimes seem rushed and sloppy, with sudden bursts of volume where no loudness seems required.

I am still enjoying this CD in small increments, but overall, Mr.Cullum needs a bit more polish. Jazz purists beware!