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Post by XxbagpussxX on Jun 19, 2007 21:40:56 GMT
Please post any snippets of info relating to the new album here! First one, just a day after the announcement (thanks to Court for letting me post the article she scanned from Rolling Stone)
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Post by Prior on Jun 20, 2007 9:10:29 GMT
i can't wait
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Post by XxbagpussxX on Jun 30, 2007 15:26:02 GMT
www.calendarlive.com/music/la-ca-bluntjul01,0,7714563.story?coll=cl-music-features James Blunt's shaking his hit Critics and parodists have lambasted "You're Beautiful" for the last two years. The British singer-songwriter doesn't mind. He's moving on. By Geoff Boucher, Times Staff Writer
JAMES BLUNT has a steady stare and an even steadier smirk, and you suspect he needs both to keep standing in the spotlight. It's not easy being the guy whose place in pop culture (at least in American pop culture) begins and ends with the 2005 monster hit "You're Beautiful," a novelty concoction of helium and syrup that made him about as respectable as Vanilla Ice to critics and rock snobs.
But "You're Beautiful" made Blunt the first British artist to hit No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart since Elton John did it in 1997, and Blunt's album, "Back to Bedlam," sold 2.6 million copies in the U.S., so clearly somebody loved that song. Blunt himself views the song as a door that opened and will now allow him a major stage to show himself as more than a one-hit wonder.
Yes, right, I'm a two-hit wonder, right? That's brilliant." The man who has been frequently photographed clubbing with supermodels flashed his high-wattage grin, then got serious. "For me, the pressure is off. I did an album before that sold over 11 million worldwide, which I won't ever do again. It's just not going to happen. So I knew I had a choice of either trying to match that and please everyone or to recognize that I can make music to please myself. And that's why I'm excited about this album."
Blunt's new CD, "All the Lost Souls," isn't due in stores until Sept. 17, but he and his label, Atlantic Records, are eager to play the new music for journalists and chip away at the stigma of "You're Beautiful." That's why Blunt sat down in an L.A. studio on a recent afternoon and played the first four songs off the CD. They are each one-take performances by Blunt and his now-veteran band, and the songs are not unlike Coldplay or David Gray in their earnest lunge for emotional revelation.
"They sum up where I am now, personally, and reflect where I have been before, while musically, I think, this album is where I can go from here," Blunt said. The songs, he said, "open a lot of musical doors."
A study in tattered denim and fashionable scruff, the 35-year-old Blunt sat back and closed his eyes and listened to the new music with his note-taking visitor. The first single is "1973," a curious title for a chap born in Tidworth, Wiltshire, a year later. "Yes, I know, but it rhymed." After the final note, he was told he sounds like the lost Bee-Gee and his face lit up. "Absolutely. I think as you go through there, there's also some Fleetwood Mac in there, definitely some Elton going on, the Beatles of course, and some others. Don McLean, Steely Dan perhaps."
It's not every artist who races to list all the influences of a looming album — some are leery of coming off more as a tribute act or collage artist than an individual voice. But as a star, Blunt shrugs a lot more than he struts. Maybe it's his background; he was an armored reconnaissance officer with the peacekeeping forces in Kosovo and rose to the rank of captain in the British army before he traded in a rifle for a guitar.
Linda Perry, the star producer, tapped Blunt as a candidate for success, and her instincts again proved true. "You're Beautiful" started off in the U.S. as a sort of boutique, idiosyncratic singer-songwriter track, the sort that KCRW-FM (89.9) might file with Damien Rice or Badly Drawn Boy on the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" playlist. But as the song caught the ear of Top 40, its helium novelty became a target of backlash.
"Weird" Al Yankovic parodied it ("You're Pitiful"), and the actress Mary-Louise Parker, in an essay on wimpy music in Esquire magazine, opined: "All due respect, 'You're Beautiful' kind of makes me want to hurl." A poll of British music on Yahoo! Music named the song the most annoying ever recorded. Then there was Brit pop icon Paul Weller, who told the Daily Mirror of London: "I would rather eat my own [feces] than perform with Blunt."
Blunt smirked and stared when asked about being defined by one song, especially one with so many daggers thrown at it. "Here in the States, that may be the case, but in the rest of the world I've had four hits. My first album was heard by many people as a complete work outside this country. I've been very happy with the success I've had here. I'm ready for a different kind of success now, though."
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Post by Prior on Jul 12, 2007 8:12:46 GMT
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Post by XxbagpussxX on Jul 16, 2007 20:41:05 GMT
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/16/AR2007071601009.htmlNEW YORK (Billboard) - James Blunt spent the better part of 2006 living and working in Ibiza, Spain, one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea.
Known for its nonstop summer dance parties, Ibiza is not the first destination that comes to mind when thinking of the mellow British singer-songwriter.
Blunt's breakthrough debut, "Back to Bedlam" -- released in 2004 in the United Kingdom and one year later in the United States, where it has sold 2.6 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan -- was anything but dance music. In fact, its smash hit, "You're Beautiful," could have passed for a 1970s AM radio staple. But there was Blunt, last summer, making the scene like a veteran of the club community. "You go to Space at 9 in the morning, and you carry on till 9 in the evening," Blunt said with a smile. "I'm a healthy clubgoer."
Following a day -- or night -- of clubbing, Blunt would "head back to mine": to his secluded home "away up in the hills." It was there, with a piano and guitar at his side, that he wrote many of the songs that appear on his second Custard/Atlantic album, "All the Lost Souls," due September 18.
According to Blunt, the album's lead single, the propulsive, anthemic "1973," which makes its worldwide radio debut July 23 (the digital download and accompanying video will be available at iTunes August 7), was inspired by all that dancing and hanging out in Ibiza.
OFF-SEASON SOLITUDE
Blunt stayed in Ibiza beyond the summer season. But during the winter, when the tourists and partiers were nowhere to be found on the island, Blunt describes his daily routine as "alone and secluded -- living like a monk."
It proved to be an amazing experience. "I hadn't been alone for three years," he said. "I'd been sleeping on a tour bus with 12 people. So, it was a real moment to stop and have a look around, to realize what had gone on in my life and find a sense of calm."
He was also able to free himself of competing with the success of his debut album. "There's no way I'm going to sell 11 million copies" of the new album, he said, citing his debut's global sales figure. "That album was a moment and I'm happy for that, but I'm certainly not going to try to emulate it in any sort of way."
Once upon a time -- back before he embarked on a career in the music industry -- Blunt had different issues to confront.
The son of a colonel, Blunt (whose real surname is Blount) served as an officer in the British army -- a stint that included a role in NATO's peacekeeping force in Kosovo. He exited the army in 2002, swapping his gun for a guitar.
Toward the end of 2002, songwriter/producer Linda Perry was in London, "hopping from label to label as a fan" with hopes of hearing some new music that would excite her. "But I was pretty much disappointed," she recalls. That is, until she stopped by the offices of EMI Music Publishing, where she heard Blunt's demos.
At the time, Blunt didn't have a label deal. In Perry, EMI saw a potential collaborator for Blunt. She had other things in mind: "I said, 'He doesn't need a collaborator -- he needs a record label.' Days later, I was having dinner with James and told him I wanted to sign him to my label (Custard)."
Fast-forward to South by Southwest in 2003, where Blunt performed at a showcase in a banquet room at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Perry was one of about 20 people in the room. Within days, Blunt and Perry had done a deal.
'BEAUTIFUL' RESPONSE
"Bedlam" went on to spend nine weeks at No. 1 in the United Kingdom. "You're Beautiful" was the third single and wound up topping the charts for five weeks. By the end of 2005, "Bedlam" was the biggest-selling album of the year in the United Kingdom.
Eventually, "Bedlam" topped the album charts in 16 territories around the world, and was No. 1 on the European Top 100 Albums tally for more than two months. In the United States, "You're Beautiful" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in mid-March 2006. In the process, Blunt became the first British artist to achieve that feat since Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997."
While new songs like "1973" and "I'll Take Everything" feature beats and tempos that would not sound out of place on global dance floors, the bulk of "All the Lost Souls" showcases an artist who has used his debut album as a strong reference point. "One of the Brightest Stars" and "Annie" focus on the ins and outs of fame, while "Carry You Home" comments on mortality. Those seeking Blunt at his most vulnerable need look no further than "I Really Want You" (the album's "You're Beautiful") and "Same Mistake."
Although Blunt penned the bulk of the songs, he asked EMI Music Publishing to partner him with some writers -- but not necessarily the obvious choices. Among the pairings were Mark Batson (50 Cent, Dr. Dre, Beyonce) and Max Martin (Kelly Clarkson, Pink, 'N Sync).
Working on the album, Blunt and his band -- keyboardist Paul Beard, guitarist Ben Castle, bassist Malcolm Moore and drummer Karl Brazil -- played and recorded the 10 songs as a unit, together and live.
"There was strong desire to capture that live-band feel that was so prevalent in the '70s," Blunt said. The recording process was in direct contrast to that of "Bedlam," which Blunt made with studio musicians, overdubbing many of the instruments himself.
BEYOND RADIO
While radio has been good to Blunt, the singer is fully aware that it focuses on tracks more than albums. Because of this, Blunt believes it's not wise to be wholly dependent on the format. "In the digital age, a person hears one song on the radio and then downloads that song," he said. "In my case, they have then missed nine songs, which are just as important.
"So, you need to look at other ways to get your music heard," he continued. "At least, if (people) hear other songs, and not just the ones on the radio, they'll approach the album as a whole. And they'll click on 'buy album' and go on the journey that we recorded."
To get fans started down that road, Blunt sang "Same Mistake" during his July 7 Live Earth set at London's Wembley Stadium. And he'll appear on a handful of morning/daytime and late-night TV shows surrounding the release of "All the Lost Souls."
On September 18, he will perform on "Today." It will mark his fourth appearance on the morning show, which prides itself on being the first TV show in America on which Blunt performed (November 3, 2005). "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" are on his slate as well. Blunt will spend October overseas; then, it's back to the States for more. The goal is simple: to repeat the worldwide success of "Bedlam."
Despite his enormous success at home, Blunt has come in for a mauling from the acerbic British press, which has targeted the troubadour for his high-pitched singing voice, his nonconfrontational music and his well-to-do background. The criticism has been so harsh that Coldplay frontman Chris Martin called for a media truce during the 2006 BRIT Awards.
But now Blunt will step back and hope his fans will stay with him the second time around. "I'm really excited to see the development from an album that was naive and honest and charming in its own way," he said, "to an album that is a bit deeper, a bit richer in its approach."
Whilst this is an excellent, positive article for a change .... it annoys me that the American journalist seems to think JB is from the US ... "he will spend October overseas, then its back to the States" ..... GRRRRRRRRRRR I will add the TV appearance to the calendar. Again, it looks like he will be in the States for the release of the new album, and not in the UK
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Post by pollyt on Jul 16, 2007 21:43:41 GMT
My thought's exactly! I've said much the same on the official boards. We in the UK/Europe are sloppy seconds by the looks of thing's.
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Post by Prior on Jul 18, 2007 10:43:01 GMT
official cover ! THE cover of JAMES BLUNT’s new CD All The Lost Souls is the best I’ve seen for years. Hundreds of snaps of James – from babyhood to megastar – are used to make a collage of his face on the album, which will be released on September 17. Designer Nin Bowse joked: “James asked us not to use his face on the cover – so we put it on 1,000 times.” James’s debut album Back To Bedlam has now sold 3,020,490 UK copies, pipping DIDO’S Life For Rent as the millennium’s top-seller so far. www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,4-2007330095,00.html
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Post by XxbagpussxX on Jul 18, 2007 20:57:42 GMT
Thanks for the article Prior ... here's a slightly larger, clearer version of the cover
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Post by Prior on Jul 20, 2007 6:16:02 GMT
Confirmed Songs 1973 One of the Brightest Stars I'll take Everything I Really Want You Same Mistake Carry you Home Give me Some Love Shine On Annie I Can't Hear the Music I'll Take Everything
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Post by XxbagpussxX on Jul 20, 2007 19:16:55 GMT
www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/article-23405163-details/Off+the+record/article.doMORE BANG FOR BLUNT'S BUCKS
Back in the heady, high old days of rock journalism, my working week might have taken me to a beach in Barbados to hang out with the Allman Brothers Band. Instead, I'm more likely to take a trip to Willesden to be strip-searched in advance of hearing the latest Britney album.
Kudos, then, to James Blunt for pretending it's still 1975. He may sound tearful on record, but having sold a staggering 11 million copies of his debut album, Back to Bedlam, he's moved to Ibiza and is dipping heavily into his newfound fortune to launch the follow-up.
Instead of sitting at home worrying about his imminent visit to the High Court to defend himself against a claim over songwriting credits, last week he flew a handful of writers and record company types on a private jet out to his new pad, where we watched him play a short sunset concert on a hillside looking down to the sea. The assembled few were practically submerged in thingytails, and there was enough barbecued food on offer to keep everyone who bought Blunt's album worldwide from getting peckish for a week.
I am telling you this not out of boastfulness, but to emphasise that this kind of thing so rarely happens in today's music industry. The singing squaddie's second album, All the Lost Souls, is clearly intended to emulate its predecessor by becoming the biggest of the year after its release on 17 September (on Atlantic), and an extravagant launch is clearly designed to help early perceptions. But as one fellow traveller remarked: "This level of fuss makes you think the record must be a stinker, doesn't it?"
While admitting that a better situation could not have been contrived for cynics to find themselves enjoying the music of James Blunt, I'd have to say that the new songs didn't stink. That thin voice is still easy to dislike, and he lacks stage presence even on his own turf, but tracks such as Same Mistake and I Really Want You maintained a high standard of instantly memorable acoustic rock that will inevitably charm millions once again.
Most surprisingly, he's discovered dance music. His comeback single, 1973, due out in September, is still guitar-based but its lyrics concern the legendary Ibiza nightclub Pacha, while the standout track on the album, I'll Take Everything, features big house pianos and shuffling beats.
Indeed, living in the sunshine, counting his millions and accepting that even selling half as many copies of his extraordinarily successful debut will be a decent result, Blunt's biggest worry seems to be whether to carry on his party at Pacha or rival club Privilege.
"You know that bit in You're Beautiful, where you sing, 'My life is brilliant'," I gibber at him, "it really is, isn't it?"
"That's true," he replies, and heads towards a car full of friends and another very late night.
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