Customer Reviews

The Pursuit

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

He has a tremendous talent, no one can have doubts about that.

He was catapulted into spotlight after his 2003 debut "Twentysomething" marked him out as the poster child for the new age of Jazz. His second album received a much more muted response - behind the scenes he's been busy toiling away.

According to some critics, he "has released a string of increasingly poppy Jazz-influenced records. The Pursuit is a richer, more rounded creation. It reveals the influences of a man who is as at home making four-to-the-floor club tracks with his brother as knocking out jazz standards" - Rob Potter

In his latest release, "The Pursuit", a new-found confidence is clearly evident and fans will notice a slight veer away from the jazz sound he is famous for as he visits other genres.

The Cole Porter cover version that starts this album ("Just One Of Those Things" - recorded with the Count Basie orchestra at Tony Bennett's studio) may make you think that this jazz talent is in danger of playing it all a bit too predictable, but he soon shakes things up.

Later, the single "If I Ruled The World, a song memorably tackled by Tony Bennett and by the incomparable Regina Belle on her latest album Lazy Afternoon, becomes entirely Cullum's own.

In fact the track sounds sombre and almost funerary, and recalls Portishead, while "Music Is Through" has a house beat and "We Run Things" is just boldly experimental.

Some other tracks to look out for are the beautiful "Love Aint't Gonna Let You Down", and "Mixtape", featuring none other that the dulcet tones of Sophie Dahl as part of the backing vocal.
This album is a must for loyal lovers of Jamie Cullum's music, and for those who want to hear something genuinely surprising and original.

The special edition version of The Pursuit includes a bonus DVD with exclusive live and behind-the-scenes footage.
Twentysomething
Catching Tales
Pointless Nostalgic
The Essential Tony Bennett (Rm) (2CD)
Lazy Afternoon

Jamie Cullum is a young top caliber crossover artist who excels at almost everything -- jazz-piano, singing, arrangements, creativity, melodies, bass lines, so that he's been aptly dubbed "Sinatra in Sneakers" by the press. His singing is exciting, hungry, desperate with a fetching longing and bravado. Perhaps five or six songs in this SUPREMELY EXCELLENT ALBUM will become classics since they're borderline addictive; the other songs are excellent and creative, with fresh choices and unusual instrumentation. Cullum understands rhythm, beat, melody, harmony, and has wonderful ways of working with the bass and drums. If there's an area where Cullum needs improvement, it's lyrics, but generally I think most people don't care about words particularly on the up-tempo numbers. He combines a keen sense of timing and rhythm and melodies so each change is unpredicted but wonderful. Cullum is a joy to listen to. If you play his song "Wheels" while driving in your car, when he sings about the wheels falling off of the world, you'll feel airborne. He sings as well as Sinatra with subtle tones and choices. Supremely recommended!!!

-- Thomas W. Sulcer
Author of "The Second Constitution of the United States"
(free on web; google title + Sulcer)

Jamie Cullum is not necessarily mainstream and definitely a huge find if you come across his music. What a talent. If you ever want to find someone who was made to play, write and perform music from their soul it is this guy. TWENTYSOMETHING was the first defining moment for this great artist receiving praise from critics and listeners alike. His next release CATCHING TALES was considered a positive notch on his belt but didn't receive the save level of praise as the latter. As a sidenote for me it definitely was a step up for Mr. Cullum. Now we have THE PURSUIT and as far as I am considered this is his new defining moment.

Every artist has a basic genre they are defined in and for Jamie Cullum is was jazz pop and many reinterpretations of old standards in the Cullum style. And he has had his style since day one. Sometimes you hear him compared to Harry Connick Jr. or Michael Buble and though he sings some standards his style is so far removed from these performers. His growth on this release is astounding. Jamie Cullum is now 30 and to see an artist grow so much at an early age is a pleasure and a rarity. Each song he tackles is not for the masses but his own interptretation done from the heart. He is a singer songwriter and he has a superb gift with the songwriting as well. His piano playing is another gift and is always used to bring emotional depth to his performances.

Some of the standards he tackles here are JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, which starts off the cvd with a brassy, wonderful interpration that blows in your face as a great huge intro to what is to come. IF I RULED THE WORLD is a standard that many of the greats have interpreted and he makes this so much his own each time I listen I have to stop and listen to it with full attention as his vocals grab me. The important thing about Cullum is that though at first considered a singer who reinterpreted standards he has always been an inventive, risk taking independant style artist and that is a part of each song. Songs that are not standards are all written by Jamie himself and his true versatility shines on those tracks here. We get I'M ALL OVER IT which is the most poppish song he has ever done and it is amazing. WHEELS and MIXTAPE will surely become Cullum essentials and his reinterpretation of Rihanna's DON'T STOP THE MUSIC definitely shows how much he makes a song his own. With his self penned ballad LOVE AIN'T GONNA LET YOU DOWN he shows how even with a love song he remains true as an artist and provides a tour de force performance combing intense vocals with the amazing piano playing.

Jamie does venture further away from the standards here but it all flows flawlessly for whatever genre he tackles you get the true artistry of Jamie Cullum. No song is filler and no song is repetituous. Each track gets the Cullum touch and that is a gift. He has such a gruff voice and how he can work it and reach such emotional heights astounds me. The deluxe edition gives you some great bonus tracks like GRACE IS GONE and the live version of DON'T STOP THE MUSIC. There is also a great dvd with live performances and interviews.

Such praise as I have been giving here is honestly only reserved for a performer who is a true artist and that is Jamie Cullum. He explores, invents and is always true to himself. With a true artist when they venture out sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Jamie Cullum takes many chances here and it all works. This is his best release so far and I highly recommend it.

Nicknamed Jazz Hobbitt, UK singer Jamie Cullum refuses to be pigeonholed, covering songs by artists as diverse as Pharrell, Radiohead, Hendrix, and Kanye West, to mention a few.

His continues this genre hoping on his new CD "The Pursuit" which opens with the swinging big band Jazz reading of Cole Porter's "Just one of those things", the thumping piano Pop of "I'm all over it", the Coldplay-like "Wheels", and a beautiful woozy and haunting cover of "If I ruled the world" (with an incredibly beautiful piano break) which wouldn't sound out of place on a Massive Attack album.

A drastic piano reworking of Rihanna's "Don't stop the music" with slowly shuffling beats is a highlight, much like his remake of Pharrell's "Frontin'" was on his "Twentysomething" album.

"Mixtape" is an upbeat Pop number with his missus Sophie Dahl on backing vocals, "I think I love you" a beautiful lounge ballad (perfect for a candlelit dinner), "We run things" is a horn-sprinkled Jazz/Pop song with distorted sounds and Hip Hop beats, and closing is the 7 minute long droning House number "Music is through" with catchy piano breaks.

If you're a real music lover, this should be right up your alley. Bold and experimental.

This album is absolutely brilliant. I loved Twenty Something, did not like the one following it, but this one blasts you out of the chair. Can't do anything wrong buying this one.

In the first two tracks on this new CD, we get the two extremes of Jamie Cullum. "Just One of Those Things" is the swingingest Jamie has ever been. The bass is grooving, the horns are screaming - that's right, there's a full horn section. Follow this up with "I'm All Over It" which could very well be the poppiest song Cullum's ever done.

"If I Ruled The World" has an electronica feel lifted off of Aqualung's first album, with a great piano solo. "You and Me Are Gone" reminds me a little of the song "Twentysomething" with it's beat and riffs and, even though it's laced with some Latin percussion from West Side Story sounds like a more traditional Cullum arrangement, and maybe Jamie's best recorded piano solo ever. "Don't Stop The Music" continues Jamie's re-interpretation versions of cover songs with a great take on the Rhianna song - laid back, acoustic, and swinging. "The Music Is Through" closes the CD with a great, densely produced arrangement complete with a house beat.

Is it jazz? It's the furthest Cullum's been from jazz. It's jazz INFLUENCED pop. And there are some great jazz piano licks on nearly every song. But what makes it great to me is that it is the most DIVERSE a Cullum CD has been. The previous CDs all featured great songs but some of them droned on after a while. This album is fresh sounding from beginning to end and never seems to bog down. Very, very well done from one of my favorite current performers.

Jamie Cullum is gifted, young, fun, adorable and oh so cool. And this is a great CD -- maybe his best -- not only does he play like a genius, but he writes the coolest songs, and gives a whole new spin to the classic oldies -- Sinatra, Bennett, etc.

Okay, I don't keep up with a lot of new music because quite frankly, I don't like it. How come I never heard of Jamie Cullum, and where have I been? Asleep at the wheel I suppose. A friend of mine who is a jazz musician gave me "The Pursuit" to listen to. I am speechless...This is one of the most pleasant surprises I have ever had listening to an album or artist for the first time. Jazzy, Proggy, Poppy, Moody, and slurping all over the keys bluesy, funky, slunky, pianio chops that make you want to jump and say, "Yeah !"
Cool compositions that you just want to hear again and again, and a swingin' voice to boot, like the morphing of Tony Bennett with Stevie Wonder. You just gotta get this album ! It's Cool, it's Creative, it's Refreshing, it's Fun, and it's Real Music.

Jamie's sound is great. His inflections and tone are very similar to John Legend, whom I also love. This album fulfills on many levels. Recommend.

I LOVE this album. I have two of Jamie's previous albums and this is definitely my favorite. I've listened to it nonstop on a couple of occasions and there isn't a bad song in the bunch. That said, I do have favorites - You and Me Are Gone (grammar notwithstanding); Just One of Those Things (how cool that it's with the Count Basie orchestra - wow!); Gran Torino... and my absolute favorite, Don't Stop the Music. I could keep going...

In short, I highly recommend this album for its variety, listenability, danceability, and just plain greatness. Enjoy!