Old is the new new
Jamie Lidell
Jim (Warp)
ESSENTIAL "Another Day"
On his third solo album, Jamie Lidell brings a blissful blast of classic R&B and soul with a fresh, modern sensibility that avoids sounding purely retro. Known for his electronic experimentation and fervent live shows, the British singer dabbled in soul on 2005's critically acclaimed "Multiply," which led to kudos from Elton John and collaborations with Feist and Beck. For "Jim," Lidell left his bedroom studio to work with Justin Stanley (Beck, the Vines) in LA. Vibrant album opener "Another Day" places Lidell alongside renowned crooners such as Stevie Wonder, while "Out of My System" channels the funk strut of late-'60s Aretha Franklin, and "All I Wanna Do" is an old-school slow jam in the vein of "You Send Me." According to Lidell, "Hurricane," which features backing vocals from electro diva Peaches, takes up the hillbilly funk sound once thrown down by Parliament. Tepid ballad "Rope of Sand" is an anticlimactic closing track but mostly because the rest of the album exudes such joyous verve. Old is made new again in the best possible way on what could surely be the perfect soundtrack for a sultry, soulful summer. [Sarah Tomlinson]
Jamie Lidell plays at the Paradise Rock Club Saturday. 