This album is not only a showcase of some amazing James songs, it also is a masterclass in song rearrangement by Joe Duddell. For me this song encapsulates what Joe Duddell has done on this album – taking something familiar and much loved by James fans and reinventing it in a way which defies all expectations. Celebrating 40 years since their first single release, James has dropped a double album titled “ Be Opened By The Wonderful,” featuring 20 tracks from across their diverse career.

I felt that the submissions here were a considerate and thoughtful selection and not what I’d expect which gives it a certain amount of charm.

Although not too dissimilar to the original, Tim’s lyrics are crystal clear in this version and the chorus, which bursts into life with the orchestra and choir, is full of passion and energy – this song deserves to be played loud! I thought that `Beautiful Beaches` from the last studio album`All The Colours of You` a number written about climate change and the fires that ravished California was a track made with audience participation in mind. Be Opened By The Wonderful was recorded at Blueprint Studios in Manchester, orchestrated and conducted by Joe Duddell with the ORCA22 Orchestra lead by Andra Vornicu featuring the Manchester Inspirational Voices choir, directed by Wayne Ellington. They dipped in and out of my life and I last seriously listened to them on the release of their last studio album `All The Colours of You` and got to witness them perform a few cuts from the album and some classic tunes live as well. It could easily be perceived as a band having a mid-life crisis and being a bunch of pretentious wankers.

In further celebration of their 40th Anniversary, the band will play a headline set at Latitude Festival, performing as Special Guests on the Sunday afternoon at Midday, a slot especially created for James to honour their Anniversary. The choir and orchestra give this version much more energy and drama than the original, especially during the chorus, and as Tim and the choir repeatedly sing “shine” that is exactly what this song does, and then some. Of course the fact that these songs work so well in this way is also testament to the underlying quality of the songwriting of James – which has just been recognised at the 2023 Ivor Novello Awards, with the band being awarded the PRS for Music Icon Award for their enduring successful career and excellence in songwriting.One of Britain’s most enduring success stories, JAMES have released sixteen studio albums, selling over 25 million copies, with their recent run of Top 5 albums proving to be a golden era for the band. The evolution of James over the decades has been remarkable to watch, and this new album demonstrates not only how they excel as musicians, but also as human beings. I would love to hear this version sung somewhere cavernous to feel the vibration and emotion bounce around every square inch of space.

It comes from a place of not understanding what’s gone wrong, struggling to comprehend why this huge void has appeared in your life, and not knowing how to fix it. Hey ma, the boys in body bags/Coming home in pieces”, sings Booth, almost like a football chant, over an upbeat and jaunty melody. Although James has played some of these tracks on previous orchestral shows, it is the first time they have been recorded for release. Rob Johnson of Total Ntertainment felt that the album "defies definition" and "acts as a sonic compendium of the band's entire career", also commenting that "for a band celebrating their 40th anniversary, it is striking how relevant they still sound".

James have always been a great band at Festivals, mixing their extensive well loved back catalogue with newer songs which immediately sounds as they too have been around forever. Be Opened By The Wonderful' is a 20-track (19 on vinyl) collection of some of James' most loved and rare tracks, re-imagined with a 22-piece orchestra and 8-piece choir. In 2022, following an eight-year live hiatus, Hard-Fi advised that they would play a handful of dates, including a gig at the Kentish Town Forum in London. Get ready to be opened by the wonderful sounds of James and their double album “ Be Opened By The Wonderful. For the benefit of this review, I will only be taking these twenty tracks on their merits as they appear on Be Opened By The Wonderful.

It is an alternative version of a greatest hits album – though there are several lesser-known tracks here too. The joyful`She’s A Star` a song about empowerment is given a fullorchestrated workout which allows a much more emotiveimpact.With an orchestra and choir adding to the song’s already epic power, this single is proof that James remains a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Beautiful Beaches, taken from 2021 album All The Colours Of You was written by Tim after his family had to leave their California home due to the rapidly increasing forest fires. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.