Jamie Cullum previews his upcoming new album with an "original" piece of songwriting - goodness! Quite what he actually adds to the song that this track samples heavily (Get Out Of My Life, Woman by Joe Williams) is, perhaps, difficult to tell. But that is not to say that The-Most-Insulted-Man-In-Pop-Jazz has not produced something of genuine interest.
Indeed, there is much to be praised in a decision to release a song which is perhaps more "difficult" for the average Radio 2 listener - although it is clearly beneath anyone tuned to Radio 3. Based around a looping chord sequence with the only change being a key-shift into and out of the chorus, the track has much more in common with Hip Hop, particularly anything currently involving John Legend, rather than Sinatra or even Connick Jr.; hence, perhaps, the presence of Dan The Automator as a "co-writer" and producer.
Maybe there's not enough talent around to write a crowd-pleasin' jazz classic in the Rat Pack mould anymore. Maybe there's no point. Maybe Jamie's croon is a little too boyish (he needs to smoke more) and faux-soul to ever make him cool. But that doesn't stop this record from being sassy, sexy and swaggering. And there's a reason to be cheerful.
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