Two years after Girl at the End of the World, the mythical band from Manchester hasn’t aged at all with Living in Extraordinary Times. At just the sound of the simple name James, it evokes a whole era of music: fifteen albums to their name, a Brit Pop sound typical of England in the early 90’s and memorable hits such as Come Home, Sit Down, She's A Star or Laid... In 2001, the leader Tim Booth's departure marked the end of this adventure which first began in 1982. But for all the fans, the reformation in 2007 triggered two quite distinct reactions. On the one hand, euphoria. On the other, the anguish of finding themselves with grandpas on the stage. Well there’s nothing to fear there – James are just as good as when they first started out, as they prove on Living in Extraordinary Times. Never too shy, James open with Hank, a track resonating with tribal drums, and describe everything that is wrong with modern America. Anyone for some Trump-stoning? But Booth isn’t just here for lynching. Sensitive and honest, he opens up in a declaration of paternal love on Coming Home part 2, a spiritual sequel to the enormous success Come Home. Opening with an electronic beat, he explains the difficulty of living far from his relatives and of missing important events in a father's life. It’s a love letter, made all the more moving by Leif Tilden's simple and authentic music video... James have always been able to compose quality radio hits that get stuck in your head. Like with the track Many Faces where an acoustic beat, brass section and electro synth pattern lead to a trance-like state. Whether the track is painful, pessimistic or joyful, the Mancunian group always base their work on a single motto: “We can all do better”, as they explain on their final track, Better Than That. © Clara Bismuth/Qobuz