Jamie Lidell: Jim

Jamie Lidell did himself a disservice by making Multiply, his first journey into

revivalist soul, so postmodern and glitchy. Granted, it made the departure more

palatable for fans of his previous work, but it also opened him up to the

evergreen criticism of blue-eyed soul—that it's mannered and overthought.

More than that, it relegated his voice to being yet another instrument in a

frantic mix. On Jim, Lidell course-corrects by choosing a warmer, more organic palette. It's a retro-soul

record minus the bleeps and whistles, and it exposes Lidell as the charming, confident vocalist he is. He effectively sells

the barn-burners ("Out Of My System," "Where D'You Go"), but naturally, the

ballads put up a bigger fight. "Rope Of Sand" features an arrangement so

slight, Lidell has no choice but to flesh the song out with his voice. He

triumphs, delivering a subtle, stirring performance reminiscent of Daryl Hall

in his prime. On "Green Light," Lidell sings, "It's only a trick if you make it

a trick," and in dispensing with his sonic trickery, he's made a record worthy of his buzz.