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If you don’t know James Pants, you might be surprised to know that this self-titled James Pants release is not his first album. For a quick 101 on the man they call Pants, check the Clouds Over The Pacific EP review HERE but I can assure you that Spokane’s finest has not let us down on the full album release.

Before we get to ‘Clouds Over The Pacific’ on the album, there’s two warm-up tracks, the rockin’ Krautrock of ‘Beta’ (yes, think Can, Faust, NEU! with a touch of Hawkwind) and the downtempo snyth ‘n’ guitar boogie of ‘Every Night I Dream’.

Don’t let that put you off or lull you into a false sense of security that the whole album will be like this as ‘Clouds Over The Pacific’ with smouldering vocals by Lucrecia Dalt and the fantastic ‘Dreamboat’ have more of a 80s synth pop angle they’re both damn catchy in a lovely way!

And back in the 80s when post punk bands were all looking to the apocalypse of post Pistols by listening to CAN and NEU! the indie style was a bit of a miss match of inventiveness so that the Gang Of Four would be pigeonholed like The Normal and Orange Juice. And why this digression? Well, this range of influences (and more) have been absorbed by James and he’s come up with a mix to match from the lovely ‘Screams Of Passion’ to the drum bangin’ ‘These Girls’.

Fans of Hectic’s Half Hour mixtape entry for Stop Making Sense will know that I plumped I slipped in a crafty Pants edit as James’ contribution to a Balearic vibe but that might have been a bit hasty as ‘Incantation’ is the dreamy of match of Broadcast with Dorothy Ashby (although, it would be just plain rude to edit such a fine track which makes the fade out really annoying - not a big gripe but it is such a good ‘un).

Another track that could do with a large extension if ‘Body On Elevator’ which is almost as creepy as the title.

Mrs Pants, ‘Kathleen’, gets a Pants vs. Raphael Sadeeq makeover (think Motown Christmas track with James on sleigh bells) and ‘Darlin’ goes back to a Joe Meek 60s production at the hop that would blow up the kids at Alf’s Diner.

The album ends a short French movie cue mixtape ending which is ideal to this varied album that in ‘Alone’ and ‘These Girls’, you’re getting all of the previous ingredients as a true Pants phenomenon

This is one of those albums that improves with every listen as it’s so original but familiar all at the same time, sort of like listening to a John Peel Show that’s showcasing just one album. It’s about time JP went stratospheric and he should be every bit as big as James Blake with trendy and normal kids alike. Don’t keep it a secret, wear your Pants on your sleeve and James won’t let you down.

Forthcoming Dates:
May 03: Release date: James Pants, Worldwide
May 13: Stones Throw takeover Room 3 @ Fabric: J Rocc, James Pants, Kutmah & Alex Chase. London.
May 27: James Pants, Zurich
May 29: James Pants, Paris
Jun 26: James Pants, Toulouse
Jul 16: James Pants, Zadar

Hectic Mix Nomination: All but ‘Incantation’ is exceptional but all are very good.

Reviewed: James Pants - James Pants (Stones Throw) Cat. No. STH2262 Release date: 2nd May 2011
Tracklisting:
1 Beta (2:56)
2 Every Night I Dream (3:38)
3 Clouds Over The Pacific feat. Lucrecia Dalt (4:04)
4 A Little Bit Closer (4:39)
5. Strange Girl (2:20)
6. Screams Of Passion (2:46)
7. Incantation (4:25)
8. Kathleen (3:09)
9. Body On Elevator (1:07)
10 Darlin’ (3:00)
11 Alone (3:48)
12 These Girls (2:34)
13 Dreamboat (3:08)
14 Epilogue (1:57).

Links:
JAMES PANTS new LP out May 2nd. “The new James Pants album is so good! Dude always kills it” (Flying Lotus).
www.stonesthrow.com/jamespants
http://jamespants.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/jamespants
thesoundoflucrecia.com
Metro - Staying In p38/39 : James Pants by Arwa Haider http://e-edition.metro.co.uk/2011/05/03/