Wah Wah

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wah Wah
Wah Wah cover
Studio album by James
Released October ? , 1994
Recorded 1993
Genre Alternative
Label Mercury Records
Producer Brian Eno
Professional reviews
James chronology
Laid
(1993)
Wah Wah
(1994)
Whiplash
(1997)

The seventh full-length release by Manchester indie rock group, James, Wah Wah was produced by Brian Eno during the same six-week session as Laid. Although the group had always been keen on improvisation, both as their principal songwriting method and onstage, this was their first (and only) album to be comprised entirely of such material. It was Eno's idea that the group's improvisations should be recorded, having told them that he regarded this music as having equal importance to the finished songs birthed from it. However, the group told Stuart Maconie (for their authorised biography Folklore) that the album caused disagreements, particularly over Tim Booth's wish to redo some vocals and over how to deal with the finished record - originally planned as a giveaway with early copies of Laid, it was eventually issued as a limited edition several months later.

One track, Jam-J was chosen as a single, and released as a double-A side, along with Say Something from the album Laid.

The track Tomorrow was later re-recorded from scratch and placed on the band's next release, the album Whiplash as well as being culled as the second single from that record.

[edit] Track listing

  1. Hammer Strings
  2. Pressure's On
  3. Jam J
  4. Frequency Dip
  5. Lay the Law Down
  6. Burn the Cat
  7. Maria
  8. Low Clouds
  9. Building a Fire
  10. Gospel Oak
  11. DVV
  12. Say Something
  13. Rhythmic Dreams
  14. Dead Man Whistling
  15. Rain
  16. Basic Brian
  17. Low Clouds
  18. Bottom of the Well
  19. Honest Joe
  20. Arabic Agony
  21. Tomorrow
  22. Laughter
  23. Sayonara