Upon Further Consideration: José James – While You Were Sleeping

Sometimes Spotify undermines an album due to lack of investment by the listener. When While You Were Sleeping came out in 2014 I gave it a couple spins on Spotify, but I never really listened.

Recently I found a new copy of the vinyl LP at the Electric Fetus in the closeout rack and I thought I would give it a second chance because No Beginning No End was so good.

When I put down cash on a physical copy of an album I listen to it differently. I am committed – it is not just a drive by.

I have been listening to the album the last few days and I am hooked. James is hard to classify: is it jazz, pop, hip hop, electronica?  I love music that is hard to classify – where you are reduced to having to call it merely good or bad music. Needless to say this is good music.

James has a beautiful baritone that he can leap into higher registers with the greatest of ease. It is a smooth fine whiskey.

On this album James strays pretty far from jazz. It is a combination of an electronica and Radiohead vibe, yet very soulful.  The production values are top-notch. This would make a great reference record to test drive a stereo.  If you like soul music, but are tired of young artist who just rehash the classics and are willing to take an adventure check this album out.  José James is a true original.