By Johnny Marino
Special to The Chronicle
In many ways, Jamie Lidell’s long anticipated, self-titled album goes beyond expectations. Lidell’s albums have always been experimental and rooted in retro vibes. This consistency can be seen if you trace the lineage from his 2008 album to his 2010 album and so on. Yet if you were to listen to a track off of his new album and compare it to his earlier EP’s, you’d see a completely different artist. The cover of his new album looks like a digitized-origami architecture of his face, with a matte grey background. Quite a bold statement when his other album covers just show his name and have a picture of his (real) face.
Lidell started as a soulful pop artist and is now landing in the Indie-Dance category. It’s interesting to see this progression, when most artists go in the opposite direction. Although this album is filled with electro loops and gritty melodies, songs like “Do Yourself a Faver” and “Blaming Something” are less experimental and more homogenous with his soulful side. “In Your Mind” is a blast from the past; I wouldn’t doubt it if Lidell used a keytar to produce this song (we all know keytar’s are the most useful instruments). This new addition to Lidell’s career has shown that his music has grown exponentially.
His vocals are similar to a blues-funk, which lie atop gritty drum and bass (with mildly sinister undertones). The best comparison? Just imagine a fusion of Depeche Mode, The Black Keys and Crystal Castles in one album. It is utterly unique and a big addition to the indie-dance scene. The track “Why Ya Why” is the most reminiscent of The Black Keys, so start there if you’re into blues. The lyrics are a bit heavier than some his previous albums, really working with the synth melodies to create more bold, different, and complex sort of music. As an artist, Lidell shapes each part of his album giving it immense texture. “What a Shame” mirrors a dubstep beat, but Lidell doesn’t stop there. In this track, the lyrics sound close up while the beat sounds far away. He really did a great job capturing a garage-band sound (with ultra reverb and wicked echo). Overall this album is versatile, interesting and enjoyable. I think fans will be satisfied.