Sometimes (Lester Piggott)

Billed as James comeback single and a return to James folk-rock roots, Sometimes was producer Brian Eno’s choice as the first single describing the band’s first performance of the song in the studio as one of the highlights of his musical career.

The single was backed with two new tracks. America had been in the James set since the summer of 1992 and the version featured on the single was recorded live using solar power by Greenpeace in September 1992. Building A Charge features an overtly sexual lyric set against a simple musical backing.

Sometimes was seen as something of a renaissance of James by the music press as the general consensus was that James had stepped back from the stadium rock they had been accused of in favour of a more intimate involving sound. Radio 1 had the world exclusive first play of the single a month before the release and soon A-listed it.

The band was out of the country on the US WOMAD tour when the single was released, but had recorded the song for ITV’s The Beat show. When the single charted at number 18 in the first week, the band performed the song by satellite from Pittsburgh for Top of the Pops.

The single’s video was filmed in the water tank at London’s Pinewood studios, scene of many of the sea scenes in James Bond films. James spent the whole day in the water, the band playing their instruments and Tim dancing, singing and acting out the lyrics of the song.

Artwork for the single was provided by Larry’s wife Jane.

Reviews

Melody Maker

He sounds like Loz Hardy. Or is it Liam O’Maonlai? Either way, it rubs me up the wrong way. But despite myself, something here touches me.

Maybe it’s the one chord chiming away metronomically, never changing, like rain on glass. More likely it’s the hilarious attempt at Byronic naked-in-the-rain sensualism (“There’s a boy leaning against a wall of rain, aerial held high / Calling ‘Come on thunder, come on thunder!'”)

I’d be lying if I said it was crap

NME

James usually dreary drone is given a leg up by Brian Eno at the controls who does for this band what he did for U2. Eno has obviously heard something miraculous crying to get out of James past releases and on Sometimes he has managed to pry it loose from its prison. This is a great song with a strong sense of dreamy and ambient grooves flowing through it. It shoots images like bullets from a gun and they hit their target every time. A big surprise.

Press Release

James: Sometimes Single Press Release November 1993

James return with their first single of 1993, ‘Sometimes’ released through Phonogram Records in August 31st.

Taken from their eagerly awaited, Brian Eno-produced LP ‘Laid’, the seven inch and cassette versions of ‘Sometimes’ are backed by a new song, not on the LP, called ‘America’. This track was produced by Bob Margouleff for Greenpeace Records and was recorded live in Los Angeles using solar power. The twelve inch and CD versions carry ‘Sometimes’, ‘America’ and another new track not on the LP entitled ‘Building A Charge’, also produced by Brian Eno.

James who recently appeared at WOMAD on Saturday 28th August, head out to the US to join Peter Gabriel and the rest of the WOMAD bill for a nationwide tour.

The band return at the end of September for the release of the LP and a major live tour in December.

James hit the road for the first time in over two years when they headline a national tour in December.

December 1993

• 1st Glasgow Barrowlands
• 2nd York Barbican Centre
• 4th Manchester G-Mex
• 5th Wolverhampton Civic Hall
• 7th Derby Assembly Rooms
• 8th Gloucester Leisure Centre
• 9th Brixton Academy
• 11th Portsmouth Guildhall
• 12th Norwich UEA
• 13th Newport Centre

Tickets are priced at £11 at all venues except for London and Manchester where tickets will be £12.

• America :1993
• Building A Charge :1993
• Sometimes (Lester Piggott) :1993

Open in Spotify

• Sometimes
• Sometimes (Orchestral Version)