JAMES have revealed details of their “alternative” album, “Frequency Dip”, which they hope will be released by Fontana later in the year. However, problems seem to be emerging with the parent label, Phonogram. Early last week, it was announced that the LP would be released in late July or early August. Days later, James’ press representatives were informed that the album did not appear on any release schedule.
Those who have heard “Frequency Dip” say it’s James’ personal “Zooropa”, a record which will ensure their critical rehabilitation and at the same time enhance their appeal in the market place.
James certainly hope so. In March this year, singer Tim Booth told The Maker that the band felt they were “taken for granted” in Britain, and were all disappointed by the response to their “Laid” LP. But he added: “We’ve got an ‘alternative’ record coming out in a few months, and maybe that’ll stir things up again.”
“Frequency Dip” is still a double LP filled with improvised, experimental music, recorded during the sessions for “Laid”. Both were produced by Brian Eno. Some tracks have already been remixed by Andy Weatherall, including “Jam-J”, which was released as a single earlier this year. Weatherall was responsible for the 33-minute version on the 12-inch.
The band recorded “Frequency Dip” and “Laid” in six weeks at Eno’s Real World studios. The experimental material began as a way of coping with periods of boredom or inactivity.
According to Booth: “We’d put on this one-hour multi-track tape that Brian had specially made and we’d go into the other room and improvise for an hour. We’d take the tape into the other studio where Brian’s assistant was working, and choose four minutes from it.
“The original idea was ‘music for films’, because that way I wouldn’t be pressured into having to come up with lyrics, and we wouldn’t be pressured into making them into songs – they could just be atmosphere tracks. But some songs just turned up anyway.”
At the moment tracks are: “Hammer Strings”, “Pressure’s On”, “Jam-J”, “Frequency Dip”, “Lay the Law Down”, “Burn The Cat”, “Mad Maria”, “Low Clouds”, “Feeling Your Sex”, “Gospel Oak”, “Beefheart Jam”, “Say Say Something”, “Rhythmic Dreams”, “Dead Man”, “Rain Whistling”, “Basic Brian”, “Low Clouds”, “Bottom Of The Well”, “Honest Joe”, “Arabic Agony”, “Tomorrow”, “Laughter” and “Sayonara”
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