Summary
James’ 17th studio album recorded with the Orca 22 orchestra and Manchester Inspirational Voices choir conducted by Joe Duddell at Blueprint Studios in January 2023.
Track List
2CD / Download
Disc 1: Sometimes / Love Make A Fool / We’re Gonna Miss You / Tomorrow / The Lake / She’s A Star / Lookaway / Sit Down / Alaskan Pipeline
Disc 2: Someone’s Got It In For Me / Hey Ma / Hello / Beautiful Beaches / Why So Close / Medieval / Hymn From A Village / Say Something / Top Of The World / Moving On / Laid
Double Vinyl versions (Black / White / Green):
Side A: Sometimes / Love Make A Fool / We’re Gonna Miss You / Tomorrow
Side B: The Lake / She’s A Star / Lookaway / Sit Down / Alaskan Pipeline
Side C: Someone’s Got It In For Me / Hey Ma / Hello / Beautiful Beaches / Why So Close
Side D: Medieval / Say Something / Top Of The World / Moving On / Laid
Details
| Release Name: | Be Opened By The Wonderful |
| Artist Name: | James |
| Release Date: | 9th June 2023 |
| Format: | Studio Album |
| Catalogue: | |
| Related Release(s): |
Be Opened By The Wonderful was recorded at Blueprint Studios in Manchester, orchestrated and conducted by Joe Duddell with the ORCA22 Orchestra lead by Andra Vornicu featuring the Manchester Inspirational Voices choir, directed by Wayne Ellington.
Tim Booth says “Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts. If you already have a golden ticket, you’ll be catching this on tour and at Latitude festival. Bring your wings and come ready to fly.”
Reviews
EvenTheStars.co.uk – Review: James - Be Opened By The Wonderful
06th June 2023 |Be Opened By The Wonderful is a perfect capture of the evolution of a project that might well have had a different tracklisting and arrangements had it been recorded after the recent tour which saw over a dozen more songs performed. It eschews the easy path of an orchestral Best Of, giving Joe the freedom to select the songs that he feels work best with the addition of orchestration and a choir and allowing his ear and love of the band to combine to create magic. James are at their best when they work with kindred spirits who understand the unique and complex DNA that make up a band that has shape-shifted through four decades refusing to stand still and compromise.
EvenTheStars.co.uk – TRACK OF THE DAY: James - She's A Star (Orchestral)
23rd March 2023 |James have announced details of their “Be Opened By The Wonderful – 40 Years Orchestrated” album and revealed the first track to be taken from it, a version of their 1997 Top 10 single She’s A Star. The album was recorded at Blueprint Studios in January 2023 with the ORCA22 Orchestra lead by Andra Vornicu and the Manchester Inspirational Voices choir, directed by Wayne Ellington. The album was orchestrated and conducted by Joe Duddell, who performed those duties with the band on their 2011 orchestral tour.
Tim Booth says of the album which celebrates forty years since the release of James’ first single Jimone on Factory Records – “Life begins at 40. For our midlife euphoria we recorded a double orchestral album of some of our deepest cuts. If you already have a golden ticket, you’ll be catching this on tour and at Latitude festival. Bring your wings and come ready to fly.”
Joe Duddell commented “Having attended the first 6 years of Latitude Festival, I’m excited to be involved in James’ special Main Stage Show this year in a UK Festival exclusive. James have always been a great band at Festivals, mixing their extensive well loved back catalogue with newer songs which immediately sounds as they too have been around forever.”
- Alaskan Pipeline :2001
- Beautiful Beaches :2021
- Hello :1999
- Hey Ma :2008
- Hymn From A Village :1985
- Laid :1993
- Lookaway :2010
- Love Make A Fool :2023
- Medieval :1988
- Moving On :2014
- Say Something :1993
- She’s A Star :1997
- Sit Down :1989
- Someone’s Got It In For Me :1999
- Sometimes (Lester Piggott) :1993
- The Lake :1993
- Tomorrow :1994
- Top Of The World :1990
- We’re Going To Miss You :1999
- Why So Close :1986
- James – Beautiful Beaches
- James – Beautiful Beaches (Conservatory Version)
- Laid (Version 2) (Clean)
- Laid (Version 3) (Explicit)
- Love Make A Fool
- Moving On
- Say Something (US Version)
- Say Something (Version 1)
- She’s A Star
- She’s A Star (Orchestral Version)
- Sit Down
- Sit Down ’98 Apollo 440 Mix
- Sit Down (Original)
- Sometimes
- Tomorrow
- We’re Going To Miss You
- Nottingham Royal Centre – 25th October 2023
- Bath Forum – 24th October 2023
- Jersey Weekender Festival – 3rd September 2023
- CA Vilar De Mouros – 26th August 2023
- London Crystal Palace Bowl – 11th August 2023
- Darlington Arena – 5th August 2023
- Y Not Festival – 29th July 2023
- Dundee Slessor Gardens – 28th July 2023
- Latitude Festival – 23rd July 2023
- County Laois Forest Fest – 21st July 2023
- Thessaloniki Moni Lazariston – 12th July 2023
- Athens The Odeon Of Herodes Atticus – 10th July 2023
- Halifax Piece Hall – 8th July 2023
- Halifax Piece Hall – 7th July 2023
- Leicester De Montfort Hall – 4th July 2023
- Liverpool Pier Head – 2nd July 2023
- Bristol Canons Marsh Amphitheatre- 23rd June 2023
- Wolverhampton Civic Hall – 20th June 2023
- Margam In It Together Festival – 28th May 2023
- London Royal Albert Hall – 17th May 2023
- Blackpool Opera House – 12th May 2023
- Manchester Apollo – 10th May 2023
- Manchester Apollo – 9th May 2023
- Liverpool Philharmonic Hall – 7th May 2023
- Birmingham Symphony Hall – 5th May 2023
- Sheffield City Hall – 4th May 2023
- Newcastle City Hall – 2nd May 2023
- Glasgow SEC Armadillo – 1st May 2023
- Edinburgh Usher Hall – 29th April 2023
- York Barbican – 28th April 2023
- Cardiff St David’s Hall – 26th April 2023
- Brighton The Dome – 25th April 2023
