This is My Life Story’s third album and the follow up to the ever so slightly successful Golden Mile. Unlike that album though Joined Up Talking is by a band that seem more at ease with themselves. Whereas Golden Mile tried and often failed to fit the Britpop era (sounding contrived, as if trying too hard to be cool) Joined Up Talking is the sound of a band who no longer care about such things and are just getting on with what they enjoy-writing catchy tunes. Gone is the artificial glitz of old. Replacing it are more electronic based songs and – heaven forbid – rock songs. The string section is less evident as well but not gone as reported in many magazines and papers.
However all is not brilliant. Jake really needs to get new subjects to write about. Album opener “Empire Line” is a case in point. Although a catchy little number, the subject of skinny supermodels injecting heroin into their toes just seems a little passé in the noughties. Second track “If You Can’t Live Without It, Then Why Aren’t You Dead” made history as being one of the first singles available to be downloaded from the net, is again a great tune with a brilliant bitchy chorus.
However some of the lyrics are awful ( Jake Shillingford is responsible for some of the worst lyrics of all time) especially first line “She’s down on her make-up, She’s a storm in a C cup”. This is followed by Na Na Na Nahh classic “It’s a Girl Thing” another example of a fine pop song and then “Sunday Tongue” a nice ballad with a surprise rock bit. If anyone can tell me which 80’s song this rips off I’ll be most grateful. The rest of the album is pretty fantastic as long as you don’t listen to the lyrics too deeply with highlights being “There’s Nothing For Nobody, And Everybody Wants to be Someone”, “Neverland” a ballad about London and “Two Stars” another ballad. “Walk/Don’t Walk” and “New New Yorker” are definite growers and after a few listens will probably be among your favourites.
Overall a first rate enjoyable pop record. Don’t think about the lyrics too much and you’ll love it. Just a note to Jake; squeezing tons of cultural references into your songs very quickly dates them. I don’t know anyone with a Tamagotchi anymore!
Paul Monk.
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