Came across this the other day trying to find a way to burn $12 in accidentally prepaid eMusic.com credit, and sure glad I did. My musical obsession of the moment: Jim Noir's latest EP, Zooper Dooper, released November of 2010.
Jim Noir is the stage name of the English singer-singwriter Alan Roberts, who works in a style influenced by '60s sunshine pop, though still very respectably his own, with plenty of Beatles-esque and Beach Boys-y gestures fused with contemporary sounds and gentle lyrics. The track "Kitty Cat" (above) first got my attention, since also being into '60s and '70s Italian cinematic jazz, I am of course fond of a good instrumental. To quote Peter, Paul, and Mary: I dig rock & roll music when the words don't get in the way, and believe me, usually they do. But then I turned on to the whole EP, actually, words and all. Probably because Noir is one of the least pretentious lyricists ever and there is intimacy and vulnerability to his work. Below, a live track of "Map" (do try to get a listen to the studio version, it's really very nice):
Interestingly, I had a laugh when for a moment I couldn't quite recall what an "EP" actually was. "Extended Play" I remembered. But wasn't it not just a less-than-an-album collection of songs but specifically a 33-sized vinyl record made for playing at 45 speed? Or was that just a 12" Remix? I don't know anymore.
Anyway, enjoy...
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