James announce new album to celebrate 40th Anniversary – Music News – Armessa Music News

Today (23rd March) James announce details of a new album in celebration of their 40th Anniversary. Be Opened By The Wonderful is a 20 track (19 Vinyl) of some of their most loved and rare tracks, re-imagined with a 22 piece orchestra and 8 piece choir. Released on 9th June via Virgin Music and available on DSPs, CD and Vinyl the double-album also includes one brand new track, Love Make A Fool, to be released in April.

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.

In further celebration of their 40th Anniversary, the band will play a headline set at Latitude Festival, performing as Special Guests on the Sunday afternoon at Midday, a slot especially created for James to honour their Anniversary. This performance will see them backed with orchestra and choir.

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.”

Joe Duddell says “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.”

As previously announced, the band will be headlining venues across the UK, April through to May on their ‘James Lasted’ tour, calling at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall and Birmingham Symphony Hall, concluding at The Royal Albert Hall, London on 17th May. Tickets for the tour sold out in a record time of 6 hours.

One of Britain’s most enduring success stories, James have released 16 studio albums, selling over 25 million copies with their recent run of Top 5 albums proving to be a golden era for the band. All The Colours Of You released in 2021 was their most critically acclaimed in years, preceded by Living in Extraordinary Times and Girl at the End of the World which narrowly missed out on the top spot in 2016 to Adele.

James are: Tim Booth, Jim Glennie, Saul Davies, Adrian Oxaal, David Baynton-Power, Mark Hunter, Andy Diagram, Chloe Alper, Deborah Knox-Hewson.

CD TRACKLIST

#1
Sometimes
Love Make A Fool
We’re Gonna Miss You
Tomorrow
The Lake
She’s A Star
Lookaway
Sit Down
Alaskan Pipeline

#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

VINYL TRACKLIST

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

HEADLINE TOUR 2023
April
25th Brighton, Brighton Dome
26th Cardiff, Saint Davids Hall
28th York, York Barbican
29th Edinburgh, The Usher Hall

May
1st Glasgow, SEC Armadillo
2nd Newcastle, 02 City Hall Newcastle
4th Sheffield, City hall
5th Birmingham, Symphony Hall
7th Liverpool, Philharmonic hall
9th Manchester, 02 Apollo
10th Manchester, 02 Apollo
12th Blackpool, Opera House
13th Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
15th Bath, Forum
17th London, Royal Albert Hall