Be Opened by the Wonderful is the 17th studio album by English rock band James, released through Nothing but Love Music on 9 June 2023. It contains orchestral reworkings of the band's songs from the Orca 22 orchestra led by Andra Vornici, also accompanied by the eight-person Manchester Inspirational Voices gospel choir,[2] along with the new song and lead single "Love Make a Fool".[1] Orca 22 also accompanied James on their 40th anniversary tour to support the record.[3] The album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| XS Noize |    [4] |
Natalie Royle of Louder Than War wrote that "James have resisted the more obvious commercial route of simply repackaging their biggest hits", calling it "not only a showcase of some amazing James songs, it also is a masterclass in song rearrangement by Joe Duddell". Royle remarked that "there are so many layers and details to these songs and I am still discovering more after numerous listens".[2] Iam Burn of XS Noize described it as "an alternative version of a greatest hits album – though there are several lesser-known tracks here too" and found that the presence of the orchestra and choir "allows James to find a new sound that works well".[4] Rob Johnson of Total Ntertainment felt that the album "defies definition" and "acts as a sonic compendium of the band's entire career", also commenting that "for a band celebrating their 40th anniversary, it is striking how relevant they still sound".[5]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sometimes" | 6:03 |
| 2. | "Love Make a Fool" | 4:45 |
| 3. | "We're Gonna Miss You" | 4:32 |
| 4. | "Tomorrow" | 4:20 |
| 5. | "The Lake" | 5:16 |
| 6. | "She's a Star" | 3:54 |
| 7. | "Lookaway" | 3:58 |
| 8. | "Sit Down" | 4:37 |
| 9. | "Alaskan Pipeline" | 5:58 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Someone's Got It in for Me" | 4:34 |
| 2. | "Hey Ma" | 4:44 |
| 3. | "Hello" | 4:51 |
| 4. | "Beautiful Beaches" | 3:24 |
| 5. | "Why So Close" | 1:43 |
| 6. | "Medieval" | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Hymn from a Village" | 3:37 |
| 8. | "Say Something" | 4:54 |
| 9. | "Top of the World" | 4:53 |
| 10. | "Moving On" | 6:25 |
| 11. | "Laid" | 3:40 |
| Total length: | 90:22 | |
Charts
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)[6] | 38 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[7] | 2 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[8] | 3 |
References
- ^ a b "Manchester legends James share their new single 'Love Make a Fool'". XS Noize. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ a b Royle, Natalie (4 June 2023). "James: Be Opened by the Wonderful – album review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ Patton, Alli (13 November 2022). "James to Release Double Album, Celebrate 40 Years with Tour". American Songwriter. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ a b Burn, Iam (9 June 2023). "Album Review: James – Be Opened by the Wonderful". XS Noize. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Rob (9 June 2023). "James Be Opened by the Wonderful review". TotalNtertainment. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – James – Be Opened by the Wonderful". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 June 2023.