Album Review
Jamie T – Sticks and Stones
This latest one from the self-styled gutter poet holds similar appeal to his best-known single ‘Sheila’, lyrically; another nicely penned kitchen-sink tale of juvenile delinquency and rudeboy fatalism. T’s vocal range flits impressively between whiteboy rap, Strummeresque slur and the high-pitched chorus melody. Power chords crash around in a pleasingly sloppy way coupled with dancey basslines with smart little riffs scattered about. Back to the lyrics though, as they’ve always been Jamie T’s raison d’être and his knack for storytelling remains strong on this record, capturing the spirit of youthful hedonism against a grim urban backdrop to the extent the songwriter could pass for Alex Turner’s Southern cousin.