Product Description

Debut from fresh faced jazz singer who has gone on to mainstream success with his second album 'Twentysomething'. This release, recorded on a student loan, adds his light touch toa collection of standards and a couple of original songs aswell as introducing his predilection for smooth jazz coversof indie rock classics with a version of Radiohead's 'High And Dry'.

Track Listing

1. You and the Night and the Music - Arthur Schwartz & Howard Dietz. Arr. Jamie Cullum
2. I Can't Get Started - Vernon Duke & Ira Gershwin. Arr. Jamie Cullum
3. Devil May Care - Harry Warren & Johnny Burke. Arr. Geoff Gascoyne
4. You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You - Russ Morgan, Larry Stock & James Cavanaugh. Arr. Jamie Cullum
5. Pointless Nostalgic - Ben & Jamie Cullum
6. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning - David Mann & Bob Hilliard. Arr. Jamie Cullum & Julian Jackson
7. Well You Needn't - Thelonious Monk. Arr. Jamie Cullum & Ben Castle
8. It Ain't Necessarily So - George & Ira Gershwin. Arr. Jamie Cullum
9. High And Dry - Thom Yorke, Ed O'Brien, Johnny & Colin Greenwood & Phil Selway. Arr. Jamie Cullum
10. Too Close For Comfort - Jerry Bock, Larry Holofcenor & George David Weiss
11. A Time For Love - Johnny Mandel & Paul F. Webster. Arr. Jamie Cullum
12. Lookin' Good - Dave Frishberg. Arr. Geoff Gascoyne
13. I Want To Be A Popstar - Jamie Cullum

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31457 in Music
• Released on: 2003-08-11
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Pointless Nostalgic is the album that gained Jamie Cullum numerous album of the year and best newcomer accolades. It also got him a spot on Parkinson and eventually saw him land a million pound record deal with Verve--not bad for an LP made on a student loan. It's clear from the outset that Cullum is no minor talent. Taking pride of place with his ample piano skills and hopelessly romantic voice (he hasn't been dubbed "Sinatra in Sneakers" for nothing), he surrounds himself with live musicians to create an album that, as the title suggests, revives a number of past classics.

While some would argue there's no point in revisiting the past yet again (acknowledged by Cullum in the title), Cullum's considered covers and new arrangements of songs like Warren and Burke's "Devil May Care", Thelonious Monk's "Well You Needn't" and Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" are justification in themselves. His own songwriting prowess (alongside that of his brother Ben) is showcased on the title track, which shows him more than capable of creating modern songs with a classic and timeless feel. When nostalgia sounds this good, who cares if it's pointless? --Paul Sullivan

Jazzwise, September 2002
Cullum's mellifluous tone, clarity of diction, exciting pianism - clearly mark him out as a young artist with immense potential'

Jazzwise Magazine, September 2002
A perfect showcase.. breathing new life into tried and tested vehicles, there's an infectious devil-may-care swagger about the whole album.

Customer Reviews

nearly as good as twentysomething
A good debut. I bought it after twentysomething and was iompressed but preferred the "hit". His rendition of the classic numbers is never less than fresh and exciting, his original work is less convincing on this album in my view.

Classy Debut From Jamie C
An interesting debut album from Mr. Cullum.
There are the usual takes on the standards which go down well though it has to be said Jamie’s own song writing is not quite the finished article on this album.
The best track by far is his version of Radiohead’s High And Dry, Which was originally on their classic album, The Bends. Jamie C. puts his own mark all over it and it almost comes over like a new song, a quite fantastic cover-version.
The album, however, has tracks that do sound quite ‘samey’ and the whole thing is not as slick and polished as his two subsequent ‘big label’ albums.
Overall though, this is a really enjoyable collection which introduced us to the great potential that was soon going to bear fruit.
It clocks in at fifty-five minutes long.
A decent way to spend an hour.

:)
Like many people I listened to this album after hearing (and adoring) 'Twentysomething'. And I was blown away. Jamie is a hugley talented young man who injects verve and enthusiasm into everything he sings, and this enthusiam shines through on this album.

It's always difficult to pick a stand-out track, but on this album if I had to pick two they would probably be 'In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning' and 'I Can't Get Started'. Both utterly beautiful songs that can move me to tears when I listen to them. But the rest of the album is equally stunning. He tackles covers and original material equally well.

Even if you're not a jazz fan I would seriously recommend this album.