Jamie Cullum's fifth studio album, "The Pursuit," follows the patterns of his previous jazz−pop fusion albums and further narrows the gap between the two genres. Cullum still has the same jazz licks and slides over pop song structures, but he explores the pop genre even more by delving into hip−hop beats and distortion.
He's a short bloke whose too−long suit sleeves and smallish hands make it hard to believe that he can play the piano effectively, but the London−born jazz−pop star has a lot going for him. Cullum has impressive improvisational skills; a low, buttery voice that is gritty, expressive and sexy all at once; and an unabashedly goofy personality that comes through on every track.
At only 30 years old, Cullum already has five studio albums, a live album, various DVDs and more than a dozen collaborations with artists such as Rufus Wainwright. While his first two albums focused on jazz standards, Cullum has been working to meld the genres of pop and jazz since his third studio album, "Twentysomething" (2003). The tracks on "Twentysomething," "Catching Tales" (2005) and "The Pursuit" all follow roughly the same formula: jazz standards, pop covers and jazz−pop originals. These elements give each album a strange — but not unpleasant — vibe that is intriguing and far from boring for pop fans who aren't fans of jazz.
"The Pursuit" is similar to its predecessors, going even further down the pop road while maintaining Cullum's jazz roots. The album has as many covers as "Catching Tales" but fewer tracks, so listeners may wonder why Cullum doesn't seem to be moving toward an all−original album. However, they can forgive Cullum because his cover songs are never copies; they are usually only inspired by the original works, resulting in startling departures from the familiar songs.
The first single from the U.S. release, "Don't Stop The Music," is a slowed−down, jazzed−up, epic rendition of Rihanna's Top−40 dance hit from 2007 and one of the strongest tracks on the album. Cullum gives the song some integrity, replacing Rihanna's nasal whine and basic pop chord progressions with his paradoxically baritone croon and deliciously complex chords. This isn't new for Cullum; he covered Pharrell's "Frontin'" on "Twentysomething" in a similar fashion, but it never gets old.
The other covers on the album allow Cullum to continue to make old jazz tunes relevant to pop listeners and put a modern spin on tired songs. Though his efforts seem a little forced at times, Cullum deserves some credit for teaching his listeners to appreciate a good piano solo. He also included the song "Not While I'm Around" from the musical "Sweeney Todd," which is pretty, yet comes off as awkward next to the other tracks.
Cullum's original songs really give the album its flavor and credibility. The album's second single, "Wheels," has a light but driving train−like beat under a recurring piano riff and a catchy melody that shows off Cullum's impressive vocal range. "I'm All Over It" succeeds as a bouncy romp between minor and major modes with a chorus of singers half−shouting the song title in unison as though they are throwing their hands in the air and joining together in a sloppy, exuberant kick−line.
Cullum's ballads aren't nearly as effective at keeping the listener's interest, but they are undoubtedly heartfelt and beautiful. These, as well as the jazz standards, are at least in part recorded live; the sound of Cullum's mouth against the microphone and the creaking of his piano bench give these tracks a special intimacy. "I Think, I Love" crawls along, saved by the unashamedly apologetic lyrics that have defined his style. He even manages to make condescending lyrics like, "You drunk too much wine/ And threw up in the taxi cab on the way home," sound endearing.
The most impressive song on "The Pursuit" is "Music Is Through." This is the final track on the U.K. release but is smothered by the two extra tracks on the U.S. version, which only serve to cushion the punch that this track packs. This song is a trance−house−disco−hip−hop hybrid that should be blasted on club speakers with subwoofers the size of small elephants. At first listen, it sounds as though Cullum has sold out and left jazz for dead. But his voice, personality and ever−jazzy style — and not the dance beat — are what make the track.
The same can be said of the album as a whole. The jazz tracks featured on "The Pursuit" are unmistakably Jamie, and even those that are packaged like pop songs contain plenty of Cullum's jazz personality.
