Pointless Nostalgic is a refreshingly hip album by a sensational talent, Jamie Cullum. Its jazz man, but jazz to fall in love with. Tunes as diverse as Youre Nobody Til Somebody Loves You and heartbrakingly beatiful version of Radioheads High and Dry vie for attention with self-penned classics like Pointless Nostalgic or the outrageously funny Who Wants To Be A Popstar. At 22, Jamie is a self proclaimed nostalgic,’ knowing over 200 classic songs by heart, but theres nothing pointless about this collection of the best 13 tracks in his repertoire. Hes hip, and charming, and boy can he sing! You probably forgot music could make you feel this good.
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
