Yep, from the very first bars of show-starter "Here We Go" through the final power-chorus of "How Was I To Know," "Meet..." hurls itself crazily yet confidently atop a Romantics-at-Ramonespeed fervor throughout, yet with a fine ear never less than paid to lyrical and especially vocal detail. To whit, "The Face On Mars" and "Say You Do" would sound positively stunning on the nearest stage (note to Ed: GET A BAND TOGETHER ALREADY!), while "Green M&Ms," to cite but the most obvious example, sports a killer construction worthy of the jingle dept. at Mars Food fer goshsake (which reminds me: someone get "Hold On Me" to the musical director at "That '70s Show" FAST).

But it's "Who's Gonna Tell The King," a wholly realized, absolutely gorgeous 3 minutes 37 of musical majesty, which proves best that Ed, "just a guy on a mission to write the perfect song" as he himself admits, certainly hasn't made many missteps on his worthy quest. Indeed, unlike the majority of such home-grown, one-man-band productions, "Meet Ed James!" sounds fabulously full and stunningly rich throughout -- no small feat indeed with one hand forever tied to the Overdub button.

But really it's the songs (dammit) that are most impressive by far. As well they should be, by the way. As a result, you can count me as way MORE than simply "impressed," and I just bet you all will be too.

Ed Harcourt: From Every Sphere

Eddie Spaghetti: The Sauce

[Issue Twenty-Five // November 1999]