JAMES – STUTTER LP – Nr MINT 1986 INDIE TIM BOOTH

James – Stutter
(Sire Records  1986  JIMLP1)

Sleeve in Nr MINT condition
Inner Sleeve in Nr MINT condition

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition
(there are some light surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality)

James are an English rock band from Manchester, formed in 1982. They achieved popularity during the 1990s, with four top-10 hits on the UK Singles Chart and nine top-10 placings on the UK Albums Chart. The band’s best-known singles include “Come Home”, “Sit Down”, “She’s a Star” and “Laid”. “Laid” also became a hit on American college radio. Following the departure of lead singer Tim Booth in 2001, the band became inactive, but members reunited in January 2007 and have since released a further seven albums. Live performance has continually remained a central part of the band’s output. As of 2010, the band had sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.

Stutter was the debut album from English band James, released in June 1986. The album was produced by Lenny Kaye, although the band had originally hoped to work with Brian Eno. After a bidding war between a number of labels, the album was released on Blanco y Negro, part of Sire. Artwork was provided by John Carroll. The album initially received positive responses in the UK and Germany where it was voted second best album of the year by writers (and 16th by readers) of the influential indie magazine Spex.[1] Allmusic called it “Thin, spiky, jagged folk music” and commented on the performances by the band: “Tim Booth is a mere bystander to his wild vocals while the rest of the band watch Gavan Whelan have an absolute fit on — what sounds like — four drum kits at once. This is shoddy, shameless chaos. Nothing more than a terribly produced mess of tragic rock-star baiting and deliberate discordance. An amazing debut.”

The Guardian listed Stutter as one of the “1001 Albums to Hear Before You Die”, praising the record thus: “Before Madchester, and before the Horlicks rock of “Sit Down” became ubiquitous, James were an invigorating prospect: a folk-pop band apparently engaged in a bout of pro-wrestling with their instruments. Their debut album clangs like a grand piano tumbling downstairs – leaving singalong melodies in its wake.”

All songs written by James.

Side one

1. “Skullduggery” – 2:43
2. “Scarecrow” – 3:00
3. “So Many Ways” – 3:46
4. “Just Hip” – 1:46
5. “Johnny Yen” – 3:41
6. “Summer Song” – 4:16

Side two

7. “Really Hard” – 4:13
8. “Billy’s Shirts” – 3:27
9. “Why So Close” – 3:48
10. “Withdrawn” – 3:42
11. “Black Hole” – 5:29