Early James – Medium Raw
‘Truth is stranger than fiction – nothing surprises me anymore.’ Signed: Early James in “Nothing Surprises Me Anymore.” No, he’s not a cheerful fellow. “Medium Raw” is the testimony of a brooder, someone who observes the world, and especially himself, with a perpetually dark edge.
That world is, first and foremost, Troy, Alabama, one of the southern states of the U.S.; the Yellowhammer State, the Cotton State, but also Home of Dixie. Above all, it is the birthplace of Fredrick James Mullis Jr. The air is almost always simmering there – and not just because of the climate, with its sweaty summers that make your skin clammy and your tongue feel like leather. The unease comes from the stark contrasts that divide the population. It’s a place where one can quickly feel abandoned and alone. Ironically, it’s the perfect breeding ground for tormented poets who find refuge for their emotions in meaningful lyrics.
No, “Medium Raw” is not an easy album, at least not if you want to delve into its deeper layers. Early James paints stories framed in a mix of Americana, folk, blues, and a touch of rock, masterfully and almost cinematically woven into a soundscape that feels like the soundtrack to a Tarantino film. Dan Auerbach, producer for this project, excels at creating a brooding, almost oppressive atmosphere with a minimal instrumental setup. A dobro, upright acoustic bass, a single electric guitar, simple drums – nothing superfluous. Add Early James’ raw vocals, and you have an album with all the ingredients to become a classic.
In doing so, it continues a fine tradition of monuments that saw the light of day in Honky Château – actually Château d’Hérouville. Of course, there’s “Honky Château” itself by Sir Elton, but countless iconic acts recorded material in the French château: Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Iggy Pop, to name a few. And that, while recording there is no easy feat – it’s not exactly a studio.
In an interview with Bandcamp, the singer-songwriter explained how the album came to be. An old mixing console from the 1950s stood in one of the upstairs rooms, with cables running down the stairs to the various bedrooms where the musicians had set up their equipment. For Early James, this consisted only of a small amplifier and a microphone. Everything was recorded as much as possible in one take: raw, honest, direct, without overdubs. No smoothing out of noise or hums, like in the intro of “Dig To China.” According to James, you can hear the soul of the château in the recordings. Listen to “Tinfoil Hat,” and you’ll understand what the American means: the musicians are in separate rooms, but it sounds as if they’re together in the hall, where the guitars echo off the walls. “It sounded fantastic.”
Perhaps it’s the challenges of Honky Château that give the album its specific character and authenticity. The lyrics gain weight in this way, making the songs so compelling. Thus, “Medium Raw” becomes an album that lives, that you experience. Hear the plaintive “I Could Just Die Right Now,” a blues as blues should be, with an anguish that hits every fiber: ‘Well, I could just die right now, fact I don’t mind if I do. It gets worse before it gets better, I’m pretty good in singing the blues.’
Then listen to the contrast with the uptempo “Gravy Train,” which sounds almost carefree. Painfully carefree, that is. There are only dreams and hope, but everything will be fine. What connects these songs is the genuine emotion in every sung note. That makes “Medium Raw” one of the purest albums Honky Château has ever released. (9/10) (V2 Records)
