Artist: Jamie Cullum
Album:Twentysomething
Label: Verve Records
Rating:
Reviewer: Leslie Flynn

Not as pop as Gavin Degraw and not as much of a lounge singer as Michael Buble, British jazz sensation Jamie Cullum has set forth in conquering the world with his jazz standards and covers of more Top 40 fare. On twentysomething, his first major label album, he covers everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Radiohead, Cole Porter to Pharrell Williams, never once sounding out of his league as he transforms each song into piano-based pop with a jazzy edge.

Cullum reinvents typical standards such as “Blame It on My Youth” and “I Get a Kick Out of You”, both sung by the legendary Frank Sinatra at one point, with a more youthful attitude. He brings an enthusiasm that shines through both his piano playing and his voice as they both soar to incredible heights of emotion. Other familiar songs include “Singin’ in the Rain” from the musical of the same name and “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady. Both are considered classics within musical theatre, but Cullum twists and turns each song into something different without tearing apart the original, creating a brand new song while still preserving the original genius.

The most bizarre moment of the album comes from the cover of Pharrell Williams’ hit, “Frontin’”, included as a bonus track. Starting out smooth and suave, Cullum’s voice curves into a smirk as he culminates into the chorus, growing louder and more sure of himself as the song progresses into a impressive piano solo that’s more showing off than classical recital. The cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Wind Cries Mary” almost seems like musical sacrilege without Hendrix’s infamous guitar playing, but he never attempts to replace it with his own piano playing, instead choosing to take it in a totally different direction with the addition of a horn section.

Through the album, original songs written by Cullum and his older brother Ben pop up amongst the familiar, providing that not only can he play the piano and has a smooth voice, but he’s also a capable song-writer. The title track sounds like it belongs in a musical, acting as a cocky lead’s theme song. His cheeky delivery allows for him to sing lyrics such as “Maybe I'll go to the gym, so I don't get fat/Aren't things more easy, with a tight six pack/Who knows the answers, who do you trust/I can't even separate love from lust” and inevitably just makes fun of himself as he considers the confusion of being in your twenties without seeming full of himself. His first single, the clean cut pop-sounding “All At Sea”, conveys a sense of loneliness within his own head that doesn’t seem so bad as he suddenly offers “later on you could spend some time with me/if you want to, all at sea”. Already receiving attention from the popular cable music stations, the song comes across as classy without being too avante garde and inaccessible to someone unfamiliar with jazz music.

This 24 year old pianist has sought out to take over the world with his new modern rendition of familiar songs, making them more accessible to a younger audience. He has a charisma and depth that shines throughout the entire album, whether it’s in his youthful take on old standards, his well-written, soulful original tracks, or his cheeky cover of more recent songs that no one would think to transform into jazz. No matter what type of music he attempts to take on, Jamie Cullum succeeds, creating a beautiful infusion of classy jazz and modern pop that should make him very popular.