Kings & Queens (Jamie T album)
| Kings & Queens | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 7 September 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2007–2009 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Virgin, Tearbridge International | |||
| Producer | Jamie T, Ben Coupland | |||
| Jamie T chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Kings & Queens | ||||
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Kings & Queens is the second album by English singer-songwriter Jamie T, released first in the UK on 7 September 2009. The album reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart.
Singles
[edit]The first single released from the album was "Sticks 'n' Stones" released on 29 June 2009. The titular EP featured three B-sides: "St. Christopher", "On The Green", and "The Dance of the Young Professionals"; and reached No. 15 on the UK singles chart.
"Chaka Demus" was the second single to be released from the album and was out a week before the album, on 31 August. It peaked at No. 23 on the UK singles chart. The namesake EP also featured three B-sides: "Forget Me Not (The Love I Knew Before I Grew)" (feat. Hollie Cook & Ben Bones), "Planning Spontaneity", and "When They Are Gone (For Tim)".
"The Man's Machine" was the third single from the album, released on 23 November 2009. The song interpolates intros from the Angelic Upstarts with The Rockin' Berries' cover of "Poor Man's Son", among a few others. This EP, too, featured three B-sides: "Believing in Things That Can't Be Done", "Jenny Can Rely on Me", and "Man, Not a Monster".
The album's fourth single—a re-recorded version of "Emily's Heart", along with a cover Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City" as a B-side—was released on 15 March. A music video for "Emily's Heart" was released in February 2010.
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| AltSounds | (76%)[3] |
| BBC | (very positive)[4] |
| CHARTattack | [5] |
| Drowned in Sound | (9/10)[6] |
| The Observer | [7] |
| The Guardian | [8] |
| NME |   [9] |
| Now | [10] |
| Q | [citation needed] |
The album received much praise in reviews from critics, with Brianna Saraceno of Drowned in Sound proclaiming it "a resounding success".[6] According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Kings & Queens received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from 13 critic scores.[1]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Jamie Alexander Treays; additional writers indicated when applicable.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "368" |
| 4:43 | |
| 2. | "Hocus Pocus" |
| 3:30 | |
| 3. | "Sticks 'n' Stones" |
| 4:00 | |
| 4. | "The Man's Machine" |
|
| 4:50 |
| 5. | "Emily's Heart" |
| 4:07 | |
| 6. | "Chaka Demus" |
| 3:34 | |
| 7. | "Spider's Web" |
| 4:44 | |
| 8. | "Castro Dies" |
|
| 2:59 |
| 9. | "Earth, Wind & Fire" |
| 3:45 | |
| 10. | "British Intelligence" |
| 3:18 | |
| 11. | "Jilly Armeen" |
| 3:12 | |
| Total length: | 40:42 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "The Curious Sound" (feat. Ben Bones) |
|
| 2:52 |
| Total length: | 43:34 | |||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Direction Home" | Treays | 2:34 |
| Total length: | 54:40 | ||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "St. Christopher" |
| 3:57 |
| 15. | "On the Green" |
| 3:36 |
| 16. | "Spider's Web" (live at the Electric Ballroom) |
| 4:44 |
| 17. | "Chaka Demus" (Toddla T remix) |
| 3:34 |
| Total length: | 1:10:31 | ||
Note
- ^[a] During the intro to "The Man's Machine", an amalgamation of three spoken word intros from the Angelic Upstarts' 1981 Live album are blended: "Police Oppression", "Kids on the Streets", "You're Nicked"—with the latter being the most prominently featured.
- ^[b] Throughout the intro, an interpolation of The Rockin' Berries' cover version of "Poor Man's Son" underscores the monologue. It was first recorded by The Reflections, who were signed by co-lyricist Joanne Bratton's label.
- ^[c] Excerpts of other songs sampled during the verses of "The Man's Machine" include: "Pump Me Up" by Trouble Funk; "The Trouser Press" by Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band; & "Watch Yourself" by Nine Below Zero. However, only the former was credited.
- ^[d] Albeit uncredited, the opening melody of "Chaka Demus" was interpolated from The Banana Splits' TV theme song, "The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)".
- ^[e] A sample from Joan Baez's rendition of "Queen of Hearts" was utilized for the intro to "Earth, Wind & Fire". Although traditional, she received composition credit.
- ^[f] "The Curious Sound" was available for streaming and download in the UK and Ireland only.
- ^[g] "Direction Home" was only available on Australian streaming services.
- ^[h] Both "St. Christopher" and "On the Green" first appeared on the "Sticks 'n' Stones" EP, which preceded this album's initial UK and USA releases.
Release in Japan
[edit]Kings & Queens was released in Japan by Tearbridge International on 17 February 2010.[11]
Sales and certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Gold | 100,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Kings & Queens Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ Bush, John. Kings & Queens at AllMusic
- ^ "AltSounds review". Hangout.altsounds.com. 29 December 2009. Archived from the original on 10 April 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ "BBC review". BBC Music. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ CHARTattack review[usurped]
- ^ a b Saraceno, Brianna (8 September 2009). "Drowned in Sound review". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ Gary Mulholland (12 July 2009). "The Observer review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ Caroline Sullivan (4 September 2009). "The Guardian review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ "NME review". NME. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ Rennie, Andrew (14 October 2009). "Now review". Nowtoronto.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 20 May 2012.}}
- ^ "Kings & Queens ： Jamie.T ： avex network". Avexnet.jp. 17 February 2010. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
- ^ "British album certifications – Jamie T – Kings and Queens". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 March 2022.