Over five impressive solo releases, including a fine duet with pianist Jef Neve, James has given lie to the notion that jazz vocalists are not able composers. The beauty of his baritone has been well complemented by the richness of his original melodies. Which is why this album is a disappointment. His performance is more than adequate but the material sells short an artist of this calibre. Fans will take heart from pieces such as the Gil Scott-Heron-ish title track, which shows that James can combine a theme and thoughtful lyric to excellent effect, but too many other tracks lack substance. That the singer has incorporated more rock and soul elements into his work is to be commended, as his broad-minded approach has paid dividends on previous albums, but the melodic richness of The Dreamer and Black Magic are conspicuous by their absence. Having said all of that, the album closes with a truly stunning take on Al Green's ‘Simply Beautiful’, a difficult piece to cover, on which James is majestic. It's a reminder of what is missed on this venture and, hopefully, what might be to come next time round.