Rating: NNN
On Catching Tales, Jamie Cullum once again proves he’s a formidable talent, rocking the keys in his squeaky-clean, adult contemporary way that your mom loves, even when he’s talking about puking. How smooth is that? This collection of originals and covers succeeds to varying degrees. I like Cullum’s modernized version of I Only Have Eyes For You, and Nothing I Do, in which he laments good old clichéd relationship problems, even if the latter doesn’t swing as hard as it tries. Attempts to be soulful, like the Stevie Wonder-style Mind Trick, fall flat, probably cuz he’s just not old enough to pull it off yet. Generally, this is very catchy stuff, with fabulous piano, fun horns and a feel-good atmosphere.