The Golden Age Of Song

Naturally, the Golden Age of Song referred to in the title of this, Jools Holland's 15th or so collection with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra since he became a British music institution thanks to his BBC show Later..., is what is often referred to as the Great American Songbook -- the songs written in the first half of the 20th century that form the core of our musical lingua franca. These songs have been sung many, many times before -- recently, Rod Stewart relied on these tunes to revive his career, spending the better part of the decade crooning these melodies with a wink and a grin -- but they suit Holland's signature swinging style, possibly because they derive from the same origins as his jumping boogie-woogie. So, the sound and songs are familiar and so is Jools' formula. He brings in a bunch of old friends (Tom Jones, Mick Hucknall, Paul Weller) and some new sensations (Paloma Faith, Rumer, Jessie J, Florence Welch), along with a couple of singers who straddle these two categories (Joss Stone, James Morrison). A new wrinkle is the excavation of a few songs from old Hootenannys, which is a clever way to get some of the more interesting performances: Weller duetting with Amy Winehouse on "Don't Go to Strangers" in 2006, Paolo Nutini singing "Lovin' Machine," Florence Welch vamping on "My Baby Just Cares for Me," Cee Lo Green gamely (if not quite successfully) mimicking Jackie Wilson on "Reet Petite" (its inclusion bends the rules of the Great American Songbook, but who really cares), and Lily Rose Cooper when she was still going as Lily Allen tearing it up on "The Lady Is a Tramp." Outside of these cuts, this is pretty standard fare: Holland plays the boogie-woogie, his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra jumps, and the singers all acquit themselves nicely, sticking to the text, always performing with skill and sometimes spirit. Despite all this, The Golden Age of Song feels pretty similar to any other Jools Holland record you could name -- and he's had a ton of them in the last decade -- but he's a reliable entertainer, so if you've ever been pleased with him in the past you'll be satisfied with him once again.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo