Colin James

To be fair, Colin James, advertised as the "New Swing Pioneer," cannot be accused of simply seizing on the current popularity of swing music for sheer profit; the predecessor to this well-timed sequel appeared way back in 1993. That said, the ennui-inducing contents of this album seem to imply just such a fad-inspired rush job. James and his "Little Big Band" seen to be unsure whether they want to imitate the actual 1940's style or create a "New Swing" genre. The result is an album in which most of the songs have the false, synthetic quality of badly done remakes. The Only absolute requirement of swing songs is that one must be able to dance to them, and James fulfills that minimum obligation. But if the listener is hoping for at least one or two catchy songs--a reasonable wish--then he or she will be sorely disappointed. The few interesting moments, such as the charming first minute of "I'm Lost Without You," are almost completely obscured by the avalanche of boring ones. Also, after five or six songs, Colin James' annoying forties-crooner imitation becomes utterly intolerable. This CD may inspire some people to destroy it and others to fall asleep, but only the most swing-starved to dance.