James: Getting Away With It…Live

Talk about bittersweet: one of the best music DVDs you're likely to see or hear this year, filmed in the band's hometown of Manchester, England in December 2001, James: Getting Away With It…Live captures the eclectic septet at the peak of their musical powers…just before lead singer Tim Booth called it quits and the band dissolved. Those familiar only with the Brit band's hits that crossed the Big Pond--“Sit Down,” “Born of Frustration,” “Say Something,” “Laid,” and “Sometimes”--are in for a visual and aural treat with this generous, high-energy 20-song set featuring tunes drawn from their two-decade-long career of producing avant-garde power-folk with horn accompaniment and Booth's signature melodious vocal riffs. One of the best moments comes during a technical breakdown, when Adrian Oxaal's guitar sound goes kaput, and after a mid-stage meeting, the band breaks into the wonderful “Johnny Yen” (with Oxaal on violin), before returning with all systems go on the next song “Getting Away With It” (with the now--after the snafu--humorous refrain, “all messed up; that's called living”). Other highlights include the lovely and plaintive “Protect Me,” the speed-playing final crescendo on “Ring the Bells,” and the soaring “Space” off their last release Pleased to Meet You (currently available only as an import). A vibrant, foot-tapping, knee-slapping, booty-shaking, let's-move-the-coffee-table-and-boogie-down treat, presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo, James: Getting Away With It…Live also features three promo videos (two of which--to use the Beavis and Butthead binary method of appreciation--suck, but the “Laid” music video is cool, even if the line “but she only comes when she's on top” has been changed to the nonsensical “but she only sleeps when she's on top”), and a 44-minute interview compilation tracing the band's history. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)