Panic_Prevention-Jamie_T_480

Despite having now turned over to another decade, I don’t think talking about the best albums of the last decade is any less relevant. Here is the latest post in our awe inspiring, earth shattering, truly ground breaking series of posts by guest writers. The album: Panic Prevention. The wonky toothed hero: Jamie T. The writer: Martin Willis.

Right from the off you can tell that Jamie T’s debut album, Panic Prevention, is going to be different; before breaking into the wonderfully raw ‘Brand New Bass Guitar’, Jamie Alexander Treays sets out his gameplan. As he shouts “fucking croissants” in a mock-French accent, Jamie T lodges tongue firmly into cheek, and carries this on throughout the album with dry English humour prevailing, even at the most serious moments. This humour combines with the influences that doubtlessly played their part in the album’s creation (Billy Bragg, Dizzee Rascal, The Libertines, The Clash) to create an album that is quintessentially English. Treays is also one of very few lyricists currently plying their trade in this country that can hold their head up alongside Alex Turner, providing Great British wit that the Great British public (of a certain age, at least) can relate to.

Panic Prevention, while addressing issues both serious and frivolous, is always fun. At times it is raucous and unflinching (‘Operation’, ‘Pacemaker’), and at times moving; songs such as ‘Dry Off Your Cheeks’, ‘Ike and Tina’ and ‘Alicia Quays’ endeavour and succeed in providing both the cloud and the silver lining. Another of these serious notes, ‘Sheila’, alongside the fantastically entertaining ‘If You Got the Money’, show Treays’ ability to write great pop songs, while you can almost hear Mike Skinner cursing Treays in ‘So Lonely was the Ballad’ and ‘Calm Down Dearest’, poignant, thoughtful and, as ever, funny songs that take The Streets’ best moments and respectfully dash off over the horizon with them. Panic Prevention’s best moments, however, come when Jamie ditches his support band and goes it alone; ‘Brand New Bass Guitar’ and ‘Back in the Game’ are unrefined but never scrappy, and provide ample evidence of Treays’ abilities, both as lyricist and entertainer.