Secrets I Can’t Keep: The Best Songs Of James

One of the UK’s longest-serving and – more importantly – one of its most consistent bands, James announced their return this week via new single ‘Is This Love,’ with 18th studio album Yummy to follow later in 2024.

After celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2022 and reworking their songs orchestrally on last year’s Be Opened By The Wonderful, Tim Booth and his colleagues are once again looking forward. But, as we must wait for what’s next, what better time for us to look back through their fearsome catalogue?

The list below is made up of the top 10 singles(ish) as chosen by this writer, but in truth it was a formidable task. Classics such as ‘Say Something,’ ‘Sit Down’ and ‘Laid’ fail to make the cut but sit just outside. In the case of the latter pair, overfamiliarity has perhaps dulled their impact, or it may simply be the adage that their best songs aren’t the best known. 

In alphabetical order (for a breakdown would just be too difficult) here are their strongest singles at the time of writing.

https://www.clashmusic.com/features/secrets-i-cant-keep-james-their-10-best-songs/