It is clear through his albums and performances that Possessed by Paul James is his music. His talent for viscerally projecting the weight of living makes him an unapologetic conduit of his own device. There is nothing contrived or forced. He seems to be continually and with great humility ‘working it out’ through his songs. The resulting progress is illustrated in the way his tone has altered in the time between his first self titled release and his most recent endeavor “feed the family”.
Feed the family is a 12 track anthem to the general growth and maturity gained through sacrifice and reflection. Kinder versions of ‘Color of my bloody nose’ and ‘Old man’s souls’ don’t retreat from their original power but relax their grip as if reconciled by time. Tracks like ‘Older in my body’ We welcome you home’ and ‘fathers and sons’ are all shining testaments to the best of earnest song writing. The album in its entirety seems to end a chapter in a life on a triumphant note and as a fan I eagerly await the next installments from this truly unique and irreplaceable artist.
