Panic Prevention

After decades of hearing about the newest British band to have the type of talent and staying power of the Beatles (Yeah, right.), I've learned to ignore the hype. And anyway, do we want such a thing?

Jamie T is not John L he's Jamie T, and there's no reason to hype him as anything else. In the age of downloading only the best songs rather than spending money on plastic, packaging and pulp, Jamie T's debut CD rocks from beginning to end making it an exception to the new economy. It's a lifetime keeper. It's raw, it's hip hopish, it's not hip hopish, it's got dirty words, smart rhymes, lively licks, urban slang and its by a kid who hangs in the streets where life is vibrant. Me thinks he brings his own vibrancy.

How could a product so unpolished as this CD be so good? Beats me, but it is. Like all great music it takes a few listens to get into, and then it just keeps getting better. It's not smooth or pretty, it's edgy and full of energy and promise. And it's...Read more

First listens of this much ballyhooed record (in the UK at least), spark immediate similarities to things like The Arctic Monkeys and Babyshambles. While this maybe true at first, repeated listens reveal a ramshackle singer/rapper that's a lot more like The Streets, or the evil British twin of G Love.

Panic Prevention finds London native, Mr. Jamie T. (and his band, The Pacemakers) mashing all sorts of urban and street musical styles (rap, reggae, punk, garage rock), with surprisingly good results. Released many many months ago in the UK, the record is finally available (at a much cheaper cost than the import) right here in the good old U. S. of A.

Nothing about Panic Prevention is smooth. Vocal delivery is purposely slurred and shoddy, keyboard and guitar playing is triumphantly garage-like and sloppy, and every song sounds like it was just written 5 minutes ago. The album's first track, Brand New Bass Guitar, sings the praises of an ill-sounding instrument...Read more

ive heard few styles like jamie t. hes fun and innovative as well as being comically a british tramp. the music like a mix of ska and rap. even though his lyrics are fast and it seems like nonsense hes actually pretty coherent and intelligible in his lyrics so unlike many other rap-style singers.