Jamie-T, "Sheila". SIngle Review

I must admit to being a little bit shocked when I first seen Jamie T. After hearing a couple of his tunes my minds eye painted a very different picture, but as soon as I seen the, “Sheila / Stella”, video it seemed that the voice couldn’t possibly have come from any other person, such is his presence.

Sheila goes out with her mate Stella proceeds to tell a rather heart wrenching woeful tale of three entirely separate, tragic stories, but all with an undercurrent of despair and hopelessness inextricably running through them.

Firstly, we have the songs namesake, Sheila. It quickly transpires that Sheila is something of a good time girl. (Maybes alcoholic, who are we to judge?) Who after getting hammered staggers down to the local river (which geographically I assume to be the Thames) and pitifully screams into the darkness.

Then we have Jack whom we can safely assume is a supplier of Class A’s. This is a sad tale in itself. Telling as it does of Jack –and his gangs- bleak existence living on the fringes of social acceptability and his self-destructive dysfunctional lifestyle.

And last but by no means least we have, “Georgie”, disturbingly an all too familiar product of the dark and seedy underbelly of Britain’s inner suburbia. After a tortuous home life at the hands of an abusive drink-fuelled father she then proceeds to follow in his drunken drug-induced footsteps until an overdose (a cry for help?) results tragically in her un-timely demise.

The result is a tale of modern inner city life (with a radio friendly chorus) as seen and chronicled so eloquently by Jamie-T. His modern take on the English language typifying the diverse, ever increasing influx of different cultures into the London melting pot, and what is poured back out is an up to date, colloquialism rich, hybrid street-speak, which is so rarely made readily available in such a raw and un-diluted form as this.

There is also a couple of verses of poetry provided by John Betjeman and titled “The Cockney Amorist”. Although it is easier to hear once you know it is there, it somehow adds to the overall urban feel.

And with the chorus being coupled with the hopeless screams of Sheila screaming, “London”. It leaves the listener hoping that this isn’t truly representative of a modern-day suburban Britain.

It’s staggering to think that this was reportedly only the second song he wrote. At only 20 years old and quoting influences such as Rancid and The Clash, he has already toured London’s Pub scene armed only with a bass guitar.

The pedigree is evident for all to see, already wise beyond his years I’m looking forward to see what the future holds for Jamie-T, and more importantly what plans Jamie-T holds for the future.