Wendy James Announces New Album ‘The Shape Of History’
Release Date and Details
Wendy James is set to release her new album, ‘The Shape Of History,’ on October 25th. The album, written, produced, and mixed by James herself, was recorded in both West London and New York City. It marks her tenth album and will be available digitally, on deluxe vinyl, and via deluxe CD. Alongside the announcement, James has unveiled a video for “Freedomsville,” the first single from the album.
The Inspiration Behind ‘Freedomsville’
“I grew up, musically, in the age of the sequencer,” reflects Wendy. “There was Transvision Vamp and Sigue Sigue Sputnik, both influenced by the futuristic, seedy glamour of Ridley Scott’s ‘Bladerunner.’ The overcrowded Chinatown and the towering skyscrapers where the masters of the universe observed and policed down below.” James drew inspiration from films like Polanski’s Frantic, Beineix’s Diva, and Klaus Nomi’s The Cold Song.
James shared her approach to creating “Freedomsville,” saying, “I wrote ‘Freedomsville’ on guitar, like all my songs. My mixing engineer Jesse Nichols couldn’t believe how unchanged the recording was from the guide and yet how much sound and arrangement had been created. In the end, I didn’t use sequencers at all; it’s all real humans playing very rhythmically on repeat for six minutes straight.”
Musical Influences and Recording Process
“My songwriting has always been a wide mix of sounds, which naturally reflect the different music and references I have and love,” James explains. “My sweet spot is mid-late 70’s downtown NYC New Wave Punk: CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. From this sound, my taste for sequenced and dark NY and Euro electro and no-wave evolves.”
The Shape Of History was recorded on Scrubs Lane, West London, with musicians Alex Ward, Harry Bohay, and James Sclavunos. James then travelled to NYC and Brooklyn to record the pianos and organs with Dave “The Moose” Sherman. Overdubbing continued with Al Lawson at his Shepherd’s Bush studio, before James headed to Berkeley, CA, to mix with Jesse Nichols. The album was mastered by Fred Kevorkian in Brooklyn, NY.
“I have spent so much time with this music; I know it note-for-note and I love it,” says James. “I am so happy for you to now make it your own.”
Themes and Reflections
“The Shape Of History” is rich with themes of love, self-appreciation, and the appreciation of others. “It is life’s arc of starting, blooming into something, and in some ways, maturing,” James notes. “I don’t think my music has got older. My attitude can be more ferocious and fearless than ever, but there is an acquired wisdom that comes after living for a few decades.”
The album is described as a love letter and thank-you note to life so far. James emphasizes the importance of the musicians and engineers she’s collaborated with. “We know each other, we choose to work together. We enjoy each other’s talents and personalities. There is a happiness and belonging when we meet up, and a determined desire to achieve what we know we have to.”
A Grateful Journey
Reflecting on her career, James recalls meeting Nick Christian Sayer and forming Transvision Vamp. “The two of us walked into EMI Records and demanded to see the head of Artists and Repertoire, Dave Ambrose. Getting signed and making our hits of the late 80’s and 90’s was an incredible journey.”
James has also collaborated with Elvis Costello and mixed that album at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, where The Stones mixed Exile On Main St. Her move to NYC to begin her solo career marked a new chapter in her journey. “All the gigs I’ve played and the friends I’ve made around the world, the astounding, incredible, wonderful people whose lives I’ve crossed paths with—I am so grateful for it all.”
