All the Colours of You is the 16th studio album of English rock band James that was released on 4 June 2021 through Virgin Music Label & Artist Services.
Music critics gave All the Colours of You generally positive reviews; some of them complimented Lee's production and noted the album's anthemic nature.
[5] In June 2019, bassist Jim Glennie said the band had a remaining writing session before they intended to do any major editing with the aim of release an album the following year.
[7] In early 2020, at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the band had accumulated 100 Jam sessions in 17 days; they were halfway through a planned year-long break from touring.
After a member suggested working with Jacknife Lee, they learnt he was living within two miles (3.2 km) of vocalist Tim Booth in Topanga Canyon, California.
[12] Lee is an experienced mixer who edited the band's demos, adding loops, providing electronic textures, and changing the structures.
[14][15] According to QRO editor Ted Chase, James has an "emotional stadium size more akin to big eighties outfits from when they got their start, than either the slamming pop or intimate indie of today".
[16] Booth, who wrote the band's lyrics, cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting lockdowns, and the murder of George Floyd as influences on the topics covered on the album.
Drummer David Baynton-Power does not appear on the album; Lee played his parts in the majority of the songs, and Bishop performed on "Beautiful Beaches" and "Wherever It Takes Us".
Peter Glennie sang background vocals on "Zero", and played EBow on "All the Colours of You", strings on "Magic Bus", and cello on "Isabella".
[19][20][15] "All the Colours of You" criticises the presidency of Donald Trump, which Booth observed while living in the US; the track was partially influenced by the protests that followed the murder of George Floyd.
'"[15] "Beautiful Beaches" is a pop song about climate change; its outro features distorted drums similar to the ones heard in "It Might Be Time" (2019) by Tame Impala.
[31] The album's closing track "XYST" opens with guitars in the style of R.E.M., which gives way to electronic drums and Booth's slow vocal delivery.
[36] All the Colours of You was released on 4 June 2021 through Virgin Music Label & Artist Services; the digital deluxe edition includes demos of "Where It Takes Us", "Life", and "Isabella", and live performances of "Beautiful Beaches" and "Getting Myself Into".
[13] Following a one-off show in Oxford, James performed at several UK festivals in August and September 2021, including Beautiful Days, Isle of Wight and Playground.
Louder Than War writer Iain Key complimented Lee's "polished, but not superficial, cinematic and turned up to 11" production style.
[24] The Arts Desk journalist Nick Hasted said Lee's "sleek burnishing and mild deconstruction" production "help[s] James still sound big if not exactly contemporary".
[46] God Is in the TV contributor Laura Dean highlighted Hunter's "influence and talent [as] shin[ing] brightly throughout the entirety of the album".
In lieu of the way it was recorded, she liked the band's ability to make "a solid album that reflects the talents of each member" while "continually experimenting with their sound and always challenging both themselves and their fans".
Emma Harrison of Clash wrote the album "might just be their strongest offering to date", saying there were glimmers of James' old sound "in parts" because it "takes the band into a new sonic adventure where you hear lo-if leanings and pumping club beats".
[49] Under the Radar's Matt Raven wrote All the Colours of You is a "super satisfying musical experience that solidifies an illustrious 35-year career ... making a distinctive brand of creative rock music with rich textures and shrewd melodies",[14] while Record Collector reviewer Kevin Harley noted that the band "channel their founding exploratory impetus into exultant, reflective and wide-ranging new shapes".