Jamie T - If You've Got the Money

It's not that hard to imagine Johnny Borrell singing over the jaunty guitar riff of If You've Got the Money, but what sets Jamie T apart is his sly lyrics and delivery. His accent may well be the result of voice recognition software programmed to combine Messrs. Strummer and Rascal, and he is almost definitely embellishing his observational, conversational lyrics with more than a dose of poetic licence. But his words are far from the trite and embarrassing pish that the likes of Razorlight and Hard-Fi have been inexplicably lauded for in certain circles, plus his musical references are slightly more adventurous. This laddish track is throwaway light relief after his last excellent single Shiela, and he still has some way to go to live up to claims by certain Radio DJs that he is a genius, but there is some substance to the young Mr. T. [Milo McLaughlin]