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Attitude of the Libertines and sass of the Streets, with Brian Wilson-meets-Beasties production aspirations.
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From a 22 year old Cockney geezer, spry, sunny rhymes about London kids drinking themselves to death.
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Over a decade later and we’re ready to forgive Bob Hoskins for starring in the really-rather-dire Super Mario movie. Why? Well, Bob’s popped up in the great video to UK wildchild Jamie T’s “Sheila.” Dunno if it's up there with Christopher Walken's music video role , but props to Bob for appearing in the clip for a track that's 'for the youth,' without looking like an embarassing dad.
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In principle it's a fairly simple song, with Jamie telling (fairly depressing) stories about people he knows, over such a jaunty beat that it manages to be more life-affirming than wrist-slitting and occasional well-chosen samples. As well as the Betjeman, there's speech from My Fair Lady and Lock Stock and it's a surprisingly layered song, given how simple the premise is.
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'Sheila' remains a fantastic song, both lairy and tender, and while Jamie might be afflicted with the sort of über-cockney stage-school vocal tics that have come in for criticism of late, he does work them like a champ.
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Still the best song from the Wimbledon lad whose mangled vowels and suburban poetry slots neatly between Mike Skinner’s navel-gazing and Pete Doherty’s love of lowlife.
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Wimbledon's Jamie T splices together slur-along verses with reggae basslines and rude boy patois on "Sheila" - a tragicomic tail in which our leading lady goes out on the lash and ends up in a body bag by 10:30pm. No wonder the police are stopping this lot throwing parties.
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On 'Sheila', T plays humble narrator to a sad cast of boozers and ne'er do wells, soaking their personal tragedies in alcohol. Sad scenes, but borne up on a rattling hip-hop backbeat in T's croaked, Joe Strummer-esque patois, such tales become strangely uplifting.
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His "Sheila" video stars a cheeky little monkey and also portrays the exploits of some inquisitive baboons who are hell-bent on causing havoc. Quality, mate (as Jamie might say).
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Jamie T has turned street culture and folklore on it's head with one four-minute swoop that will only establish his position as one of the most invigorating new lyricists of the 21st Century even further. And probably make him a star to boot.
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'Sheila' - which scuffs reggae, hip hop and punk around clipped, clever lyrics - contains a natural disregard for convention and off-kilter, anthemic hit-shaped DNA.
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