James Blunt Has 'Far Too Much Fun' Recording 'Stay the Night' Album

By Emily Tan Posted Dec 16th 2010 10:30AM

Although he's been known to sing some moody and depressing ballads, James Blunt is looking at the happier side of life on his upcoming album 'Some Kind of Trouble,' which is out Jan. 18.

"It's f---ing happy," Blunt tells PopEater. "There are a few of those ballads on the album, but yes, it's is much more upbeat and energetic. That's because I wrote before on acoustic guitar -- and I always wrote miserable songs on acoustic -- but this time around I went into the studio and wrote on electric guitar with basses and amps and all kinds of toys, and it gave me the chance to write more upbeat songs. That's all it was. I had far too much fun in the studio."

The album's first single, 'Stay the Night,' is a clear example of this new musical direction the pop-rock singer is taking. Complete with a beach party and all summer fun you'd want, 'Stay the Night' is a track that can put anyone in a good mood. PopEater recently had the chance to talk to the London musician about the new material, life on the road and how he really feels about 'You're Beautiful.'

What's 'Stay the Night' about?

I wrote it with Steve Robson, my producer, and Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic, and if you check out the credits as well, you'll see we wrote it with Bob Marley -- I thought he was dead. We were in California, and it sounds like we're all around a campfire. What it basically was three guys who all pulled out our guitars and wrote a fun song that describes being in California -- it kind of wrote itself. It's about hanging out with your friends and not wanting the night to end.

Watch James Blunt's 'Stay the Night' Video

The video does have a very California look. Was it filmed there?

Yeah, we did it on a beach in Malibu, which I was happy for because I've been in some very painful videos where they've thrown me off cliffs and set me on fire. This one is just hanging out with some good-looking people on the beach.

Who came up with the idea?

I just reached out to different directors, and they came back with different treatments. [Director] Ray Kay came back with this one that just really fit the song, and it just captured the vibe of the song and was perfect for it.

It's been over three years since you released 'All the Lost Souls.' What have you been up to during that time?

I've been really lazy and doing nothing [laughs]. That's not true. I toured for two years straight where I was basically doing a city a day for 12 months in 260 cities. But I did that for two years, and then I locked myself in the studio for 12 months. That's why it's been three years -- one year for this album to come together.

How have things changed for you from your first album, 'Back to Bedlam' to 'Some Kind of Trouble?'

Well with two albums out, I did two world tours, and then that changes dramatically. I the States obviously, 'You're Beautiful' is my biggest song. The tours have gotten bigger and bigger with the two albums, and so our audiences are much, much bigger than when I started with 'Back to Bedlam.' We can turn up to anywhere in the world really and put on a show, so for me it's been extensive touring, but fortunately I really I like that and am really happy doing it. It's been a lot of travel and a lot of concerts along the way, but we had a whole lot of fun in the process. From our live shows, you can tell that they're full of energy, and that normally catches people by surprise, so the live performances are much more energetic.

You mentioned you locked yourself in the studio for this album, but you're always on the road. Do you get any songwriting done while on tour?

I didn't write on the road actually. It just proved to be too difficult among all the hangovers. I stopped [touring], hung out with my friends in London and I went to a studio in London. That's why these songs feel kind of innocent again. They're about subjects that you can understand and relate to as well, not about touring. They're not about being a musician. It's just about normal everyday life and the experiences that you and I both share. That was important to me just to feel connected to the normal, real world.

Being on the road so much, are there any crazy moments that you know you'll never forget?

Normally they're crowd-surfing moments. I broke my finger Carolina jumping off the stage, which is a bad thing to do, but fortunately I have nine others. In Chicago, I jumped off the stage and the security didn't realize what had gone on, didn't recognize me. While the band played on, the security guards pinned me down and wouldn't let me go. All the other security had to pull me out.

You talk about your performances, but how have you seen yourself change as a musician and artist?

As a songwriter, you learn every day. That's why it's exciting to have a new album because it feels like they're the strongest songs I've written to date, and it's nice to feel that progression and feel kind of innocent excitement for the music.

What are your favorite tracks from this record?

From this album, I really love one called 'These Are the Words.' It's a really sweet little magical song. There's one that the record label didn't really want on the album called 'Turn Me On' that's the last song on there, and it's really cool to play.

Even though you said there are some sad songs on 'Some Kind of Trouble,' it's mostly happy and upbeat. Is it safe to say you're in a happy mood and this is the direction you'll be taking from now on?

I haven't really thought about any albums in the future since just being let out after being locked away for a year, but I'm really conscious that the album feels that way. It's really nice to have some upbeat songs for once. It'll do wonders for our live shows as well because there are great upbeat songs to add to our performance. I'm really happy with what I'm doing and at ease with what I'm doing, and I feel like I'm carving my own little path. We're starting the world tour next year, and we'll see where we'll end.

'You're Beautiful' is one of your biggest hits. Do you still like that song or are you tired of playing it now?

No, I'm not tired at all. It's weird because I'm asked that a lot, but no, I don't just play that song every night because we've got loads of different songs. That's the song that lots of people know, and that's one they're excited to hear and sing along with me. For me, it's a special moment.

Watch James Blunt's Sessions Performace