Carry on the Grudge

After five years away, Jamie T returned with this mellow collection. Only “Zombie” and “Rabbit Hole” echo the punky capers of his previous records; in their place are downtrodden ballads evoking his conflicted mental state. On “Peter,” Jamie lambasts his inner critic and on “Turn on the Light” he admits, “I still hear demons breathing.” <i>Carry on the Grudge</i> brings out his inner songwriter: “Love Is Only a Heartbeat Away” lays on the strings, “Murder of Crow” is cabin-in-the-woods folk, and traces of dub snake through “Don't You Find”. A mature and meaningful work.