Crowded House isn't the only band getting back together . . .

James are back. Still fresh as a daisy. Ready to be the bride not the bridesmaid. With a back catalogue to die for and a bunch of new songs the "Laid" six will be playing live for the first time in 6 years . . .

Despite threatening to carry on without lead singer Tim Booth following his departure more than five years ago, James never did carry through on that one and now they're back together.

Funny enough, just a short while ago I was listening to the great catalog of James' music and comparing it to Booth's relatively small output. While I've enjoyed Tim's solo material, I've simply found it wanting and missing that special something that James was. Even on their final album, Pleased To Meet You, James always had that special touch that turned even mundane material into ear-pleasing gems.

When paired with the magic touch of frequent producer Brian Eno, Tim Booth's falsetto topped some of the catchiest singles of the '90s but, aside from the hauntingly beautiful Laid which landed them fleeting world-wide fame, the band managed to linger in relative obscurity even while turning out consistently great material (the sadly overlooked Millionaires may be their best album and didn't even garner a US release). But now the world's getting a second chance - the band is back together with Booth and they've put new material together. Let's hope we don't ignore them a second time.