Blunt quickly rises to the top

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, November 2, 2006

Just over two years ago, James Blunt was sitting on his prize possession, a new album called “Back to Bedlam.”

“I’d made an album and I’d been singing around on it for a while, wondering if it would get released or not,” Blunt said in a phone interview Monday after his pre-show sound check in Minneapolis.

Atlantic Records eventually released the album in his native England, printing just 5,000 copies.

“I was just doing some very small shows,” Blunt said. “It was just me and my mate, Paul (Beard), who plays keyboards, playing tiny shows to 50 people, I suppose.”

Fast-forward two years and Blunt, 32, brings his world tour to the 8,000-seat Everett Events Center. Just seven months ago, he headlined at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, and five months before that he played the Paramount as an opening act for Jason Mraz.

“It really has been a whirlwind,” Blunt said.

That’ll happen when you have a breakout hit, such as “You’re Beautiful,” which made Blunt the first Brit to top the U.S. Billboard singles chart since Elton John did it in 1997. “Back to Bedlam” reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Album chart and has sold more than 2 million copies.

“I always knew I wanted to get myself in a position where I could make an album I could enjoy,” Blunt said. “I’ve been really fortunate to be able to play music all around the world. I do a very basic job, which I love. I play music with a band every day.”

Blunt said that larger venues provide a chance to put more into the performance and that “the show is definitely picking up pace.” At least one critic has described the show as “surprisingly lively,” given Blunt’s ballad-driven debut album. And the falsetto crooner has more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

“We’ve got chickens, midgets and naked dancers,” he said.

That might not be entirely true, but Blunt has pulled out some cover tunes, including The Pixies’ “Where Is My Mind?” and Supertramp’s “Breakfast in America.” He’s also trying out some new songs, such as “I Can’t Hear the Music” and “1973,” that will likely land on a new album he hopes to begin recording in February.

For now, Blunt is reaching the end of two years of nearly constant touring and letting recent parodies of “You’re Beautiful” and some scathing criticism, including a poll last year in which Blunt was voted the fourth-most annoying thing in Britain, roll off his back.

“When you become a success, some people are going to take a shot,” Blunt said. “So I don’t lose lot of sleep over that.”

Besides, such potshots are no comparison to what Blunt faced in Kosovo in 1999 as a reconnaissance officer in the British army. His songs “No Bravery” and “Cry” are based on his experience there, and Blunt says there’s no telling how much his military background will continue to influence his songwriting.

“Any life experience is something I draw on for inspiration,” he said. “It is one experience from my life, one phase of my life which I will always remember being affected by and refer to in some way. But it is not the only experience I’ve had.”

Victor Balta: 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.

Courtesy of Atlantic Records

James Blunt brings his world tour to the Everett Events Center on Monday.