Byline: Joanna Horowitz; Special to The Seattle Times
Despite writing THAT song -- you know, the one you play at a wedding or put on a cheesy mix or croon to your cat ("You're beautiful, it's true ... ,") James Blunt says he is not a romantic. But is he?
"People tell me I have romantic songs," the affable British singer said, calling from Los Angeles, where he was taping an appearance on Conan O'Brien's show. "So in some way the answer has to be yes. But do I carry flowers around with me? I'm a soldier. I have very little emotion to show you now. If you asked me I'm how I'm feeling, I'd say 'I'm fine. Cheers.' "
Blunt -- who did in fact begin his career in the British army -- must be feeling pretty fine. His third album, "Some Kind of Trouble," has sold over a million copies worldwide, though only a fraction here in the U.S.
Sunday he plays at Seattle's Moore Theatre, a much more intimate venue than the 10,000-seaters he regularly appears in abroad.
That discrepancy may be in part due to American radio.
"U.S. radio is a very specific medium," the 37-year-old songwriter said. "There are some songs that you write or record and you say, 'This is the most magical song.' Then they tell you, 'It will never work on radio!' I see radio as a place where you put your most commercial song. The real music, the music you're proudest of, is on the album."
But "Trouble" does sound like an album in search of a radio. The record has plenty of Blunt's signature balladry, but living in party capital Ibiza for the last few years seems to have influenced him, too. Club beats pop up throughout.
The first track, "Stay The Night," is a sunny, Jason-Mraz-y ode to Californ.I.A., rhyming "We've been singing Billie Jean" with "mixing vodka with caffeine." Track two, "Dangerous," is a "Flashdance"-era throwback.
Blunt brought on producer/songwriter Steve Robson (Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts) to lend a hand. Robson's country roots can be felt on catchy hand-clapper "I'll Be Your Man."
The album's closer, "Turn Me On," is a raunchy come-on with lines like "Gonna make you a dirty woman." It's a little disconcerting delivered by the man with one of the most earnestly sentimental voices in pop -- but maybe that's the point.
And besides, Blunt says the inspiration for the song came not from a lady, but from a guitar.
"I've been limited to my acoustic guitar ... ," he said. "Give me an electric guitar, and I'll write a song like 'Turn Me On.' It's great fun to play live."
For this tour, the usually acoustic Blunt has a full band to reflect the album's "extra layer." In concert, Blunt is incredibly likable and charming.
He might not be carrying around flowers, but his songs are romantic indeed, even if he says he isn't.
Joanna Horowitz: jbhorowitz@gmail.com
Paul de Barros contributed to this story.
James Blunt
7 p.m. Sunday, Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle; $27.50 (877-784-4849 or www.stgpresents.org).
On the Internet
Hear James Blunt: www.youtube.com, search James Blunt, "Stay the Night."
CAPTION(S):
ANDREW ZAEH: James Blunt performs Sunday at the Moore Theatre. His latest album is ''Some Kind of Trouble.'' (0416806345)
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