1-2-3 / Nothing Is Forever (Nvbl)

Tennessee's Oliver James, a time-capsule of classic R&B sound, returns tothe Colemine label with two new tunes pressed onto one must-have 45.The A-side features his first new track since 2022. '1-2-3' is an upbeat soulstomper à la Memphis and Stax. Nick DeVan and Vincent John (EraserhoodSound) co-wrote the track; they finalized the instrumentals but were stumpedon the lyrics. That's when James was called in, and he used his time workingat a church to shape the lyrics that eventually became this number.The B-side was a collaborative effort with Nashville's gritty-funk ensembleThe Gripsweats. It's an earnest song with lyrics inspired by James & DeVan'scommiseration. "I'm no stranger to love that I used to know'," laments James;his favorite line of the song. Cushioned by lush string and hornarrangements, 'Nothing Is Forever' is a melancholy and heartfelt foil to the A.