“Money in a jukebox, rocks all night / Same shit bands – too much hype”

Now there’s a quote that sums Jamie T up; cocky but self-effacing and completely charming. Gutsy too, given that it’s a lyric that might be akin to making a rod for the Wimbledon-born songster’s own back – after all, his own arrival with Panic Prevention was greeted with the kind of hype that would have been familiar to a whole host of other acts, from the Arctic Monkeys to the Zutons.

Nominated for a Mercury award, it seemed that this would be another case of an artist being relentlessly built up purely so he could be torn apart for underachievement at a later date. However, for once, the praise was absolutely justified; blessed with an ear for a catchy tune, a good grasp of song structure and an seemingly-endless supply of fantastic lyrics, the fact that Jamie was only 21 indicated that here was a musical talent with genuine potential.

Fast-forward two years, and here we are with Kings & Queens. It doesn’t disappoint. From opening with some bizarre percussion and relatively cryptic lyrics on 368 to ending with some balladic sweetness on Jilly Armeen, the record shows more of the same versatility, character and all-round entertainment that made its predecessor one of the best albums of 2007.

The actually-quite-frighteningly catchy Sticks N Stones and Chaka Demus (from which the aforementioned quote was gleaned) are the stand-out tracks, but the rest of the fare is pretty impressive too. There’s the wistful-but-cautionary tale on acoustic, Emily’s Heart, a stripped-down affair with just Jamie’s raw vocals and guitar. How about the incredibly wry Spider’s Web, or the rollocking boisterousness of Hocus Pocus? It all bustles with the energy, enthusiasm and rambunctious confidence of a man who knows that, well, he’s making some shit-cool music.

The same articulate story-telling drives the album along, and whether Jamie is singing about getting absolutely hammered, having a messy break-up or the state of the world you find his commentary utterly convincing and constantly compelling.

Here's a few top-quality examples: “Pat on my back and a swig of my brew / You’re still my friend, it’s impossible to hate you”, from Sticks N Stones. “You always went for my friends and not for me”, from Jilly Armeen. “I’m saving up my bandages / A non-believer turned can be the loyalist of advocates”, from Castro Dies. Or my personal fave, another hum-dinger from Chaka Demus; "'Two World Wars and one World Cup!' / Screamed by the desperate, divided crutch / Used to have an empire, then we grew up / Lost everything - who gives a fuck?!" This is just scratching the surface – lyrical ingenuity pervades the content of Kings & Queens.

A product of some diverse influences, Jamie manages to remind the listener of Alex Turner, Billy Bragg, Paul Weller, Pete Doherty and Joe Strummer –amongst numerous others – while still somehow maintaining the impression that he is a glorious original owing nothing to nobody. I can’t quite get my head around that contradiction, but it’s there. The guy’s music is fresh but familiar. I don’t know if that makes any sense, but what I do know is this; Jamie T is the dog’s bollocks.

- Sebastian Clare

JAMIE T PERFORMING CHAKA DEMUS LIVE IN BBC STUDIOS, CHECK IT OUT: