David Gray is This Years Love (White Ladder - David Gray)

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Product:	White Ladder - David Gray
Date:	14/07/01 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great vocals and lyrics, perfect for relaxing

Disadvantages: maybe too short

By now, many of us have heard the wild stories surrounding Gray and his breakthrough album White Ladder. It's a public - and critical - favorite, and has been selling swiftly on the graces of its first single Babylon. Stories abound about how this was to Gray's final album if it languished in virtual obscurity the way his previous efforts had. The way his wife was close to leaving him. The trouble he had getting the album released. Who knows if these wild stories are true - and who cares? White Ladder is the kind of album that eventually would've been popular due to word of mouth. It's the kind of album that your friend puts on over dinner and asks, "have you ever heard of this guy David Gray?" Somewhere, somehow this album struck a nerve with a bunch of someones in the industry - and it's been pushed into our collective consciousness. Good thing that, because it deserves every bit of it.

Yes, David Gray sounds like a young Van Morrison. His voice isn't quite as wily; that is, he has more control over it. Like his equally talented contemporary Elliot Smith, he's a natural singer/songwriter who's had the good fortune to grow up on classic singer/songwriters like Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, Van Morrison - the list goes on and on. The influences show through in each and every song. Gray is a consummate storyteller - his stories, invariably concentrating solely on love and loss, pull on your heartstrings from the first beat of White Ladder.

All of Gray's albums have been somewhat meager endeavors - drum machine, acoustic guitars - many of the tunes were recorded in his bedroom. This is something the music world absolutely needs. How long has it been since a truly talented songwriter has "made it"? The answer? Too long. It usually bugs me when an album's rhythm is almost entirely drum machine, but in a weird way it fits with White Ladder. It makes it feel that much more a homemade accomplishm
ent for Gray. Plus, knowing that Gray will undoubtedly put out a bigger -budget album with a good drummer in the near future has me eager with anticipation.

The impressive single from White Ladder, called Babylon is a wonderful example of what Gray is all about - catchy beat, solid lyrics and affecting vocals. Somber tunes such as Silver Lining and Say Hello Wave Goodbye are especially memorable for Gray's dynamic voice. On the latter he even spouts out a few lines from Van Morrison tunes - making it even more transparent where his influences are rooted.

Other spectacular tunes include This Years Love and Sail Away which are, in my opinion, two of the very best songs to be released last year. They are the kind of songs that have "classic" written all over them. In a way, This Years Love has an appropriate title - David Gray is this year's love, someone we can all root for. Someone we can all agree on. It's about time someone like that stepped up.

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