The U.K. still seems to churn out new and interesting artists, and David Gray is no exception. This is the first release of his that I've had the chance to listen to, and I'm pretty impressed with the effort. Combining the interesting effect of adding electronic percussion with folky acoustic guitars is a somewhat original idea. Gray's voice may take some getting used to for some. His voice tends to have an edge that cuts through the soft and eloquent sounds of the music at times. It's a contrast that may turn off some listeners, but I find it to be an original and refreshing addition to my cd collection.
The song that caught my attention first on this 1999 release is "Silver Lining". Highlighted with a background rhythm that sounds like a clock ticking, the slow yet effortless pace of the song is the true trademark of Gray's writing. "Please Forgive Me" features Gray's signiture raspy voice. Deep piano, electronic percussion, strings, and a nice acoustic guitar rhythm help to create an atmosphere that is rich and complex but not over-produced. The lyrics are equally dramatic: "Please forgive me if I act a little strange, for I know not what I do. Feels like lightning running through my veins every time I look at you.". Where "Please Forgive Me" succeeds with it's broad sound, "Babylon" creates the same effect with it's simplicity. Gray's voice here takes on a smoother effect. The electronic percussion is minimized while a nice drumstick sound stands out in the mix. The bright acoustic guitar guides the tempo of the song throughout. Another one of my favorites is "Say Hello Wave Goodbye". Mainly featuring Gray and just his acoustic guitar, you can easily make a comparison to Bob Dylan. "Sail Away" is probably the most interesting song towards the end of this cd. Showing off simple strumming along with piano, the song reminds me of U2. Gray's writing here is a little darker than the other tunes here: "I've been talking drunken gibberish, I've been punching at the bars. Trying to find explanation here, for the way some people are." Gray also does his best Otis Redding impersonation by finishing off the song by whistling the chorus.
Gray's ability to make each song sound different is what makes this release enjoyable. Because of his voice and guitar style, it would be very easy to have every song sound the same. Gray seems to understand this and tries to offer some sort of surprise on most tracks to make them stand out from each other. If you appreciate deep song writing along with pleasant sounding melodies, this release would be a good choice for you to consider. I like to think of David Gray as Willy Porter's counterpart from the other side of the Atlantic!
