| David Gray |
The Best Of David Gray (Deluxe Edition) |
David Gray — The Best Of David Gray (Deluxe Edition)
♦♠♦ Gray je jedním z classiest — nejspolehlivějších skladatelů a umělců své generace. Vysoká laťka, kterou nastavil ve svém katalogu, mi dává to, po com jsem toužil: mít po ruce blízkého generačního vzbouřence. Hudba na albu je stejně přesvědčivá jako texty: mix klavírních balad s potřebným napětím David promění v orchestrální triumf, singer~songwriter~styl se spojil s experimentálním. Je zde fantastické a v žádném případě ne dotěrné programování od Andyho Barlowa (Lamb). Chybí mi zde dvě písně s jakousi přidanou hodnotou: Gray napodobuje emotivního Johna Lennona ve svou výhodu v “Beautiful Agony”, pak pootočí fráze stylem vintage Van Morrison v “Cake and Eat It.” Pro mne je tato píseň vrcholem předešlého troj~alba “Mutineers”. Naštěstí je zde ale píseň “Birds Of The High Arctic”. Dvě skladby jsou inspirovány básníky, ale většina z alba odhaluje Davidovu romantickou a duchovní kondici. “Falling Free”, “Shine” a “L’s Song” jsou letošními verzemi původních písní, ve “Snow In Vegas se představí LeAnn Rimes. Věřím, že se cítí stejně dobře, jak vypadá. Má důvod: přivedl na svět své nejlepší album.
♠♦♠ Successful welsh singer~songwriter with an organic hybrid of acoustic soul, electronica, and pop.
♦♠♦ We recently spoke to David about the album, and he described it’s journey to success “like a fairy story,” adding: “We made an album mainly in my bedroom with zero cash and basically zero equipment and the charm of it all unlocked all this stuff and changed my life forever.”
Genre: Singer~Songwriter
Birth name: David Peter Gray
Born: 13 June 1968, Sale, England, United Kingdom
Genres: Indie rock, folk rock, folktronica
Occupations: Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
Location: Sale, brought up in nearby Altrincham ~ London, Britain, UK
Album release: 28 Oct. 2016
Number of Discs: 2
Format: Deluxe Edition, Double CD
Record Label: iht Records
Duration:
Tracks:
01. Babylon 3:36
02. You’re The World To Me 3:34
03. Sail Away 5:12
04. The One I Love 3:26
05. Alibi 4:33
06. Smoke Without Fire 2:56
07. Flame Turns Blue 4:49
08. Be Mine 3:48
09. This Year’s Love 4:03
10. Fugitive 3:43
11. Please Forgive Me 5:31
12. Only The Wine 2:50
13. Snow In Vegas (Feat. LeAnn Rimes) 3:28
14. Back In The World 3:56
15. The Other Side 4:25
16. Enter Lightly 4:49
Cd 2:
01. Falling Free (2016 Version) 4:25
02. A Clean Pair Of Eyes 4:57
03. Kathleen 3:48
04. Fixative 4:04
05. Gulls 4:51
06. Forgetting 4:15
07. Falling Down The Mountainside 4:47
08. From Here You Can Almost See The Sea 3:37
09. Birds Of The High Arctic 6:22
10. Twilight 2:21
11. L’s Song (2016 Version) 4:24
12. Nemesis (Live At The Royal Festival Hall) 11:36
13. January Rain 2:42
14. Last Summer 4:08
15. Shine (25th Anniversary Version) 4:53
℗ 2016 iht Records
⦿ British singer/songwriter David Gray had already released three overlooked albums by the time White Ladder (and its international breakthrough hit, “Babylon”) brought his mix of acoustic instruments and electronic samples to the mainstream. ⦿ Born in Manchester in 1968, Gray relocated to Wales at the age of nine before returning home to attend the University of Liverpool. While in school, he dabbled in several punk bands and began exploring new styles of writing, eventually uncovering his own poetic penmanship. Following a move to London, Gray signed to Hut Records in the United Kingdom and Caroline Records in the United States, releasing the debut single “Birds Without Wings” in 1992. The next year saw the release of his first full~length record, A Century Ends, and Gray’s trademark style of fiery vocals countered with folksy, acoustic songcraft began to find an audience, particularly in Ireland. However, despite frequent solo tours (as well as an opening slot for Shawn Colvin), Gray’s edgy sophomore effort, Flesh, was met with an underwhelming response in 1994, and he was dropped from his label as a result. Gray signed a new contract with EMI Records; meanwhile, the buzz in Ireland continued to build thanks to No Disco, an alternative music video program that showcased Gray every chance it got. Hanging onto that thread, Sell, Sell, Sell arrived in 1996 in limited quantities. Gray hitched up his touring boots and hit the road again, this time opening for such heavy~hitters as Radiohead and Dave Matthews Band, but a lack of mainstream response resulted in Gray’s split from EMI. Recapturing and embracing his independence, he decided to self~finance his fourth album, White Ladder, and release it on his own label, IHT Records, in 1998. Recorded in a London apartment with an easy blend of samplers and acoustic guitar, White Ladder was a sublime leap forward for the underappreciated Gray. Ireland certainly recognized its merit, as the record immediately climbed into the Irish Top 30. Gray found other outlets for promotion as well, offering five tunes (including the elegiac title track) to the soundtrack of This Year’s Love. The good fortune continued as former road pal Dave Matthews (who had taken a liking to Gray during their shared tour) made White Ladder the first release on his own ATO Records imprint in 2000. Boosted by this additional release, “Babylon” enjoyed a positive reception in the U.S. and peaked at number five on the U.K. charts. Its success coincided with Gray’s performance on the main stage at Glastonbury, and White Ladder went on to enjoy multi~platinum sales. Gray celebrated his newfound recognition by issuing a handful of albums in 2001, including a pair of compilations (Lost Songs 95~98 and The EP’s 92~94) and two reissued records (A Century Ends and Flesh). Although his popularity remained greater in Europe, he maintained moderate success in the States as well, and A New Day at Midnight followed up his successful international breakthrough in the fall of 2002. Gray worked with producer Marius de Vries (Björk, Rufus Wainwright) for 2005’s Life in Slow Motion; the reflective album debuted at the top of the charts in both Ireland and the U.K., giving Gray the highest chart rankings of his career. The singer then cobbled together his older material for 2007’s Shine: The Best of the Early Years. The career~spanning Greatest Hits followed that fall, featuring two new tracks as well as Gray’s most popular numbers. Once again, David Gray found himself without a record label as he prepared to work on his eighth studio album. After setting up shop in his own London studio, dubbed the Church Studios, Gray began shaping his first set of original material since 2005. Vocalists Annie Lennox and Jolie Holland joined him on several songs, and the resulting Draw the Line was released in 2009 by Gray’s new label, Polydor Records. “Fugitive” became a Top 40 hit in America, and the album itself charted well in multiple countries. Gray quickly returned with another album, Foundling, which drew its material from the Draw the Line sessions and hit stores less than 12 months after the previous album’s release. His next record, Mutineers, was recorded at Church Studios and produced by Andy Barlow of Lamb. The June 2014 album was preceded by the single “Gulls,” which displayed a change of direction for Gray, morphing from a minimalist, almost ambient, keyboard~led arrangement to a dark, noisy, powerfully haunting chorus. He returned in 2016 with his first greatest~hits collection, The Best of David Gray. The compilation featured highlights from some of his most acclaimed records as well as two new tracks, “Smoke Without Fire” and “Enter Lightly.” ~ Andrew Leahey & Kelly McCartney
Discography:
♠ A Century Ends (April 1993)
♠ Flesh (September 1994)
♠ Sell, Sell, Sell (August 1996)
♠ White Ladder (November 1998)
♠ Lost Songs 95~98 (February 2001)
♠ A New Day at Midnight (October 2002)
♠ Life in Slow Motion (September 2005)
♠ Draw the Line (September 2009)
♠ Foundling (August 2010)
♠ Mutineers (June 2014) “L’s Song” lyrics:
1.) I love your nervous fingers
Won’t you fumble all night long
But in the morning they are stingers
To rise and stumble on
Down the crooked pavement
The wind rolls my thoughts like a leaf
The brill bell chimes
And fortune smiles with its broken teeth
Refr.:
And the many rivers run
Grateful for the rain
I’d be grateful for one morsel
Of your loving again
2.) Summer, restless summer
Won’t let sleeping dogs lay
Your bobbed voice
You awaken as time goes by
Don’t know, don’t know
Don’t know, don’t know
Thunder’s muttered promise
Impatient girl on the scented wind
Your gray eyes starve in the rain
Nearly upon her
Refr:
And the many rivers run
Grateful for the rain
I’d be grateful for one morsel
Of your loving again
Website: http://www.davidgray.com/
Tumblr: http://davidgraymusic.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidGray
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRealDavidGray
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/davidgray
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidgray
♠___________________________________________________________♠
| David Gray |
The Best Of David Gray (Deluxe Edition) |
♦♠♦ Gray je jedním z classiest — nejspolehlivějších skladatelů a umělců své generace. Vysoká laťka, kterou nastavil ve svém katalogu, mi dává to, po com jsem toužil: mít po ruce blízkého generačního vzbouřence. Hudba na albu je stejně přesvědčivá jako texty: mix klavírních balad s potřebným napětím David promění v orchestrální triumf, singer~songwriter~styl se spojil s experimentálním. Je zde fantastické a v žádném případě ne dotěrné programování od Andyho Barlowa (Lamb). Chybí mi zde dvě písně s jakousi přidanou hodnotou: Gray napodobuje emotivního Johna Lennona ve svou výhodu v “Beautiful Agony”, pak pootočí fráze stylem vintage Van Morrison v “Cake and Eat It.” Pro mne je tato píseň vrcholem předešlého troj~alba “Mutineers”. Naštěstí je zde ale píseň “Birds Of The High Arctic”. Dvě skladby jsou inspirovány básníky, ale většina z alba odhaluje Davidovu romantickou a duchovní kondici. “Falling Free”, “Shine” a “L’s Song” jsou letošními verzemi původních písní, ve “Snow In Vegas se představí LeAnn Rimes. Věřím, že se cítí stejně dobře, jak vypadá. Má důvod: přivedl na svět své nejlepší album.
♠♦♠ Successful welsh singer~songwriter with an organic hybrid of acoustic soul, electronica, and pop.
♦♠♦ We recently spoke to David about the album, and he described it’s journey to success “like a fairy story,” adding: “We made an album mainly in my bedroom with zero cash and basically zero equipment and the charm of it all unlocked all this stuff and changed my life forever.”
Genre: Singer~Songwriter
Birth name: David Peter Gray
Born: 13 June 1968, Sale, England, United Kingdom
Genres: Indie rock, folk rock, folktronica
Occupations: Musician, songwriter, producer
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica
Location: Sale, brought up in nearby Altrincham ~ London, Britain, UK
Album release: 28 Oct. 2016
Number of Discs: 2
Format: Deluxe Edition, Double CD
Record Label: iht Records
Duration:
Tracks:
01. Babylon 3:36
02. You’re The World To Me 3:34
03. Sail Away 5:12
04. The One I Love 3:26
05. Alibi 4:33
06. Smoke Without Fire 2:56
07. Flame Turns Blue 4:49
08. Be Mine 3:48
09. This Year’s Love 4:03
10. Fugitive 3:43
11. Please Forgive Me 5:31
12. Only The Wine 2:50
13. Snow In Vegas (Feat. LeAnn Rimes) 3:28
14. Back In The World 3:56
15. The Other Side 4:25
16. Enter Lightly 4:49
Cd 2:
01. Falling Free (2016 Version) 4:25
02. A Clean Pair Of Eyes 4:57
03. Kathleen 3:48
04. Fixative 4:04
05. Gulls 4:51
06. Forgetting 4:15
07. Falling Down The Mountainside 4:47
08. From Here You Can Almost See The Sea 3:37
09. Birds Of The High Arctic 6:22
10. Twilight 2:21
11. L’s Song (2016 Version) 4:24
12. Nemesis (Live At The Royal Festival Hall) 11:36
13. January Rain 2:42
14. Last Summer 4:08
15. Shine (25th Anniversary Version) 4:53
℗ 2016 iht Records
⦿ British singer/songwriter David Gray had already released three overlooked albums by the time White Ladder (and its international breakthrough hit, “Babylon”) brought his mix of acoustic instruments and electronic samples to the mainstream. ⦿ Born in Manchester in 1968, Gray relocated to Wales at the age of nine before returning home to attend the University of Liverpool. While in school, he dabbled in several punk bands and began exploring new styles of writing, eventually uncovering his own poetic penmanship. Following a move to London, Gray signed to Hut Records in the United Kingdom and Caroline Records in the United States, releasing the debut single “Birds Without Wings” in 1992. The next year saw the release of his first full~length record, A Century Ends, and Gray’s trademark style of fiery vocals countered with folksy, acoustic songcraft began to find an audience, particularly in Ireland. However, despite frequent solo tours (as well as an opening slot for Shawn Colvin), Gray’s edgy sophomore effort, Flesh, was met with an underwhelming response in 1994, and he was dropped from his label as a result. Gray signed a new contract with EMI Records; meanwhile, the buzz in Ireland continued to build thanks to No Disco, an alternative music video program that showcased Gray every chance it got. Hanging onto that thread, Sell, Sell, Sell arrived in 1996 in limited quantities. Gray hitched up his touring boots and hit the road again, this time opening for such heavy~hitters as Radiohead and Dave Matthews Band, but a lack of mainstream response resulted in Gray’s split from EMI. Recapturing and embracing his independence, he decided to self~finance his fourth album, White Ladder, and release it on his own label, IHT Records, in 1998. Recorded in a London apartment with an easy blend of samplers and acoustic guitar, White Ladder was a sublime leap forward for the underappreciated Gray. Ireland certainly recognized its merit, as the record immediately climbed into the Irish Top 30. Gray found other outlets for promotion as well, offering five tunes (including the elegiac title track) to the soundtrack of This Year’s Love. The good fortune continued as former road pal Dave Matthews (who had taken a liking to Gray during their shared tour) made White Ladder the first release on his own ATO Records imprint in 2000. Boosted by this additional release, “Babylon” enjoyed a positive reception in the U.S. and peaked at number five on the U.K. charts. Its success coincided with Gray’s performance on the main stage at Glastonbury, and White Ladder went on to enjoy multi~platinum sales. Gray celebrated his newfound recognition by issuing a handful of albums in 2001, including a pair of compilations (Lost Songs 95~98 and The EP’s 92~94) and two reissued records (A Century Ends and Flesh). Although his popularity remained greater in Europe, he maintained moderate success in the States as well, and A New Day at Midnight followed up his successful international breakthrough in the fall of 2002. Gray worked with producer Marius de Vries (Björk, Rufus Wainwright) for 2005’s Life in Slow Motion; the reflective album debuted at the top of the charts in both Ireland and the U.K., giving Gray the highest chart rankings of his career. The singer then cobbled together his older material for 2007’s Shine: The Best of the Early Years. The career~spanning Greatest Hits followed that fall, featuring two new tracks as well as Gray’s most popular numbers. Once again, David Gray found himself without a record label as he prepared to work on his eighth studio album. After setting up shop in his own London studio, dubbed the Church Studios, Gray began shaping his first set of original material since 2005. Vocalists Annie Lennox and Jolie Holland joined him on several songs, and the resulting Draw the Line was released in 2009 by Gray’s new label, Polydor Records. “Fugitive” became a Top 40 hit in America, and the album itself charted well in multiple countries. Gray quickly returned with another album, Foundling, which drew its material from the Draw the Line sessions and hit stores less than 12 months after the previous album’s release. His next record, Mutineers, was recorded at Church Studios and produced by Andy Barlow of Lamb. The June 2014 album was preceded by the single “Gulls,” which displayed a change of direction for Gray, morphing from a minimalist, almost ambient, keyboard~led arrangement to a dark, noisy, powerfully haunting chorus. He returned in 2016 with his first greatest~hits collection, The Best of David Gray. The compilation featured highlights from some of his most acclaimed records as well as two new tracks, “Smoke Without Fire” and “Enter Lightly.” ~ Andrew Leahey & Kelly McCartney
Discography:
♠ A Century Ends (April 1993)
♠ Flesh (September 1994)
♠ Sell, Sell, Sell (August 1996)
♠ White Ladder (November 1998)
♠ Lost Songs 95~98 (February 2001)
♠ A New Day at Midnight (October 2002)
♠ Life in Slow Motion (September 2005)
♠ Draw the Line (September 2009)
♠ Foundling (August 2010)
♠ Mutineers (June 2014) “L’s Song” lyrics:
1.) I love your nervous fingers
Won’t you fumble all night long
But in the morning they are stingers
To rise and stumble on
Down the crooked pavement
The wind rolls my thoughts like a leaf
The brill bell chimes
And fortune smiles with its broken teeth
Refr.:
And the many rivers run
Grateful for the rain
I’d be grateful for one morsel
Of your loving again
2.) Summer, restless summer
Won’t let sleeping dogs lay
Your bobbed voice
You awaken as time goes by
Don’t know, don’t know
Don’t know, don’t know
Thunder’s muttered promise
Impatient girl on the scented wind
Your gray eyes starve in the rain
Nearly upon her
Refr:
And the many rivers run
Grateful for the rain
I’d be grateful for one morsel
Of your loving again
Website: http://www.davidgray.com/
Tumblr: http://davidgraymusic.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidGray
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheRealDavidGray
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/davidgray
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidgray
♠___________________________________________________________♠