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Let me preface this review by
saying that the last David Gray album I reviewed, Sell Sell
Sell did not make that years top 10. In fact, it probably
would've made my bottom ten. I slaughtered it. My wife and
editor are fans of Gray's music, so there must be something
to it. Expecting to hate White Ladder as well, I was reluctant
to be the one to review it. But, here I am, sitting in the
solitude of my review fortress listening to White Ladder and
not hating it.
David Gray's voice sounds a lot
like Bob Dylan's, so my knee jerk reaction is to compare the
two. But, that's not entirely fair, because Gray seems a little
more willing to experiment than Dylan. While the folk guitar
influence is heavy on songs like "Babylon" and "Nightblindness",
it's not an independent force in these songs. Gray throws
in the traditional rock components (bass, drums, electric
guitars) and blends them with drum loops, deep bass drum gates
and other elements more often
associated with techno music.
Gray avoids using these exterior sounds as the basis for White
Ladder. Above all, White Ladder sounds like a guy playing
his acoustic guitar. This meant in the best possible sense,
because his lyricism and melodies take center stage rather
than being upstaged by the album's special effects.
"This Years Love" is a somber
piece featuring David backed by a piano. The mild and slow
inclusion of strings only enhances this heavy emotional piece.
Literally, I blocked out the lyrics and just meditated on
the music. It was too dramatic to be ignored and that is the
proof that Gray is a excellent song writer. This should've
been the lead track as it sets the mood for what this album
is about. It all seems like a folk/AAA hybrid up until "This
Years Love" and all after that are just emoting with sadness
and despair. You just float right into "Sail Away" and by
the time you get tp "Say Hello Wave Goodbye"
you're hooked.
While this album is sure to be
a mainstay on adult alternative stations, anyone who can appreciate
good songwriting will get something out of this album. It
may have been my introduction to Billy Bragg's music or my
renewed love of Bob Dylan's back catalog, but something has
changed... either David Gray or me. This is a damn fine album.
-Tyler Jacobson
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David
Gray 