I love this album. It's got great songs (and lots of them), great melodies, originality (always a plus), musicianship, occasional meandering musical musings (!), a classical touch, a popular touch, a rock n' roll touch, an acoustic touch even, but is it brilliant? The only real problem I can see with it, apart from the slow beginning to the first song (I wish I could program my CD player to get straight into the tune), is the song 'Pissing In The Wind', but then maybe that's just me. 'Pissing In The Wind' is out of tune and the Gough Drawn Boy is obviously straining to reach the high notes. Who decided to put this song on the album? Did laziness set in at the end of the sessions? Was there a momentary lapse in concentration, a distraction? Did the Producer not believe in the brilliance of the album? Did BDB have too much faith in the Producer? Was there a deadline to meet? This never would have happened if George Martin had been there, that's what I say.

But for all this songs like 'Camping Next To Water', 'Stone on The Water', 'Magic In The Air', 'Disillusion' and 'Say It Again' are superb and well produced (but for the beginning 'The Shining' can be added to this list too). And don't you just love the way someone can be so 'fascinated by the stars', as in 'Once Around The Block' (it's 'To The Stars' by The Reason Why all over again …. yes, a shameless plug). It's hard to believe that someone who sounded so far out in his first interview after winning the Mercury Music Prize can write songs like these, but then we all know that was just for show, don't we (I hope he went back afterwards to pick up the winning cheque which he had discarded on the stage?)? Maybe the lesson here is that the music shines through regardless. The spin and publicity will only achieve so much. Although this album may represent anything up to 10 years of material that's all you can do, innit, put your best songs on your debut album? It will be interesting to see what the Boy can come up with next. I for one would hope that an advance copy of any new album would be forwarded to me for review (address to Lobby The Lobster c/o The Virtually Acoustic Club). Even if BDB is not seen again in the music world he will have achieved much, for me an album of the year, maybe even of the decade. The Hour of Bewilderbeast, a must for any collection if you can spare the cash.

For information on Badly Drawn Boy go to  www.badlydrawnboy.co.uk

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Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast ©2001 Lobby The Lobster & Virtually Acoustic
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