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Author
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Topic: Review - David Gray's White Ladder
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Dave Thomer
Guardian of Peace and Justice in the Galaxy
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posted 02-14-2001 01:00 PM
   
David Gray does more with less than any artist I'm familiar with. White Ladder is full of drum machine loops, repeated piano/keyboard sequences, and very spare use of acoustic guitar. Some of the songs run five, six, even seven minutes long. By all rights, I should have been bored by this album a dozen listens ago. But I'm not, because those snippets and elements are arranged extremely well to let the songs build a mood, and the elements themselves are so evocative that you want to keep listening to them. The opening track, "Please Forgive Me," is probably the best example. There's an energy to this song that gets me tapping my foot, moving my head, and typing in rhythm to the drum machine beats. There are also two versions of "Babylon," the track that's getting some decent airplay on MTV2 -- I think I like the second version better, it's a little more energetic and upbeat. There's also an effect on the title track that you'll either find endearing or annoying -- the track sounds like it's being played on a slightly staticky turntable. It works for the song, I think. The album's not perfect -- on some of the slower songs, I admit to wishing that Gray would just hurry up and finish the song. And in all the times I've listened to it, the lyrics have almost completely flown over my head. I tried to read the liner notes, but Gray appears to be following the Dave Matthews run-all-the-words-together motif, with extremely small type. What I have paid attention to is well and good, but nothing really great. Still, there's a lot of music on this disc -- about 55 minutes' worth -- and it's very likely there'll be something that taps into some primitive rhythm sensors in your nervous system. |
Pattie Gillett
True Believer
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posted 02-25-2001 12:57 PM
I love Babylon but, having listened to the rest of the CD (repeatedly, thank you, honey) I would like to warn Mr. Gray not to venture near me when ?I have blunt objects in my hands. His voice can be grating to me and most of the other songs on the disc only emphasize that grating. We're talking physical pain here. |
Dave Thomer
Guardian of Peace and Justice in the Galaxy
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posted 03-18-2001 10:10 PM
Like I said -- I can certainly understand that reaction. This is definitely a disc to check out before you buy, either by listening to samples or finding a listening station at your record store or whatever. It's the kind of thing that can either be very enjoyable or make you want to put a hand through a window. Not necessarily your hand, 'cause that would hurt, but a hand nonetheless. | |
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