White Ladder - David Gray

Year released: 1998

Label: iht, ATO Records

Year Bought: 2000

Man alive, this album was everywhere wasn't it. Everyone and their mums had this record. Not at first though. At first, it didn't even chart. Initially released in 1998 it did well in Ireland, before being picked up by Dave Matthew's label and getting a new lease of life in 2000.

And my god, did it cling on to that second chance. It felt like it was in the chart forever and eventually dragged itself to number 1.

Gray has since said that he believes this album helped pave the way for other "soul-baring" male artists, but remember this record came out at a time when Coldplay, Travis, and Embrace were all knocking about, so it was hardly an outlier.

I've not listened to this album in years, but I remember when I got it feeling cheated that the version of Gray's best song 'Babylon' on the record isn't the one that was a chart hit. The radio version has some synths at the beginning and better drums and is just generally a more epic track. I feel like no one ever mentions this. IT'S NOT THE SAME RECORDING. It doesn't even have the bit where he really shouts at the end. Why does this bother me?! This happened again in 2005 when I got Stephen Fretwell's album and the version of 'Emily' on the record was different to that on the radio. And the same thing happened with 'Cannonball' by Damien Rice! What was going on?!!? Why were these singer-songwriters constantly trying to fool us?

Actually, listening to the album version again after the radio version, it's not that different. Whatever. I have my view. I will go down with this ship.

Anyway, 'White Ladder'. Yeah, whatever. It's fine. 'Please Forgive Me' is a decent opener. 'This Year's Love' is a good ballad which appealed to my teenage different-crush-every-week personality. I hadn't heard 'Say Hello Wave Goodbye' before so I liked this tune until I heard the Soft Cell original, which I now prefer.

The rest is just, well, I dunno. It's good. But it's not for me. If I'm in the mood for this kind of thing, I'd rather put on Damien Rice.

5/10

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