Back To Bedlam - James Blunt

Advantages: a haunting, beautiful classic
Disadvantages: suited to certian moods only

...doors for this current trend back to the mighty Paul Simon, the seminal Jeff Buckley and beyond, I sure if you had the time and inclination it would be possible to spring board from artist to artist back through time to the medieval troubadours of medieval France and the wandering bards of the Dark Ages and still be on a common thread. But back to the present. Blunt is one of a plethora of one-man shows that are currently in vogue. David Gray, as ...
...contrast is a smoother laid back affair, bass and keyboards build a wash of sound for the words to dance over and listening to this as I write, it has just struck me that Blunts voice reminds me of a younger Rod Stewart, and that's no bad thing. Since Scotland's prodigal child sold out and became a housewives choice making second-rate crooner albums, there is a gap in the market, and Blunt cold just fill a part of that. Haunting sounds lead into ... Read review

Advantages: The vocals of James Blunt are always excellent, instrumentally the album has much to offer.
Disadvantages: Some may be put off by the mans high vocal style.

'Back to Bedlam' is the first album from singer-songwriter James Blunt, a 2004 release consisting of ten terrific tracks. This is folk rock at its finest I feel, the former British Army Captain certainly put to record an excellent album here and constructed a fine thirty nine minutes of music. 'Back to Bedlam' was voted 'worst album of the year' by the New Musical Express magazine, what do they know though; over 2.3 million copies of the album were ...
...right from the offset the album is here hugely impressive. 'High' is without doubt one of my favourite tracks from this album, all ten of them are strong but this is one that most certainly captured my imagination right from the very first time that I heard it. The chorus to the track is absolutely excellent, always the voice of James Blunt is well put across here and never does the music disappoint. The guitar sounds constructed in the music are ... Read review

Advantages: A fine album with great lyrical content.
Disadvantages: All ballads.

...out to run off the back of this one. Careful lyrical content and a love of his craft makes this an album of excellence and not one track let the album down as a whole. I think James Blunt takes a lot of stick. I'm not too sure why. Perhaps it is seen as 'not cool' to admit to liking him. Whatever, I definitely recommend this album if you like honesty and truth from your lyrics. The musical arrangements are quite understated, allowing the lyrical ... Read review

Advantages: heartfelt lyrics and great music to listen to
Disadvantages: would have liked to have seen a happier song to end the album

...late to turn the clock back no matter what. The lyrics are trying to say in this song as far as I know, that think before you do anything otherwise you could end up paying a big price for not thinking, then having nothing left at the end of it all. This has a great tune and is another one of James' great songs upon this album. Once he was a lover sleeping with another. Now he's just known as a cheat. And he wish he'd had a mirror; looked a little ...
...Sorrow becomes his soul mate. The damage is done. The prodigal son is too late. Old doors are closed but he's always open, To relive time in his mind. Oh Billy. Cry This is such a sad song to be able to see the lyrics in front of your eyes, and you don't really understand the whole entire song until you write some of the lyrics down. This is all about being a friend to someone when they need you there, to celebrate with them, to comfort them ... Read review

Advantages: Wonderful Musical experience
Disadvantages: I wanted more.

..."So Long Jimmy" taking me back to my British roots, right through a spectrum of emotion and making me yearn for the next album. The album is complete in its own right though the emotions that it evoked within me make me convinced that I shall be buying this guys next album. Every track has its own merits and sincerity and the future of James Blunt if he keeps his albums in this framework of truth, free expression, and originality is pretty much ...
...with him from love to rejection, from friendship to the hopelessness of war and feel they have found a friend that understands, just as I did. The album is available from Amazon.com and my copy is the imported one, prices ranging from as little as ten pounds which to me spells amazing value. Am I hooked ? 100 per cent. ... Read review