How does it compare to the artist's other releases
Outstanding
Value for Money
Excellent
Advantages:
Beauty, Craftsmanship, Spontaneity, Bravery
Disadvantages:
Niente
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Most listeners will have been drawn into James Blunt's new album Back to Bedlam by the unquestionable appeal of the bittersweet chart success 'You're Beautiful'. Draw back from the hype, however, and you'll discover that Blunt is an artist who has found lots to say and the right time to say it. The familiar tortured soul of the Romantic ego finds fresh impetus in tracks like 'Goodbye my lover' where the abrasive edges of Blunt expressive vocals only add to the overall poignancy. What is truly original here is the way that Blunt stares heartbreak in the face with such uncompromising fashion, admitting bravely (especially for a male at the beginning of the 21st century) that he cannot stop loving the girl who will never love him. Separation is a prevalent theme of the album, and part of Blunt's appeal lies in the evasiveness of some of his lyrics. Enigmatic tracks like 'So long, Jimmy, so long', therefore, allow the listener much personal freedom of interpretation. Most admirably uncompromising is the final track 'No bravery' which deals effectively with the difficult, but all too current, topic of war. As an ex-soldier, Blunt cautiously moulds his experience of war to leave the listener with parting gesture that is neither politically charged nor over sentimentalised. Finally, it is, perhaps, the spontaneous simplicity of both music and lyrics that is the most appealing facet of Back to Bedlam. By avoiding sounding contrived (Blunt evades the sugary over-artifice of Damian Rice's recent ballads) this album has a genuinely winning sense of inventive understatment that should provide his fans with a winningly sincere, but level-headed, listening experience.
More details
How does it rate alongside the competition
Outstanding
Cover / Inlay Design and Content
Good
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
3 out of 3 offers for Back To Bedlam - James Blunt
sorted by Price
Back to Bedlam -
As a piece of propaganda, James Blunt's albumBack to Bedlamdoes more for changing the face
... more
of the British Army than a series of television adverts ever could. Swapping a rifle for a guitar, the former cavalryman's ballad-heavy debut is a clearly aiming...
Back to Bedlam -
As a piece of propaganda, James Blunt's albumBack to Bedlamdoes more for changing the face
... more
of the British Army than a series of television adverts ever could. Swapping a rifle for a guitar, the former cavalryman's ballad-heavy debut is a clearly aiming...
Back to Bedlam -
As a piece of propaganda, James Blunt's albumBack to Bedlamdoes more for changing the face
... more
of the British Army than a series of television adverts ever could. Swapping a rifle for a guitar, the former cavalryman's ballad-heavy debut is a clearly aiming...
helpful
helpful
helpful
helpful
