White Ladder by David Gray is one of my favourite albums of all time.

DAVID GRAY – WHITE LADDER
RELEASE DATE – 24TH APRIL 2000
LABEL - EASTWEST

The first time the album was released, it was released in Ireland in November 1998. It did so well it was later released in the UK, and did amazingly well. There are actually 4 different versions of White Ladder, although there isn’t a lot of difference between them, some are much harder to come across. I think the album that I have is the one released in 1998. I paid £6.99 for the album in the sale in HMV, but I will point out it’s the second CD of the same album that I have bought, as my first one broke from being over played! This is the forth album from David Gray, although it’s his most famous. He is supposed to have recorded White Ladder in a London flat.

The front of the album has a blue background, with the album name, and the artists name written quite small in the middle. The CD box also contains a thin pull out booklet, with the song lyrics and some information about the writer of each song.

The album consists of 10 songs in total, David Gray has released quite a few songs off the album as singles, and they have all done well.

1. Please Forgive Me 5:35
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This is a great way to start off the album. It starts off quite catchy, and happy, although the song actually ends up sounding quite sad. I think the song may be about cheating, and the regrets and then asking for forgiveness. It appears to be a song about guilt. The song is quite long, and at one point you think the song is coming to a close, and it doesn’t, it builds back up, and lasts a bit longer. This was the first song released from the album.

“Please forgive me
If I act a little strange
For I know not what I do.
Feels like lightning running through my veins”

I think this is a great track, definately worth a 9/10.

2. Babylon 4:25
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This is the second song that was released as a single from the album. I’m sure everyone remembers this song. You will have heard it on the radio. It was forever being played. It was released in June 2000, and was a great hit. Although it was a popular song, it isn’t particularly one of my favourites. This track is again quite catchy, and David Gray’s voice really shines. I love the lyrics in this song. 8/10.

“Friday night I'm going nowhere
All the lights are changing green to red
Turning over TV stations
Situations running through my head”

3. My oh My 4:37
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I love this song, it’s one of my favourites from the album. The lyrics are really deep and melancholy. It’s quite a sad sounding song. David Gray’s makes it sound amazing. It is a calm and withdrawn song. 9/10

“My oh my you know it just don't stop
It's in my mind I wanna tear it up
I've tried to fight it tried to turn it off
But it's not enough
It takes a lotta love
It takes a lotta love my friend”

4. We’re not right 3:03
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This is quite a short track. I think it’s about the temptation of alcohol, and not being able to say no. I quite like the song, and it’s quite deep and meaningful. 8/10

“I see this world but I can't relate
Hey that everything must accelerate
Betty Ford oh won't you be my valentine
Can't tell the bottle from the mountain top
No, we're not right”

5. Nightblindness 4:23
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This song has quite an unusual title. It’s about worrying about the future, and not knowing what’s to come. I like the song. It’s quite slow, and simple, and doesn’t have much to it. It isn’t a favourite, but anything David Gray sings is great for me! 7/10

“What we gonna do
When the money runs out
I wish that there was something left to say
Where we going to find the eyes to see
The bright of day”

6. Silver Lining 5:59
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Again, this is a long track, and another of my favourites. It’s a slow track, but then again, so are most of the tracks on this album! It’s very calm and collected, and the lyrics go great with the melody of the song. I love the last two lines of the extract from the sing below. 9/10 from me!

“We were born with our eyes wide open
So alive with wild hope now
Can you tell me why
Time after time they drag you down
Down in the darkest deep”

7. White Ladder 4:14
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This is the album title track. My favourite part of this song, is part that’s written below. It’s a good song, and has quite an unusual name. Te lyrics are well written and the voice of David Gray makes them even better. 8/10.

“To the night another body
To the night another name
To the night another valentine
A burning flame
To the night another body
To the night another name
To the night another valentine
A burning flame”

8. This Years Love 4:05
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This songs title is used as the name of a film that it appears in. It’s in ‘This Year’s Love’, which stars Kathy Burke. The film was released in 1999. It’s a film set in Camden, I quite actually enjoyed it. It’s worth a watch, and David Gray even makes a small appearance. This song is good, and I love listening to. It’s about a new relationship, and how much it needs to work. It’s about new chances and not being used. It has to be real! 10/10.

“This years love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
And I've been waiting on my own too long
But when you hold me like you do
It feels so right
I start to forget”

9. Sail Away 5:15
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This is the one that constantly gets put on repeat for me! I love it. The lyrics and simple and easy to understand. David Gray’s voice is at pure perfection in this track. The song is about commitment, making sure you’re together properly. I love the song. I wish I’d written this song! I love just sitting listening to this song. It’s perfect in everyway (for me anyway). 11/10!!

“Sail away with me honey
I put my heart in your hands
Sail away with me honey now, now, now
Sail away with me
What will be will be
I wanna hold you now”

10. Say Hello Wave Goodbye 8:58
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A very long song! It’s good though, and doesn’t drag. The lyrics are unusual and quite catchy. I love the sound of this song, and find it great to listen to. It’s a great song to end the album.

“Standing at the door of the Pink Flamingo crying in the rain
Here was a kind of so-so love
And I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again
You and I had to be, the standing joke of the year
You were the owner of the lost and found
And not for me, I feel”

I honestly love this album. I never get tired of listening to the songs, I never skip any of the tracks as I enjoy listening to them all!! This album won’t be for you if you’re into fast or dancey tracks, it’s slow and great to chill out too. Nearly everyone that I know owns this album.

I would describe David Gray as indie/folk, and a lot of his albums can go either way. It’s acoustic folk – found a perfect description for a perfect blokes. It helps, that I wouldn’t kick him out of bed!!

Thanks for Reading

Cat