James Blunt
You're a fat ugly cow, You're a fat ugly cow (I read between the lines)
Albums
5.5/10
Producer: Tom Rothrock, James Blunt, Jimmy Hogarth, Linda Perry
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High
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You’re beautiful
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Wiseman
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Goodbye my lover
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Tears and rain
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Out of my mind
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So long Jimmy
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Billy
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Cry
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No bravery
Remember James Blunt? He angered everyone back in 2004 with the exception of menopausal housewives when he released the chart topping single You’re Beautiful. Let’s be honest here, James Blunt has received a hell of a lot of stick in the media press. It wouldn’t be a falsehood to say that the majority of critics had already predetermined what their thoughts towards him would be. Ok, he isn’t a musical genius, so what? Who said that he was? Oh right, the sticker on the front of the CD case did…
You’re beautiful is an ultra sweet, ultra slickly produced song and it’s reasonably good. Sure, it’s been the victim of overexposure due to exhaustive radio play back in 2004, but that’s the radio stations’ fault, not Blunt’s. The one thing I don’t like about the song is the verse, “Yeah, she caught my eye as we walked on by, she could see from my face I was f*cking high” I hate unnecessary swearing and it really seems quite abrupt and unnatural when that line arises. Thankfully the words were changed for the better on the single release.
I remember finding Goodbye My Lover rather touching a few years back. It is safe to say that it has managed to retain a great deal of class, even if it’s a little too sugary to be called a classic, but it is definitely one of the stronger songs from the album. Cry is nice too, very nice actually, possibly the best song here. Of all things it reminds me of Michael Jackson’s Earth Song. This is primarily due to the world-damning attitude that the lyrics take - WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO THE WORLD!
In this new millennium, singer/songwriters usually come a cropper at least several times throughout an LP’s running time and James Blunt is no different. It usually happens when said artist isn’t happy with writing their middle of the road acoustic jams and they then attempt to write something more credible. They inevitably miss their targets and simply because they aren’t capable enough. Back to Bedlam is no different and the arty farty Wiseman is pretty much downright awful and Out Of My Mind fares only slightly better. It’s all a little The Bends era Radiohead gone wrong.
Overall, there is nothing to really dislike here, but there is very little to fall in love with. You’re getting 10 songs that you can whop on the kitchen CD player while you wash up or something. Alternatively, it would make a perfect gift for your Wife, or, if you are feeling daring, it would make the perfect gift for somebody else’s Wife. It’s far more fun that way.
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James Blunt
