Tag Archives: David Gray

nce again, David Gray is inside my head. Not just because I can’t stop humming a tune, but because his lyrics always seem to express something I’m feeling. Right now, I’m feeling more confident than ever about fulfilling my dreams.

“Flesh” deceives with its simple acoustic first bars. Of course, David’s voice is the second instrument heard, and as always, the most important. Soon, though, an uncharacteristic electric guitar riff echoes behind his vocals, and a solid, but muffled, drum emphasizes the rhythym. Now a soaring organ, joined by a second electric guitar, gentle, trying not to overshadow the lyrics. Before long, more acoustic guitars sprout up, competing with the growing insistence of the electrics. Finally, though, it’s an electric guitar, echoing, sliding, hollow and ringing, that wins out. Backed by a tight hard drum snap, the guitar and David’s vocals fade into another dream.

There have been times in my life when I felt I couldn’t afford the luxury of dreams. When you finally come back to reality, and realize you can’t afford not to dream, it feels like the words to “Flesh.” Read for yourself, and think about things you know you could be doing.

ratifying to see Howard Shore’s magnificent “Lord of the Rings” score properly honored.

“Got no reason,

but that I must.

Maybe I feel

like I’ve been gathering dust . . .”

I wish I had discovered David Gray before “Babylon” but I’m glad I discovered him at all. “Gathering Dust” from his glorious 1993 debut album “Century Ends” has been running through my mind almost enlessly of late. (It shares said album with the emotional “Shine” and the philosophical “Birds Without Wings” which I believe was also David’s first single.)

Beginning with solo rhythym acoustic guitar, as many of Gray’s songs do, it gradually builds, adding keyboards, acoustic lead guitar, bass, and more. The electric piano subtly seconds David’s guitar from nearly the beginning. The second acoustic guitar counterpoints the rhythym beautifully, adding punctuation or emphasis where needed. Keyboards and rhythym guitar respond in kind, building to a full, rounded sound. By the time we get to the deliriously poetic

“See the sun spreading wings of gold

as the dawn unfurled,

Hear the song the moon sings

to the darkened world”

it has built to sizeable proportions, at which point, everyone drops out except the opening guitar and keyboards, fading to a soft, sad finish.

For more David Gray, try the official website, or their list of other links. I’ve spent quite a bit of time at ‘Drunken Gibberish‘ even though they spell their own name wrong. And of course, buy all David’s albums.