James Blunt
Back to Bedlam
by Betsy Ellison
James Blunt has been likened to both Ryan Adams and Jeff Buckley, but his sound is far detached from either of those musical giants. In fact, Blunt sounds a lot more like John Mayer or Jack Johnson. According to Blunt’s bio, his Military-trained father thought music was unnecessary noise. And after listening to this album, his dad might not have been too far off.
Back to Bedlam is a nice, inoffensive album that is sure to be loved by many VH1 fanatics worldwide. The album has already reached #1 in his native England, and will probably do well in the States. His first single, "You’re Beautiful," is catchy enough, and has already been played on the background of various VH1 and MTV television shows. "No Bravery," the last song on the album, was written in Kosovo while Blunt was serving in the English Army. It’s a nice song about his first hand experience with war.
Lyrically, he needs some work. In the song "Cry," he sings: "Do you see the truth through all their lies? Do you see the world through troubled eyes? And if you want to talk about it anymore, Lie here on the floor and cry on my shoulder. I'm a friend." Pure cheese.
The problem with this album is that it’s nothing new. It’s the same type of music that Mayer, Johnson, and other easy listening staples have been putting out for years. It’s an unnecessary album that says nothing that hasn’t been said countless times before (and by better musicians). |
