Badly Drawn Boy - The Hour of Bewilderbeast

One of BDB's best

This is one of BDB's best works. Many songs remind me of the Beatles.

Matt Zarnstorff March 20, 2008

Badly Drawn Boy... simply the best...

The way he uses all kind of instruments and his lyrics are amazing... few have the genius this guy has. March 15, 2006

I hated this at first, but it grows on you - this is unique and fun indie pop!

Anyone who's into indie pop probably has heard the name Badly Drawn Boy before (this album won best album of the year over Massive Attack's "Mezzanine" in the 1999 British music awards). I'll admit that at first I didn't really like this album as most of the songs weren't as instantly catchy as "Everybody's Stalking" and "Disillusion" (the two standouts and my favorite tracks on the album). If you give the rest some time, though, you'll find that not only are they unique and interesting, but they're all very good! Badly Drawn Boy, aka Damon Gough, has a pretty likable voice that suits the music very well, and although he's not perfect he does a fine job. Musically the album is pretty hard to describe - it's a mixture of indie rock, indie pop and other genres that I'm not sure how to describe. He uses some slightly unique instruments (the names of which I don't know) that give everything a strange and new sound. Basically, the whole album sounds fresh. The lyrics are also surprisingly good here and very memorable in some of the songs ("Disillusion" especially). I'm not entirely sure what all the songs are about yet, but I know that most people will like paying attention to his words. The only complaint I could possibly make about the album is that the production could use some work (the songs are a littly fuzzy and lo-fi, but perhaps that was his intention?). Despite any minor grievances I might have, "The Hour Of Bewilderbeast" remains a great album that all indie pop fans should own (non-genre fans will probably like it, too)! Absolutely recommended!

Highlights include:
"The Shining"
"Everybody's Stalking"
"Disillusion"
the rest are good, too January 1, 2006

Great Album

Well, Badly Drawn Boy does it again. What a nice album, with so entertaining melodies. This is the kind of music you want to listen while traveling through a beautiful landscape. This is music to relax and to sing along. Just when you hear the first notes of "The Shining" your body shivers. It's such a complete album. My fave tracks are: The Shining, Everybody's Stalking, Camping Next to Water, Stone on the Water and Magic in the Air. If you like BDB previous albums, don't hesitate in buying this one. Also you might like to check Andrew Bird. November 4, 2005

This is my favorite album ever--and that's saying something.

To me, it doesn't get any better than this collection of music. It's not even perfect, but that's part of what makes it perfect. My favorite songs in the world on this album, and I always keep coming back to it. The best of the best:

1. Once Around the Block (Track 9)--It's the best song I've ever heard, and it has been for about 5 years. Just put it on, turn it up, and let it surround you. Then take a left, a sharp left, and another left, and listen again.

2. Camping Next to Water (Track 5)--This one's melancholy and full of soul. Great to listen to on a grey day.

3. The Shining (Track 1)--Okay, listen to this one on a sunny day!--(or any day actually). Badly Drawn Boy just does whatever he wants with my emotions, and with this one, he makes me very happy.

4. Cause a Rockslide (Track 13)--The steady bass drum makes this one glide, and don't miss the "in-between" track at the very end.

5. Magic in the Air (Track 12)--Oh so sweet...without getting sappy somehow. It's like a an old-fashioned romance movie as opposed to a romantic-comedy.

6. Pissing in the Wind (Track 14)--This one has some twang to it, which I love. Also some great vocals, and I'll take anything with some harmonica!

7. Stone on the Water (Track 6)--Very smooth. Creates this delightfully eerie mood.

And the rest of the songs are equally fulfilling if not as masterful as these seven.

In another of his songs (from the "Live at Glastonbury" bootleg CD), "Sha La La", Badly Drawn Boy says, "Slick, sugar-sweet candy beats and some words that rhyme." And that's what he's done on this album. Sounds so easy anyone could do it. But he does it best. February 16, 2005

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