Badly Drawn Boy: The Hour of Bewilderbeast

Today I was moved to post a quick recommendation of an album I've had in my collection for quite some time now. The Hour of Bewilderbeast is one of the most consistently great recorded sets released by an artist in probably the last ten years.

Damon Gough, a gruff-looking character who looks more like a hobo than the craftsman behind the gorgeous melodies on the disc, recorded the album in the mid-90s and continues to put out critically acclaimed work, such as the soundtrack to the film About a Boy.

But back to the album in question. Bewilderbeast is jam-packed with tuneful acoustic guitar-driven pop, but it's real strength is the diversity of the material included. Diversity, after all, is the key concern to making a brilliant record: think about Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper, or Odessy and Oracle. Personally, my favorite tracks are the stunningly beautiful "Magic in the Air," the pure pop bliss that is "Once Around the Block," and the mind-blowingly majestic opener, "The Shining."

I can't recommend this album more. Especially if you enjoy English music as much as I do. Badly Drawn Boy is coming out with a new album in the Winter of this year, entitled Born in the UK.

Peace,

S