Review Summary: Solid record with some lovely gems.
David Gray got famous for his electro pop/folk hybrid that is “White Ladder”, but do not expect to find anything like that on this, his debut album. In it’s stead we find Gray playing plaintive, earnest, workmanlike folk rock that is interspersed every so often with a true gem of a song. After the release of “White Ladder”, Gray may have lost his way with subsequent albums, but his first four records are solid, heartfelt and entertaining. A Century Ends sets the blueprint for what would follow in his next two albums.
He begins with one of the true gems of the album and his entire career, “Shine”. A truly remarkable song with a melancholic but hopeful melody sung over ringing acoustic open chords. The lyrics deal with a break up of a relationship, but it seems that it is a mutual agreement, as both parties must separate so that they can “go where we can shine”. These lyrics work very well with the music as they share the melancholic but hopeful aspect of the melody.
Unfortunately, after you have top loaded an album with the best song you are ever going to record; it can only go down from there. David Gray does his best to lessen the fall from these heights by playing with much gusto, belting out the songs with his impassioned, raspy voice. A couple of these songs do rise above competent to something a bit special indeed.
The title track for instance, is an excellent up tempo folk rock song with a strong vocal melody and evocative lyrics that pain vivid images such as “Streams of melting glass, sheets of butchered facts.” Another song “Debauchery” is a stand out due to its free wheeling nature and its subject matter of a man spending an afternoon of debauchery with a “drunken ferryboat woman”.
There is one other song on the record nearly on a level with “Shine”, but I feel I may be biased. The song is entitled “Lead Me Upstairs” and documents a damaged relationship in which a girl who cares little for her body and even less about her soul literally tries to *** the pain away. This song always struck a deep chord with me as it seemed to be written about a relationship I had with girl when I was in my late teens that had a very troubled past and as a result had little self-esteem and self worth. The song itself is very lowkey beginning with a slowly ascending bassline before vocals and a softly strummed guitar join in. This song is more melancholic than “Shine” and along with “Shine” is a definite highlight of the album.
The majority of this album is good, solid folk rock played with passion and in earnest. I feel some may find the songs a bit samey, and certainly some of the songs are a tad faceless, particularly towards the back end of the record. However, anyone who enjoys a bit of straight up folk rock should not be at all disappointed by this quality album.
