Good Lord, people, give the guy a chance. Maybe it's the romantic in me, but to me this album seems like a bittersweet reflection on a past romance, not a self-indulgent (Note: this is about the album, not the videos) whine-fest. The vocals are expressive and the falsetto is impressive--"the untimely death of a cat" sounds more like Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes than James Blunt. And while the guitar is simple and, yes, somewhat repetitive, I don't see that as a problem--Death Cab based some of their best songs on simple three- or four-chord progressions, and no one seems to be knocking them for it.
This album is far from perfect (it peters out in the second half, and Blunt takes the wrong route on some vocal arrangements), but it is an immensely satisfying listen, and it's popularity should be recognized as a step in the right direction for pop music, back to singer/songwriters who know what the hell they're talking about. |
