Back to Bedlam

Price: $10.99

Artist: James Blunt

You re Beautiful
Wisemen
Goodbye My Lover
Tears and Rain
Out of My Mind - James Blunt, Blunt, J.
So Long, Jimmy - James Blunt, Blunt, J.
Billy
Cry
No Bravery

As a piece of propaganda, James Blunt’s album Back to Bedlam does more for changing the face of the British Army than a series of television adverts ever could. Swapping a rifle for a guitar, the former cavalryman’s ballad-heavy debut is a clearly aiming to win the battle for the public’s hearts and minds. The U.K. success of singles like You’re Beautiful and No Bravery (inspired by his time stationed in Bosnia) are both heartfelt and sensitive, the latter packing an additional emotional punch beyond the typical lovelorn ballads of his contemporaries like Damien Rice. But Blunt also sings with conviction about matters of the heart, and that’s the territory that most of Back to Bedlam visits, with songs of loss like Goodbye My Lover, So Long Jimmy and Billy. And throughout, the arrangements remain understated yet effective, thanks to the input of such heavyweight producers and songwriters like Linda Perry and Guy Chambers. All of which prove that there’s a lot of depth to this modern, musical hero. --Robert Burrow

No Warning - I was unaware that James Blunt s Back to Bedlam CD came in two versions-- clean and filled with foul language. When I ordered the used version, I saw no warning that there would be expletives in songs I had heard without profanity. This should have been put right in the description -- I am unhappy about the CD, and upset that such beautiful songs are ruined with inappropriate language.

Fine Lyrics and Delivery - One could argue that James Blunt is the sensitive, less funky incarnation of Maroon Five. In fact I think I will argue that. Back to Bedlam, to me, has a classic feel to it, and is one of the better pop debuts I ve heard. It s main strength is in its lyrics.Blunt sings with such experience in his voice, such emotional grace carrying through, that he could get away with trite lyrics if he wanted to. As it is, his lyrics are both rich and catchy (not a usual pairing) and the album a hit. The first 6 songs are instant classics with regard to style, Tears and Rain an all-round excellent musical experience, and You re Beautiful hard to deny. The final track No Bravery is the poignant impartation of Blunt s experience as a British soldier in the recent Middle East conflicts.The only downside to this CD is found in repetition. While many would say that Blunt makes the falsetto work, after owning the CD for almost a year, I find the upper register somewhat annoying. 4.5 stars

james blunt cd - This cd is profound in the stories that are told in the songs. A couple of the songs can be heard on the radio and the others are just as good. Most of them are sad but tell a great story.

this album deserves no stars - Some deluded person with bad hearing compared James Blunt to Tori Amos. Hardly. He was lucky with Beautiful . Listen closely- that sucks too! The ramblings of an emotionally desperate middle school student. I rue the day she made eye contact with James. This album is like hummingbird nectar- lotsa sugar but no substance. I hate that I was tricked into buying it. I hate that James Blunt took 80 minutes of my life that I will never recover. I was so hopeful when I bought it. Bottom line: Melodramatic lyrics coupled with uninspired music. Skip it.

LOVE James Blunt s Music - I wasn t sure if I would like all the songs on this CD, and after listening too it I have to say it was WELL worth the money!!! I like the clean version better as I didn t think the cursing really fit in the songs I heard with it in (and I am not the type that is against cursing).

Back to Bedlam