David Gray - A New Day At Midnight

Best Melodic Rock Album

The following was originally published in our Killer CD section. 
 

With “A New Day At Midnight,” David Gray has finally hit upon all of the right elements to make him one of the top singer/songwriters of this generation. He seems more confident with his songwriting and performance on this album than he did on his previous work, where he seemed like he was feeling things out a bit trying to find his niche. The great news is he has indeed found it and this album is by far his best work to date. 

The music is lushly produced and David’s vocals are delivered with a soulful confidence that connects instantly with the listener. This is one of those albums that seems to get better and better every time you listen to it. 

With his early work critics were quick to point out the similarities between David and Van Morrison. While this album still has some of those Van Morrison like qualities, especially the song “Caroline,” David also touches upon such greats as Jim Croce and even Harry Chapin. 

David Gray has been consistently putting out great music for years, often being overlooked by the mainstream. His last album “White Ladder” change all of that and he became a worldwide sensation, selling millions of albums. So the pressure was really on to produce an incredible follow up, and Gray has gone far beyond any expectations with “A New Day At Midnight”. 

Gray has that unique ability to project raw emotion with his voice. Many try this and come off contrived but David’s soulful vocals always seem to hit their mark. He also has the magic pen for writing catchy and memorable melodies. Songs like “Long Distance Call,” “Dead in the Water,” and the haunting “The Other Side,” really place David heads and shoulders above other singers and songwriters of this generation. 

Others musicians like Ron Sexsmith and Chris Robinson have tried with recent releases to create music that is commercially appealing, well written but also honest. Where they fail, David Gray shines. “A New Day At Midnight,” is a collection of beautiful songs that give us a glimpse into David’s genius as well as his soul. Which is exactly what music is supposed to do.

I realize that most of our readers are into “rockier” music but if you are looking for some stellar songwriting and incredible vocals, you can’t go wrong with this album. For those who appreciate soulful singer/songwriter music, this album is an absolute must! 
 

David Gray - A New Day At Midnight
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Tracks: Dead In The Water  Caroline  Long Distance Call  Freedom  Kangaroo  Last Boat To America  Real Love  Knowhere  December  Be Mine  Easy Way To Cry  The Other Side

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