David Gray

David Gray is back doing what he does better than almost anyone, and fans of complex, serious, lyrical songcraft should rejoice. Dear Life may be the deepest, strangest, loveliest album this pioneering British singer-songwriter has ever delivered. Years in the making, it is an album of emotional crisis and resolution, mortality and faith, reality and illusion, love and heartbreak, magic, science, loss and acceptance. Dear Life is David Gray’s 13th album, featuring 13 new songs, with an additional 2 tracks included on the CD and LP formats. By his own admission, it is his “most lyrical record”, made in close collaboration with producer Ben de Vries. Dear Life contemplates “the beautiful thing that we all treasure,” with a suggestion of a formal address - as if the writer is composing a letter to life itself. Some songs tenderly grapple with relationship choices and consequences, some face mortality and loss, some boldly tackle the biggest questions of existence: the unknowable nature of love, our place in the universe, the prospect of apocalyptic change. There is a playfulness at work too, and a strong female presence throughout, with vocals from David’s musician daughter Florence Gray on several songs, and a punchy duet with rising star Talia Rae on first single, “Plus & Minus.” Gray is a multi-million selling arena artist who made one of the bestselling British albums of the 21st century, the blockbuster White Ladder, which pushed his intense and passionate blend of acoustics and electronica into the pop spotlight. Whilst huge stars from Adele to Hozier to Ed Sheeran have acknowledged Gray’s profound impact and influence, Gray himself has continued to plough his own furrow, relentlessly seeking out a purity of expression. Dear Life is a big statement, the work of a driven man obsessively focussed on a personal artistic journey. “I’m feeling very joyful about the act of making and sharing this music - and privileged to be doing so. I don’t know what people will make of it. But I have the same hopes and dreams whenever I release a record - that if you try and do something special, then maybe something magical will happen in return.” 早在1993年，当David Gray发表第一张专辑「A Century Ends」的同时，乐评界便对这位出生於曼彻斯特，来自威尔斯的年轻作词作曲歌手给予高度的评价与激赏，认为他的作词作曲技巧不仅能承继过去辉煌悠久的光荣传统，而且相对於每几年人人就赶搭流行潮流的取巧心态下，David Gray的历年作品却愈见一种不同於流俗风格的人文气质，善感易敏，却又直透你心底情感。而且略带低哑，但又时而伫立高唱的都市民谣诗人神态，让他的歌曲在钢琴、空心钢弦吉他等简约乐器衬托下，一股宛如从街头角落传来的歌声，便这样如潺潺水声般地，在你心头缓缓流过。 英国曼彻斯特的创作才子David Gray自93 年踏进唱片界，连出三张专辑却不见起色，98年卯起来盖录音室，开设IHT音乐品牌自我行销，这位被民谣歌手Joan Baez称赞为“自Bob Dylan以来，乐坛最佳词曲创作者”的年轻人终于以专辑《White Ladder》的沸腾口碑冲破音乐厂牌的商业机制，《White Ladder》蝉连英国金榜6周冠军，光在英国一地就卖出220万张，并在TOP40驻留超过100周以上，更跃升为爱尔兰有史以来最畅销的歌手专辑(不包括合辑)，2000年，透过Dave Matthews自组的ATO音乐厂牌引进美国市场，专辑轻松卖过200万张，2002年更入围葛莱美奖最佳新进艺人，David Gray真诚、简单、深刻的唱作风格树立了新时代的才子典范。 已经发行了9张专辑，最新的是在去年11月《GREATEST HITS》其中收录一首新歌《you're the world to me》,以及其他八张专辑重的经典歌曲。