Mesa Legend - FEATURES 5


Volume 40, Issue 6. Today is .

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Volume 40, Issue 6
November 19, 2002

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A little 'Gray' today
By Dan Smith
Up to Date Editor

Photo by Anton Courbijn
David Gray at his best, keeping fans waiting.

If you are entertained by David Gray’s voice you will most likely be quite entertained by his new album, “A New Day at Midnight.” This new collection of 12 songs is filled with synthesized sounds, but mixed with piano and some acoustic guitar that take a very far back seat to his vocals. Gray’s voice is the staple to his musical career and can keep his songs interesting; this new album changes little about the situation.

There are some provocative sounds created in “Midnight,” but listening to the album straight through may have the unwanted side effect of blurring it all together.Traditionally Gray is very poetic in his music, and if his voice can keep your attention, his lyrical content is quite a bonus. He does not fall away from his lyrical strength in “Midnight,” which is a definite plus.

Gray casts a mood reminiscent of waking up slowly on a Sunday morning in each song. Consistency can work sometimes, the only downfall is that he does it over and over again. Eventually you cannot wait for Monday to come, but it never does.

This release is fantastic to fall to sleep to, and judging by the tone and even the name of the album, perhaps that is what Gray was aiming for.

The bottom line is that if you liked Gray before, or you are having trouble sleeping, you will like this album. If you didn’t dig Gray before this album, it’s probably not going to alter your opinion of him by any means. It is not recommended.