A whole slew of US concert dates were recently announced for Lisa Hannigan. If I hadn't just done a post on her a couple weeks back, I'd be doing one now. However, since I already have one on her, I'll turn my attention to the musician that she will be opening for on most of those dates - British singer David Gray.
Way back in the nineties, I was a big fan of David's folk / rock releases. I first discovered him when my store was sent a promo copy of his second album, Flesh. I immediately fell for the album, and had it on heavy rotation for quit some time.
Naturally, given that I'm fairly fanatic about the acts I like, I had to get a hold of his debut album, A Century Ends, too. This was one of the few occasions where, having fallen in love with one album, I bought a second album by the same artist without having heard anything off it, and found that it was even better.
So, of course, I've gathered all the b-sides, radio sessions, etc. that I could find over the years. Though, to be completely honest, I haven't often listened to his post-Lost Songs albums. I gave them each a shot, but they just haven't hooked me the way his early work did.
I did just take a listen to some of the songs on his latest album, Draw the Line, and so far I'm liking it. I don't know if it will grow on me the way his first albums did, but he can certainly still write a good hook.
Here's a bunch of stuff not found on his albums:
(files expired)
David Gray - "Tell Me More Lies" B-side of one of the "Babylon" singles.
David Gray - "Mighty Wrong Time" (live) Unreleased. I'm not sure of where or when this was recorded.
David Gray - "Monday Morning" From the soundtrack to the movie This Year's Love, the title track of which is also one of David's songs.
David Gray - "Like a Rolling Stone" (live Bob Dylan cover) Recorded at an industry show at The Wetlands in New York, December 18, 1993.
Jools Holland with David Gray - "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" From Jools' album, Friends 3. (buy)
David Gray - "Smile Like You Mean It" (live Killers cover - that's not to say it's a cover from Queen's album Live Killers, but rather that its a Killers' song having been recorded live) Recorded for a BBC Radio session.
Orbital featuring David Gray - "Illuminate" From Orbital's album, The Altogether. (buy) Phil Hartnoll of Orbital is David's brother-in-law, which probably has something to do with how he got this gig.
Pick up some of his albums:
A Century Ends, 1993 (buy)
Flesh, 1994 (buy)
Sell, Sell, Sell, 1996 (buy)
White Ladder, 1998 (buy)
The EPs 92-94, 2001 (buy) (rarities compilation)
Lost Songs 95-98, 2001 (buy) (rarities compilation)
A New Day at Midnight, 2002 (buy)
Life In Slow Motion, 2005 (buy)
A Thousand Miles Behind, 2007 (buy) (live covers - only available through his website)
Draw the Line, 2009 (buy) (buy deluxe)
Here's the US tour dates:
Oct. 22 Gramercy Theatre, NYC*
Oct. 23 The Wang Theatre, Boston MA
Oct. 24 Madison Square Garden, NYC
Oct. 26 Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Oct. 27 Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA
Oct. 29 Chicago Auditorium Theatre, Chicago IL
Oct. 30 Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 1 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
Nov. 2 Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Nov. 4 Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR
Nov. 5 The Paramount, Seattle, WA**
Nov. 8 Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Nov. 9 Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 10 Troubador, Los Angeles, CA*
*Lisa Hannigan headlining without David Gray
** David Gray without Lisa Hannigan
Way back in the nineties, I was a big fan of David's folk / rock releases. I first discovered him when my store was sent a promo copy of his second album, Flesh. I immediately fell for the album, and had it on heavy rotation for quit some time.
Naturally, given that I'm fairly fanatic about the acts I like, I had to get a hold of his debut album, A Century Ends, too. This was one of the few occasions where, having fallen in love with one album, I bought a second album by the same artist without having heard anything off it, and found that it was even better.
So, of course, I've gathered all the b-sides, radio sessions, etc. that I could find over the years. Though, to be completely honest, I haven't often listened to his post-Lost Songs albums. I gave them each a shot, but they just haven't hooked me the way his early work did.
I did just take a listen to some of the songs on his latest album, Draw the Line, and so far I'm liking it. I don't know if it will grow on me the way his first albums did, but he can certainly still write a good hook.
Here's a bunch of stuff not found on his albums:
(files expired)
David Gray - "Tell Me More Lies" B-side of one of the "Babylon" singles.
David Gray - "Mighty Wrong Time" (live) Unreleased. I'm not sure of where or when this was recorded.
David Gray - "Monday Morning" From the soundtrack to the movie This Year's Love, the title track of which is also one of David's songs.
David Gray - "Like a Rolling Stone" (live Bob Dylan cover) Recorded at an industry show at The Wetlands in New York, December 18, 1993.
Jools Holland with David Gray - "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" From Jools' album, Friends 3. (buy)
David Gray - "Smile Like You Mean It" (live Killers cover - that's not to say it's a cover from Queen's album Live Killers, but rather that its a Killers' song having been recorded live) Recorded for a BBC Radio session.
Orbital featuring David Gray - "Illuminate" From Orbital's album, The Altogether. (buy) Phil Hartnoll of Orbital is David's brother-in-law, which probably has something to do with how he got this gig.
Pick up some of his albums:
A Century Ends, 1993 (buy)
Flesh, 1994 (buy)
Sell, Sell, Sell, 1996 (buy)
White Ladder, 1998 (buy)
The EPs 92-94, 2001 (buy) (rarities compilation)
Lost Songs 95-98, 2001 (buy) (rarities compilation)
A New Day at Midnight, 2002 (buy)
Life In Slow Motion, 2005 (buy)
A Thousand Miles Behind, 2007 (buy) (live covers - only available through his website)
Draw the Line, 2009 (buy) (buy deluxe)
Here's the US tour dates:
Oct. 22 Gramercy Theatre, NYC*
Oct. 23 The Wang Theatre, Boston MA
Oct. 24 Madison Square Garden, NYC
Oct. 26 Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Oct. 27 Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA
Oct. 29 Chicago Auditorium Theatre, Chicago IL
Oct. 30 Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 1 Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
Nov. 2 Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Nov. 4 Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR
Nov. 5 The Paramount, Seattle, WA**
Nov. 8 Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA
Nov. 9 Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 10 Troubador, Los Angeles, CA*
*Lisa Hannigan headlining without David Gray
** David Gray without Lisa Hannigan
2 comments:
Billy: I feel exactly the same way about David Gray's music. Glad that the new one has a bit of the old spirit of his earlier work.
Thanks for the rarities!
You're welcome.
I'm liking the new one more each time I listen to it. I don't think it'll ever match those first few, though. Good memories associated with them.
Post a Comment