Back to Bedlam, James Blunt

EDITORIAL REVIEWS
'Back to Bedlam' is the debut album from British singer songwriter James Blunt. Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Tim Roth rock (Beck, Elliot Smith, Badly Drawn Boy), the album sees Blunt draw on various life experiences for inspiration, including his spell in the army serving as part of a NATO peacekeeping unit in Kosovo. The single 'High' is also included. Atlantic. 2005.

AMAZON.COM
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