Badly Drawn Boy - It's What I'm Thinking Part 1: Photographing Snowflakes

  by Dixie Ernill

published: 13 / 10 / 2010

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Review

Back in 2006, following the breakdown of my marriage, I took a rented room in Whalley Range and over the next 12 months spent a fair bit of time in the neighbouring South Manchester suburb of Chorlton. I saw Damon Gough aka Badly Drawn Boy a couple of times wandering past the various bars I frequented. Fellow musicians John Bramwell (I Am Kloot) and Stephen Fretwell also live in Chorlton, but I never recall seeing them, but then again they don't sport a trademark woolly hat regardless of the weather. Around the same time Badly Drawn Boy's last proper album, 'Born in the UK', was released and together with the then current albums by the Veils, Liam Frost, New Rhodes and a promo only CD by the Experimental Pop Band it became a soundtrack to a very transitional time in my life. It is a flawed masterpiece of heartfelt stories of break-up, love and deliverance that somehow seemed to capture that snapshot of my life perfectly. With that to live up to, new LP 'It's What I'm Thinking', the first of a planned trilogy, was always going to be up against it. However, buoyed by the excellent 'Is There Nothing We Could Do?', the lead track from Badly Drawn Boy's recent soundtrack to the 'The Fattest Man In Britain' film, it seemed that Damon Gough had not lost his midas touch when it came to penning achingly sad songs and I was quietly optimistic. In truth I was disappointed on the first couple of listens, but (and I hate the phrase) it's a grower and the determined listener will be rewarded. First single, 'Too Many Miracles' is the most instant track with all the hallmarks of previous singles, but less obvious offerings like the rolling tale unravelled in the title track or the dream-like 'The Order of Things' are, given time, more fulfilling. 'You Lied', which is very reminiscent of the excellent Greg Murray song 'The Edge' and 'What Tomorrow Brings' are also worth repeated listens. Lyrically, the album holds no surprises, as yet again it deals with relationships, hopes and fears, but musically it is not as immediate as earlier work, with a cinematic, almost distant feel to it. I still find it hard to come to terms with the fact that a bloke who looks like he should be working the bins with Stan Ogden and Eddie Yates has the ability not only to sing beautifully, but write damn fine songs too. But then against no one was prepared for what came out of Susan Boyle's mouth. In these manufactured, airbrushed times music needs people like Damon Gough, especially when heartbreak and longing and loss remains are the currency of us ordinary folk.

Track Listing:-

1 In Safe Hands
2 The Order Of Things
3 Too Many Miracles
4 What Tomorrow Brings
5 I Saw You Walk Away
6 It's What I'm Thinking
7 You Lied
8 A Pure Accident
9 This Electric
10 This Beautiful Idea

Have a Listen:-