Reviews (page 2 of 8)
This might be the perfect album for sitting on a bus on your way to work in autumn with a sprained ankle and a dream. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Babylon/Please Forgive Me
The hooks draw you in, the lyrics keep you
Genius. Beautiful. One of the best albums of the 90s.
Stunning
Ah love to see this come up and such fond memories. Holds a special place. Always loved that it was self recorded and what a collection of stats in the wiki info 😮 (many of the reviews, on the other hand… 😂) Singing along from the first word. I love this album (and may be the minority on this list!) “It’s take a lot of love my friend, to keep you heart from freezing, to keep you spirit free” Just feel every song is absolutely solid but with a good amount of variety. Great album.
10/10, pure nostalgia, such incredible songs such as Babylon, please forgive me, sail away, say hello wave goodbye etc etc. Late 90s at the peak of British culture, such an influential album in my teenage years. Also very well produced and a must on an audiophile's playlist.
Sweet and beautiful
4.9 - Dude common, this is just lovely
David Gray is one of the greatest musical David’s.
5/5 for me. Nostalgia
Literally middle of the road for me as it reminds me of being in the car with family, very nostalgic good memories and I love that weird little head wobble he does!
I absolutely love this album. It was exactly what I was looking for in 1998, and it was just as great to listen to it again.
I really liked this album, right from the first song. It immediately made me sentimental for England and I remember listening to that track on the tube and just thinking how perfect it was. The album as a whole was a great journey. So, so talented and expressive and communicative.
Good mix of genres in music. revolutionary
Very peaceful and beautiful.
Great album
Really interesting mix of electronic, pop, and folk music, but it's singer-songwriter all the way through. Very unique sound and lots of catchy choruses. Great variety of sound too. I honestly have no complaints.
This album rocks.
Another desert island album for me, a foundation album for my wife and I before we got married. Beautiful songs
Didn't know that I already knew him but the first song immediately reminded me that I know him from scrubs :D Great Album. Was listening while driving on the highway and it was a very relaxing ride!
a unique sounding album that blends electronic with acoustic. this music is the kind of stuff ed sheeran wishes he could write, apologies to sheeran. production value is super clean. i absolutely love the meaningful, and yet minimalist energy that consistently plays throughout. at first i didn't get into it too much, but as the album continued eventually i was immersed with the sound. it's emotional in all the right ways.
Excellent. I know it well.
This record gets rating whiplash award. For context, my scale is: 1. Was not able to force myself to listen all the way through. 2. Listened through, but did not enjoy 3. Enjoyed, but feel no need to revisit 4. Listened again for pleasure. (Sometimes I also listen again if I'm not sure how to rate or just had it on as background music). 5. Downloaded for future listening. Doesn't mean it's a masterpiece, because that's hard to know on first impression; there's a lot of variation within this category. In the morning, I listened to this for the first time. Thought it would be a 2. Just nothing that caught my attention, and not even great as background music. In the afternoon, exhausted, I gave it a second try. Instantly: wow that's the vibe. Highly recommend listening at the end of a long day, and only then.
One of the craziest last grasps in history. David Gray had one more album to make it big and holy hell did this deliver. I think I read 2/3rd of British households owned this album, it was that big at the time. And not for no reason either, this album is all bangers, it's genuinely insane how good every song is
absolute classic
This was pleasant! I enjoyed the instrumentals and the vocal work was great! 'Sail Away' was my fave.
Great music for making a jigsaw puzzle
Love me some David Gray. White Ladder was listened to on repeat in high school.
Surprisingly good..
Class
A defining sound that nobody else can match. He captures melancholy with basic rhythms that stick in your head for days. This album is more than just the singles.
I find this album to really creative and effective. I like almost all the tracks quite a bit and I think it's aged well. The songs are accessible with some unique and creative decisions that give the album an intimate sound. As a package I think that this is very good. Between a 4 and 5 for me since I think it does it's job very well.
I discovered this album in 2003 when I got into Elbow's Cast of Thousands. About this same time I was overly exposed to Damien Rice's 'O' around that same time which I quickly grew tired of, but White Ladder and Cast of Thousands were on repeat for a few weeks... That was 20+ years ago. Listening to White Ladder again today was really nice. I can picture myself in my apartment in Santa Monica, drinking coffee in the morning with a warm ocean breeze and very little adulting, no worries, and very little cares. Ahhhh... Based on the reviews, it seems my love for this album is something I should keep secret. Guilty pleasure... perhaps. But such an easy, effortless and calming album to listen to...
When this album was released, it was exactly what my soul needed. I discovered it along with a very close group of friends that were connecting on many levels. It opened my mind, it opened my heart. The lyrics send a simple, but universal message that we are not alone in this world and that love is a powerful force in the universe. The music is catchy and singable - I was pleased on this listening that it didn't sound dated to my ear. I won't call it a guilty pleasure, because I don't feel any guilt in loving this music and the part it played in my awakening as an adult.
Remember not liking David Gray and actively avoided this album but this was exceptional.
I like this album. I think David Gray has a very soulful voice. five stars and it's going into my Tidal library.
I immediately fell in love with Please Forgive Me. Then it gets even better with Babylon. The lyrics are complex and interesting but not too convoluted. His voice has interesting texture to it, makes his longing seem so real. I had never heard him before, I am completely dig it.
Just reminds me of being a kid in the late 90s
Favourite tracks: sail away; please forgive me; Babylon; this year's love; say hello wave goodbye
David Gray was a bridge between Bob Dylan and, like, Coldplay. His voice, phrasing, and lyrics are very Dylan-esque. He could have just made acoustic albums with guitar/piano, but he added the whole whimsical, orchestral thing. I also never realized how many songs from this album made it to the radio. Not sure where he is now, but he certainly made his mark. Great album from a unique talent.
Excellent album
This album is really lovely as music to have on while working. It has a very cosy vibe, makes me feel nostalgic for some reason. Something about it makes me want to play it on repeat, and it's really grown on me with more and more listening time
New to me. Mellow & I bet you didn’t know it’s ENGLISH!
I have a soft spot for this album, it features some of my favourite songs. I occasionally go back and relisten every couple years, I don't feel there's a weak song on here. I think David Gray's a great songwriter and has a soulful voice. The production on this album is certainly A Choice - my partner described it as sounding like a bad MP3. But I reckon it works here. Sorry to the music snobs that it's not some pretentious classic rock featuring five guys with guitars manifested in the smell of your own farts.
reminds me of my family <3
Beautiful acoustic guitar with hitting baselines. 5/5
I can't recall ever hearing of David Gray, but wow, I really like his music.
I will admit I have very basic music tastes. Part of my goal with this challenge is to broaden those tastes. But this album is just so much of what I like. Music that showcases singing, relaxed vibes. I had no idea this artist sang This Year’s Love (a song I love!).
Excellent!
Wait I like this a lot? I wasn't sure for the first couple of songs but I fell in love with Gray's voice and the songs were relaxing to listen to.
I'd never heard of David Gray before now somehow, though apparently had listened to a few of his tracks. This album is stunning, and I've really enjoyed it. David's voice carries a wonderful emotion mixing love and melancholy, and this resonates in a big way purely from the vibes. I think this experiment has taught me that, for my taste, vibes are everything, and this hits that mark. I clearly missed the boat when this was popular and so don't have the negative feelings (likely resulting from this being overplayed) that some other reviewers do, but can understand why this might not be for everyone. I think this album likely popularized a style of music that wasn't quite as popular before, resulting in...whatever happened in the 2000s. Influential for sure, and well deserving of the list.
Fourth studio album. A piano forward Dylan. It's a really satisfying album to listen to. Glad this was in here.
Soulful and passionate. A strange and unexpected surprise of songs that are easy to enjoy and have enough of a hook to have their own identity. Killer album... i could listen to it over and over.
There’s a reason this is one of the best selling albums in the UK of all time.
Relatable lyrics, creative melodies, complementary arrangements - good listening.
.
Nice album. Very smooth melodies and voice.
Partly electronic and partly acoustic. Drum machines, acoustic guitars, piano ++. Very nice sound and very soft and humble voice. Super calming and chill to listen to. The intro track is great and really kicks of the album. Not a single bad song on the album - I’m sold! Includes famous single Sail Away.
Truly excellent! Very chill and unique
I have a lot more nostalgia for this era of soft kind of nothing-rock from singer songwriters of the late 90s and early 2000s than I thought. 5/5 for the soft cell cover alone tho holy shit what a TUNE
added to library
I liked this one better then the first one.
Yuuuppppppp. Fucking love this album. The goattttt. You know what that was even better than I remembered. Nightblindess and white ladder I wasn’t so familiar with before they fuckkkk. Mega hard. Outro track too. Weakest song is probably we’re not right but that is still a tune. I was gonna say mega strong 4 but I think this deserves a 5. Banger.
Wow. I was not expecting this.
Genres: Folktronica Formed: 1993 Run time: 10 songs, 50 min, 38 sec On Spotify the least played track of the album has 4.5M plays, while the most played is “This Years Love” with 171M plays. I’ve listened to this album hundreds of times. He has a great voice, and his song writing is fantastic. It is interesting when a singer-song-writer choices a track to cover, they tend to pick something quite amazing. That is certainly the case with “Say Hello Wave Goodbye”, the Soft Cell song. He certainly does it justice. Most of the songs on this album, I absolutely love and the rest I like. I don’t know if this is a revolutionary album, but it is fantastic. If you’re looking for food for the soul. I would highly recommend it. This is the first album in the list of 1001 albums, that I have given five stars to! My Rating: *****
Nostalgia.
An absolute classic. Desert Island Disc worthy album.
Usually wouldn’t go for more folksy rock, but this one is lovely. Makes me feel like I’m walking down a dimly lit street in Dublin in 1999. Favorite is Babylon followed closely by Nightblindness.
Great album... had the CD when it came out but was excited to listen again when it came up on here.
Fantastic
I thoroughly enjoyed this album. My favourite track is the title track.
Babylon alone
top! ga ik nog luisteren die goede 2000 rock vibe
Nostalgic
A lovely, nostalgic siger-songwirter, with a grandiosity of sound
I was curious when this was recommended to me: an album I've never heard of, that apparently sold a boatload of copies in the U.K. and became part of the zeitgeist. And, guess what? I can understand why. This album is fantastic, every song on here sounds as though it would have been a single. I was actually a bit sad that this album ended with the last track, as I would have wanted it to continue. It seems crazy to me that it took only a few years for it to completely take off but it was worth it. This is worthy of a repeat listen somewhere down the line.
Brilliant.
Really great album.
Кажется, великовость этого альбома заключается в лирике, но мне так не пойдёт. Ритм гитарной песни аккурат не совпадает с ритмом дню, поэтому я не буду его слушать полностью)
Classic. As an Irish person it is impossible to vote this down. Slows a bit in the middle. According to the stats go...1 in 4 houses had a copy of the album. Although I think I had 2 😂
This was a great album, in terms of study/background music. A few great tracks but some were a bit more forgettable. Having read about his car collection and his Top Gear time, I’m going to give this guy another shot!
Quietly composed and wrapped in tiny moments throughout. There are times in this album when I really just wanted to go back to the previous track but the next one was just as good. Stellar!
I fucking love this album. Loved it back in the day, and it's still a pleasure to listen to.
Good album. Babylon is a timeless classic - many in this album have similar vibes, and are relaxing to listen to
Such a pleasure to listen to. Loved This Year's Love and Please Forgive Me in particular. Not a bad song on White Ladder. A great folktronica album.
Great album, one I own and had not listened to in far too long.
Not my usual, but solidly good. I would listen again, give me more!
So much nostalgia it hurts.
Not sure if it’s just hit me at the right time, but this album seems almost perfect to me. I knew a couple of songs but never listened to the entire album. Very interesting combination of sounds and an obvious precursor to many later artists.
I never heard of the genre folktronica but I like it very much
Couple of bangers
I love Babylon, and had this cd for a while when it first came out. I didn't care much for it back then, but this was a different perspective and I enjoyed it.
Gets a 4 for nostalgia. Millenial white lady, did you expect something different? 4/5
Очень приятненько
Я человек простой. Слышу - манк ноет. Ставлю 4.
1. Sail Away 2. Silver Lining 3. White Ladder Really like the blend of acoustic and electronic sounds. Felt that many of the songs did overstay their welcome, though.
Like his voice and good songs.
This is a guilty pleasure of mine. Been listening to this for 25 years and it still sounds good. A bit flabby in the middle but the first 3 and last 3 songs are fantastic including the Soft Cell cover.
It always interests me when an artist nails it for one album - right sound, right timing - but then none of their other work lives up to it. For me it somehow devalues that album, because it seems like a bit of a fluke. This is how I came into listening to White Ladder, but you know what? A good album is a good album, whether it's one of many for an artist, or it's far and away their career highlight. This album was popular at the time for a reason.
Probably not an album I would listen to often, but a consistently good album, and Bablyon is very good. 4 stars or B.
The soundtrack to every late 90s/early 00s dinner party or BBQ. You've heard the songs before but they are somehow instantly forgettable.
I was not familiar with David Gray but very nice. I did enjoy the lesser known tracks as well as the more popular ones. A couple of tracks in the middle are a bit sparse but still good. Rating this highly won't help the generator telling me that my favourite music is from the UK, but it is what it is.
06/04 Pretty good
I always thought of David Gray as a one hit wonder, but didn’t realize how much success this album had. It’s really good, although his vocals begin to wear on me after a bit.
This was quite nice
I'm a basic white girl so this drew me in hook line and SINKER yo
Didn't listen this time around, but I do like this album
(5/7) some of these sounded familiar. the acoustic style feels very modern - more reminiscient of the 2010s than the 90s
Babylon was the name of the kebab shop in my home town in the Netherlands. It was a grand place to go at 4 am in the morning after having a skinful of lager and smoking Gauloises blue cigarettes. The chips were absolutely delicious and so was the doner kebab. This was always my go to place as the other place wasn't as nice. Great album this, fuck the haters, great production, and readily available at all charity shops in the UK. So it must have sold pretty well. Well done David!
Had a unique sound and good songs. I used to play (or at least back up the guy playing these) a lot of these to drunken expats. It holds up pretty well even with the kinda chintzy electric drums. Love the hook in that soft cell song, though my erstwhile partner sang it better.
what an album for a commute. had never heard of david gray before and was pleasantly surprised. would definitely keep this in rotation!
Great.
Not sure why so many people hate this album! I played it death when it can out and still play it now and again now. Crammed with great tunes and lyrics and finishes with a really great cover of a great song, job done!
I mean realistically it shouldn't get more than a 2 but some of these tracks are so nostalgic and hold a lot of sentimental value.
I am pretty sure I discovered this album because Dave Matthews was recommending it back when I listened to what Dave Matthews had to say. My wife and I loved this album and listened to it a lot back in the day. I probably haven't listened to it in over 10 years but it all came right back to me.
Très très cool 4-/5
Very good better than I remembered traces in a way of Neil Young. An upper score well crafted well arranged.
Surprisingly good. Title track and Babylon are the two worst songs.
Number: 107 Date: 1998 Artist: David Gray Album: White Ladder Year: 1998 Genre: Folktronic Familiarity: None Rating: Before: ======= Never heard of this or David Gray. I'm anticipating some sort of ambient electronic vibe. During: ======= Starts of nice for an early Sunday morning. Hm, Wikipedia calls it "Folktronic". I like the name but not sure it fits, but maybe I'll use it...Six songs in now, this is reminding me of I Am Kloot who I don't see on the list at all, which is too bad, as they were really good. I would definately have I Am Kloot in my top 1000 and probably in my top 100 list. 3 Through To Myself 5 Please Forgive Me 5 Babylon 4 My Oh My 4 We're Not Right 4 Silver Lining 3 White Ladder 4 This Year's Love 4 Sail Away 4 Say Hello Wave Goodbye 3 Nightblindness ----------------------------------------------------- 3.99 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= Overall a pretty good album. 4 my personal rating 4 suitability for this list 3 impact ----------------------------------------------- 3.7 composite rating
Really enjoyed this album front to back. Easy listening. You can hear some of influences in his music. At least I hear some Tom Petty, Tom Cochrane, etc..
I really enjoyed this record. It was a great chill, background style album that perfect fit my mood. I tried another album from David with less impact, but this was a great record.
I liked this one, very calm and the same age as me.
Never even heard of the guy before. He's really good.
I didn't know Gray very much except from the radio-friendly "Babylon" and "Sail Away" which my wife loves very much. Now, listening to the whole album, I do enjoy him and think that, with his Folktronica, he has a lot more to offer than other people after him he often got compared to like James Blunt for example. It's a great album with a sweet, mellow yet serious style. I'd trust Mr Gray. Not everything works, but that's by the by.
I was pretty into this record in 1997. It is still pretty OK, the songs are solid, some good, but the production is really well done, which boosts it a point for me.
This album sounded so hauntingly familiar the whole time like I had heard it in commercials or tv so often. I liked it
4/5 - Enjoyable listen with a few songs that I recognize and enjoy.
My oh my
Really cool album. Feels like a whole album of 90s house remixes of folk music. Super interesting and really engaging the whole way through
3.5/5 I don't want to like it but there are a lot of good songs here
A lot of memories behind some of these songs. Never listened to the full album before, but enjoy it.
This album was not even nearly as bad as the comments made it out to be. I am not an avid sentimental music enjoyer but I liked this album.
Unexpectedly really good!
Truly takes me back to watching Girl Next Door with the homies. More nostalgic than true quality I suppose.
This album came out when I was 9 but I remember Babylon and This Year's Love. When I'm in the mood for a melancholy raspy crooner, this hits the goddamn spot. He's not trying to do a ton on most tracks - he knows his sweet spot (being wistful & forlorn over some nice chords) and he nails it. I really enjoyed this. One big exception: We're Not Right had such weird production choices - behind a pretty standard acoustic guitar and two part vocal harmony, that distorted bassy synth right from the beginning, then a weird percussion rattle and a high synth UFO riff after the first verse!? I liked it for the surprise if not much else. Then right back to the pensive, doleful singer-songwriter wheelhouse baby. I'm gonna be keeping this one on rotation
A classic. It's aged surprisingly well and while I prefer Gray's "Sell Sell Sell" (so much heavier on the vitriol), this is a four-star album. Nightblindness is still the stand-out song after all these years.
I think I’ve heard a song or two from this album, but I haven’t heard the thing before. It was actually pretty good.
So funny story a couple days ago me and my beautiful fiancée were having a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner and giggling at one of the songs playing on the playlist - because it was one of those 90s songs that everyone kinda knew - kind of a hit? But not really? A deeper cut for sure. But not even me, a guy who prides himself on knowing every fucking song, knew the name of the artist or song. We just knew it as the song where the chorus goes like “sinnamaHA, sinnamaHEH.” Turns out a couple days later I’d learn the song is called “Babylon,” and it’s by David Gray. Ended up really liking this. Super solid singer/songwriter stuff, it could definitely grow on me even more over time.
Melancholy
Perfectly pleasant
This is a favorite of mine. Discovered it back in the 00's, most likely because of a blog or something. Back in those days I devoured everything about popular music and soundtracks, both genres that benefited from the blogosphere and the fan ecosystem it encouraged. I still listen to this album from time to time. It's good for my soul.
One of the biggest selling products around the turn of the millenium. Babylon and this year’s love were all over tv programmes at the time and its influence on the Ed Sheerans, James Blunts and Tom Odells of this world cannot be underestimated. I still thought he sounded like he was trying to be Bob Dylan with his vocal timbre. A pleasant but not earth shattering listen.
extremely production-driven singer songwriter stuff, probably an influence on the likes of bon iver. if anything i think the effect is a little more complicated because while justin vernon always kinda sounds like a half-present ghost, david gray's very grounded and twangy singing adds a much earthier wrinkle to all the ephemeral soundscapes. idk how much the actual material is doing for this but it seems at least good, and i rly like the sound and chemistry of the elements. definitely some beautiful cuts on here
Very enjoyable singer/songwriter stuff. Couple great tunes including Babylon. 8.5/10
Really liked this one
Didn't know anything about this one going in, but I was pleasantly surprised! It's a collection of fairly standard pop-rock songs, but the songwriting is pleasant, and there's a delightful combination of 90s influences in the mix such as downtempo.
I’ve loved this album a long time. Gorgeous songs I can sing along to. So uncool and yet so good. I’m all in.
I really like David Gray… cool voice with good instrumentals behind him. Sold 7.5/10
Classic early 2000’s album
Quite beautiful.
Śliczny album, mega przyjemnie się go słucha. Bardzo delikatny i popowy, ale wracałem do niego już kilka razy. "Please Forgive Me" jest sztosowe, sekcja rytmiczna jest mega crisp. Skoro o tym mowa jednak mam wrażenie, że spora część linii perkusyjnej była wygenerowana komputerowo, jest zbyt regularna i robotyczna. Ale mimo to brzmi naprawdę dobrze. Będę wracał, jak będę miał ochotę na odrobinę spokojnego plumkania.
Enjoyable - Relaxing and Memory of it playing on the radio everywhere - in stores, restaurants etc…
I was excited to get this album! I am already quite familiar with 2 songs on this album- Babylon and This Year’s Love. Those are my favorite songs from this album.
This album feels personal and like a hug sometimes, dont love his voice in some songs but at the end is great and also a bit experimental
This charmed me icl
wgwag music but i'm so happy this isn't more dour post-punk that i'm bumping it up a rating
I can see why and where the influence to other people comes from objectively very good
That was pretty good.
Obvious nostalgia factor
No private session used for Spotify. I think I avoided this album after it came out because of the omnipresence of "Babylon", which is a shame because this album is quite pleasant. I saw David Gray at a festival and he even seemed annoyed by the weight of the popularity of his song.
David Gray has a beautiful voice and I think the thing that really stands out in this album is the lyricism. The messages stand clear and the songs are lovely. The only thing I’ve been thinking while listening to Babylon is that the background music almost doesn’t fit his voice and message. I feel as though it should be almost more acoustic and less synth involved as the vibes kind of don’t match up? Going further into the album he does introduce more guitar and piano (with the occasional odd sound that still feels off) but I do believe the vibe matches up more and I can really appreciate the soul and emotions that poured into this album from him. His voice reminds me of Mt. Joy a little bit, which of course I love. Overall I think this album was more a work of complex language rather than sound that catches the ear, but I did enjoy it and following along to the lyrics.
A great album. Great song writing. I just wish it wasn't so damn depressing
Always liked the sound of David Gray. And White Ladder is a great representation of his work, he’s just a strummin’ and a singin’ very comfortably. Have heard a few songs; Babylon and Sail Away, which are great, but there’s not a skipper on the album. All songs are good. L = (3.4*s) A couple songs had a Dylan influence. J = (3.9*s) Hoping to hear another one from David as this is the only album of his I’m familiar with.
It’s got an easy listening vibe without feeling cheesy or dated. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Please Forgive Me - Babylon - This Year's Love - Sail Away
Not listened to this for a while. I forgot how good it was! The subtle little drum and bass under pinning ‘Please Forgive Me’ hooked me in. It’s quite a dreamy and gentle album. He even manages to make a Marc Almond cover sound ok! Highlights are ‘Silver Lining’ and ‘Babylon’.
I took a photography class in college, and this was the only CD they had for the boombox in the dark room. Red lights, faint chemical smell and near darkness blends well with this album.
Pretty good - chill music for a rainy day.
Bumped up from a 3 for sentimental reasons
Packed with hits. Good song writing
Really liked it and the vocals are great!
Enjoyed this quite a bit
Not what i usually listen to but it was well produced and consistently good. I think my favorite song is sail away. 4.2/5
Ahead of his time. It sounds like early to late 2000s but came out in late nineties.
I knew one song, somehow, as I didn’t think I knew of him at all. Super pleasantly surprised and will revisit him for sure.
This was a pleasant album. It has nice pop sensibilities with appealing vocals. I've never heard of this artist or any of these songs, but any number of these tracks would have fit right in on a "light adult contemporary" radio station back in the 90s, alongside artists such as Tracy Chapman, The Wallflowers, Matchbox 20, and Natalie Imbruglia. Maybe this was the case in the UK, but these tracks lack a certain luster necessary for them to be a successful US single, but, if one were, this would be an album that your girlfriend owned, and you'd have been, like, "Why do you own this album?", and she'd say, "Oh, I only bought it for that one song." What that one song would have been, I can't say, because all of these tracks fall just short of being memorable, so, you'd say "Whatever. Where's your fucking AC/DC album?" because The Razor's Edge is her only rock CD, but she only bought it for Thunderstruck, but you really dig the title track, and you're irritated with her because she won't give you a straight answer why you have to stop by her ex's place when you drive her to school in the morning, which is all the confirmation you should need that she's fooling around with him while your naive ass waits in the truck, but she's a hot-body 17yo with perfect tits and the only piece of ass in the school that will give you the time of day, so you keep putting up with her shit despite the objections of all your friends, who are absolutely right about her being a dumb bitch, and she is a bit of a butterface, but I again present in my, erm, I mean, your, defense, those exquisite tan-lined 36Cs... Ummm... What were we talking about? Oh, yeah... The 90s. Best we not dwell on the 90s too long.
I was on a long camping trip through Scotland with my girlfriend at the time. One evening we treated ourselves to dinner in a restaurant — very romantic, somewhere on some cliff, candlelight, deep conversation. At some point I said, “What is this wonderful music they’re playing?” Neither of us knew. So I asked the waitress. And I can still hear her answer today, in a thick Scottish accent: “It’s David Gray.” It wasn’t White Ladder we heard that night, but his later album Live in Slow Motion. Still, that moment sparked what has now been, for almost 20 years, a lasting… not exactly fandom, but a steady affection. I love David Gray. I return to his albums again and again. White Ladder is, of course, a classic. Sadly, shortly after that trip, my girlfriend and I broke up — so David Gray has always been tied to a sense of heartbreak for me. I only discovered the songs on White Ladder after the breakup. Almost every one of them is familiar now. “Sail Away,” near the end of the album, is an absolutely fantastic song. It’s the perfect album for being in your twenties and deeply in love. Sadly, I’ve never shared that same affection for David Gray with any partner since.
Non male. Canzoni un pò melanconiche
I remember buying it and listening to it a bunch, but I don't quite have the nostalgia for it that would keep it in rotation, though it does have some great songs on it.
Isn't this THE David Gray album? I guess it's as good as it's gonna get - still pretty good music, not too risky or particularly hard going, but it does have a certain beauty that I enjoyed.
I really like this album. Gray's creations are melancholic, yet not to the point of depression. They pull at the heartstrings just enough to invoke a yearning. A deep sense of nostalgia. White Ladder will surely remain on rotation for many decades to come.
If I could give this negative stars I would
I remember Babylon frequenting MTV in the late 90’s. It was a song and music video I always looked forward to in rotation. I think this is a really good album that gets off to a brilliant start with Please Forgive Me and Babylon. The latter is a borderline perfect song. The album slightly drags for me after that until This Year’s Love, Sail Away, and the closing track pick it back up. It’s an album with masterpiece bookends and a ho-hum center, but the total result is a joy.
Virkelig rart og godt album!! God stemme😍
Overraskende godt? Virkelig god instrumental og fed stemme
Accidentally listened to weezer
Mellow, kinda morose music in a classically 90's folk/pop vein. If you're not reminded a bit of Tracy Chapman then you probably haven't gotten to her in this project, yet. His writing is confessional and his slightly nasal, occasionally gravely voice gives his compositions a vulnerable feel (added to his habit of drifting off notes in a downward glissando, adding a weary feel). It's a really lovely record. 'Babylon' was a real, deserved hit, 'We're Not Right' has a rare and fun use of theremin and I'd recommend 'This Year's Love' to anyone feeling weary or wary about romance -- it expresses a particular side of being in love that's neither jubilant nor heartbroken and is more internal than external. It's a great record, an enjoyable, digestible confessional that may sound like some later British songwriters like Ed Sheeran, for good reason. It's not perfect (some numbers drag a little) and it's not revolutionary but it is influential, well-crafted and showcases genuine musical talent without relying merely on technical fireworks to carry it (though it's not quite Nick Drake). It's a prime example of a singer-songwriter conveying an internal landscape that's clear and nuanced and that impact carried forward for a decade or more in the larger music scene. 4/5
Really good, chill sound.
Interesting album, not sure I'll return to it but enjoyed listening
Prototypical indie stuff, low 4 I think
I was the wrong age to appreciate this when it came out but do remember the hype. It is, in fact, very good. His voice is a bit nasal though.
Better than I ever could have thought. I listened to it twice and look forward to revisiting it again.
4/5
Good stuff. A bit dated. But a very distinct pop sound.
Felt like I was listening to a season of Scrubs.
I've got a soft spot for David Gray. He may have been the harbinger of a slew of bland MOR singer-songwriters but I think ol' Davey himself is a real one, steadily going about his craft for a long time both before and since his period of unexpected stardom, and writing some excellent songs in the process. His very best tunes aren't on this album but his biggest ones are, and for the most part he's on fine form here. There's a run of tracks in the middle which are a bit nothing-y though, and that knocks White Ladder from a 4 down to a 3.5, for me. But I'll round it back up again as a 'local lad & general good egg' bonus.
I loved this album when it first came out and to be honest it’s not one I’ve revisited in years..sure I’ve heard this years love over the years. I was pleasantly surprised that yes I indeed still love it!!
This is a good album. It has a late 2000’s sound that is familiar
Para la época incluso muy corta venas, pero suena
Its hard to think of a better song than Babylon. The whole album is just incredible though he's such a good song writer. 4.8/5
I think for what it is, it’s great and holds up.
Really enjoyed this. Sounded like an Ashcroft solo album. Will listen again
Not sure if easy listening is the right description, but it was easy, kinda of calm afternoon. A few unconventional sounds so it didn't just seem like dude with a guitar. Enjoyed it and after it was over wanted to keep listening to more.
B and I have this CD in our ~20 disc truck collection. We saw him play it live during his tour celebrating the 20th anniversary. Big fan White Ladder. This record is such an enigma, still feels fresh every time I listen to it. What I love about his music is what I also love about an adjacent group that preceded Gray by half a decade, Everybody But The Girl: incredible songwriting, iconic vocal performances, excellent understated production, electronically-tinged. A pleasant, hushed sound — romantic, contemplative, melancholic. When this record took off two years after being self-released in 1998, the scene that birthed Coldplay was already well underway, spurred in no small part by Radiohead’s meteoric debut earlier in the decade. The stock of UK artists in this vein continued stacking up into the 2010s, and continued skyward atop the shoulders of Ed Sheeran into the present day. David Gray’s White Ladder is a foundational brick of that edifice, the UK’s storied white male singer-songwriter tradition that goes back centuries.
A very easy listen. Nice to have on in the background. Gives you a sense of nostalgia and yearning. Soothing.
actually pretty good
Objectively, White Ladder is a nice, inoffensive, accessible album that somehow sold about 700 million copies and veers far too close to the bland side of a 2.5ish rating. However, for me it has two tracks and a life event that elevate it beyond that. I’d been recommended the CD by a friend on the strength of a hidden track, Through To Myself. The trick was to rewind track 1 until you found it. In those days, most of my music consumption was via iPod and aux cable but annoyingly, iTunes couldn’t find the track so I had to listen to it on the only CD player I owned; in my car. It then basically stayed in the car indefinitely while I had the stereo set to aux 99% of the time. Some time later, on the day my wife went into labour with our firstborn, my iPod was safely packed in the “go” bag so the drive to the birth centre was soundtracked by White Ladder by default. Fine, it’s a nice, inoffensive, accessible album and we had other things on our minds. But one of my most vivid and emotional musical memories is from the following morning. I got into the car to go and buy breakfast for myself and my heroic wife who had just brought our beautiful daughter into the world at 4am. I turned on the engine and ‘This Year’s Love’ started playing. I sat and sobbed for four minutes, overwhelmed with tiredness, joy, probably some mild terror and the feeling that my life would never be the same again. It’s a beautiful song about hope and taking a leap into love, not knowing whether or not it’s going to break you. So yeah, every time I hear that song, it takes me back to the day my life changed forever, for the better. And my friend was right - Through To Myself is also an absolute banger, somehow made sweeter by the feeling that of the 700 million-odd people who bought this nice, safe, inoffensive, accessible album, most of them probably never even heard it.
I always really liked Please Forgive Me. I liked Babylon less. Upon listening again though, it's better than I remembered. Five singles off a ten song album is crazy. That's like Jagged Little Pill level. I will say the album tracks are not at the same level as the singles, but they aren't terrible either. This Year's Love was the biggest song off the album and my least favorite song so far. The two hits to start the album are better than the three big songs to close it out. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye deserves more credit than that. it's better than This Year's Love or Sail Away. This is like slightly less good Coldplay.
A lot of songs I hadn't heard for a long time, overall a very enjoyable experience. Strong showing.
Its a really solid listen - and clearly was a starting point for similar artists to follow in its footsteps. I'm familiar with the songs featured in Scrubs and Garden State, but it has an incredibly consistent vibe that carries a lot of charm.
Somehow perfectly captures the prevalence of digital beats and great songwriting of the turn of the century.
Very nice
4/5
Wonderful 90s singer-songwriter pop. David Gray has a great crooning voice. And the hooks and songwriting are excellent too. Very catchy and emotionally moving batch of tunes. Add in some electronica-influenced production, and it all adds up to a very strong album.
I can see why this album is such a big one for the UK. I feel like when I listen to some of these tracks, like "This Year's Love" and "Sail Away", that I can hear how it has influenced modern acts like Adele, Lewis Capaldi, and Hozier. The compositions are really nice, he's got an amazing voice, and the production has some nice surprises in it too (I love the electronic sound that comes in and out). This was a nice surprise! I don't think I'm totally familiar with him but I feel like I've heard him on the radio quite a bit when I was younger.
David Gray's White Ladder is a strong 4/5 - consistently excellent with moments of brilliance ("Babylon," "Sail Away"), though not every track reaches the same peak. The album's intimate production and emotional depth make it stand out, even if it falls just short of being a flawless masterpiece.
Good surprise.
Really liked that album, never heard that guy before
I wore this disc out when it was first out. I love his voice and the pace of his instrumentation. Babylon and Please Forgive me are 4 stars alone. Great stuff.
good solid album
I’m going to be generous again here as it’s easy to overlook that this album and artist was the forerunner of the hugely popular male singer-songwriter “heart on my sleeve & vulnerable” trope, reviving genre which had been largely dormant in popular terms since the mid 70’s The album has some lovely ballads, a few fillers, it sounds a bit dated, but also plays out with one of my favourite cover versions which cleverly interweaves Van Morrisons “Madame George” into the proceedings. An uncomfortable four from me 🫣
7/10
Lovely folk pop, some great hits. Longest time UK number one.
This is one of the best Bob Dylan albums of the 90s, and it's by a man named David Gray. The songs proceed simply yet carry a depth of emotion. Perhaps that slow burn is why it was a "sleeper" hit in its day, almost overlooked and then ended up on some charts for years to come. Not sure if it will do the same or not for me, but I admire its quiet strength.
I didn't remember David Gray at all, and I was kind of on the fence about the album as it started, but it really came around for me. I recognized Babylon, and dialed in quickly. This is a good, strong album and worthy of your attention. Apple Music calls it "Rock" but it really is almost Alternative folk. No matter where it falls in terms of genre, David is an excellent songwriter and musician. Don't pass this one by!
Smooth album.
beautifull, forgotten album.
Definitely knew some of the songs it’s nice/ calm 4/5
Nice Vibe on this one
Surprised that i actually knew more from this record. I remember watching the oscar snub, The Girl Next Door, and hearing this This Year's Love for the first time. I was obviously invested in the moment, but the song really stood out to me. Enough that I....errr....found it on the internet later and put it on my iPod. As a songwriter it's pretty hard to find anything to hate on here. Also surprised by how many tracks I actually knew on here. Maybe i've heard a track off Life in Slow mo? So easy to see how he's the inspriation to so many others like him... James Blunt, James Bay...etc Solid 90s record
Great album. Listened to this one a lot in the early 2000’s.
No idea who this. I like the first track. This was a really good album. Mellow. Good tunes. I’d listen again.
Now here's an album I'd never really heard of before. But how could that be?! This thing's sold over 7 million copies worldwide! Well, you want to know why I've never heard of it? It's because I'm American. Yeah, this is one of those sorts of albums that's huge in the UK, especially upon release, but is practically unheard of in the US, and because the book this list is from is UK-based, stuff like this is going to make it on. I can't be too mad though. The British public in 1998 didn't have a terrible taste in music. This album's good. I can see why it's successful. I can also see why others aren't really into it, but that's true for a lot of things that I like. Admittedly, this album is kind of in that early Coldplay territory where it's not the most complex thing on Earth, far from it actually. However, I still think it's a nice listen. The writing does its job at having meaning, though it's not going to make you think real hard either. David Gray's singing is alright. It's kind of like a mix of Bob Dylan, Elton John, and Bono in a way. Maybe I'm crazy for thinking that, I don't know. The sound is nice. It feels a bit more modern than '98, or maybe it doesn't. I'm not sure. It sounds good. The songs are solid. "Babylon" was a huge success for a reason. Even the least popular songs on the album are still solid in my eyes. Overall, White Ladder is an album that I, along with a ton of British people in the late 90s and 2000s, like quite a bit. It's good. Low 4/5.
Album 767 of 1089 David Gray - White Ladder (1998) Rating : 3.5 / 5 Nice blend of folk, rock & electronic. Minimalist and low key production adds to the atmosphere of the album and lets the lyrics shine. A bit melancholic.
Very simple, but in a good way. Wouldn't seek it out again, probably, but I'd say I enjoyed most of what I was listening to.
Good album, great album cover. The music feels a bit derivative of 60s folk rock, but nothing to hate here.
O Ines the singles but didnt expect this tupe of music, crear surprise.
Great album with a deceptively good amount of hits.
7/10
That was pretty pleasant.
Enjoyed this quite a bit, especially Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, which is a great closer.
Another one of those classic you don't realize you've heard many times. A nice mix of singing with electronic stuff.
Enjoyed.
This album is a total vibe for me. I listened to it a ton when it came out. Lots of nostalgia built into this. I think these are great songs, and it should probably be 3.5 stars, but I’ll bump it a half star for the nostalgia.
Solid album, poignant lyrics, some really great songs. Hadn't ever listened all the way through this album but it really enjoyed it.
I’ve always liked this album more than I should. A friend once described it as an album you and your mom can connect over liking. Debuting in 1998, it seems like it paved the way for bands like Coldplay. There are a few tracks on here that shake off the 1990s drum textures and maintain some modern relevance, “Say Hello and Wave Goodbye” and “This Year’s Love” for example. I hate that this is hard to hate… but it is.
Now this I like. David Gray burst onto the wider scene with this debut effort, showcasing a very talented singer-songwriter. Most famous for Babylon, Please Forgive Me and This Year's Love, it's My Oh My that has stayed in my brain with the most effect, if I were to choose a word for it, I would say haunting. Excellent effort all round from the lad, recommended!
Very pretty, melodic easy listening. And how good is Babylon. A strong 3.8.
The rest of the album was just okay but it gets a 4 because high school me is still obsessed with This Years Love
This album/ songs were massively overplayed back when it came out and for the most part I enjoyed it then and after a break of not listening to it for 27 years! I quite enjoyed it again. Maybe in another 27 years I’ll listen to it again… if I remember!
Honestly I had a good time listening. I could see myself relistening to most of album multiple times. I did phase out in the middle for a few songs, but I thought it was all solid stuff, not too crazy or anything tho.
He apparently made the best-selling album ever in Ireland (this one, White Ladder), a country I once lived in, but David Gray has mostly stayed off my radar. I think my uncle recommended him last summer, so he’s not a complete unknown here. 🍁 It’s certainly easy on my ears, so I can see how it was well-received. The synths n beats show up in various ways, but at the core there is a pretty no-frills folk record. Gray sees his influence in later songwriters like Ed Sheeran and George Ezra; I buy it. I might as well copy straight from the 1001 book, since I can't explain why I like this so much yet have been harsher on other commercial, middle-of-the-road pop as of late: "...White Ladder could break your heart while putting a smile on your face and a spring in your step." -- Andy Robbins Also, closing with a Soft Cell cover is remarkable since both the songs I associate with them- “Tainted Love” and “Where Did Our Love Go”- are covers. Just as they alchemized 60s soul to camp 80s synthpop, Gray takes the synth away and turns it into a campfire singalong. And it works! HL: "Please Forgive Me", "Babylon", "Sail Away", "We're Not Right", title track March 8, 2025
I remember seeing this album everywhere back in the early 2000s, but nothing ever really made me want to listen to it at the time. Now that I’ve finally checked it out, I wish I had heard it back then—because it would have been right up my alley. At its core, it’s a singer-songwriter album, but with a subtle backdrop of soft electronic beats, synths, and basslines, layered with acoustic guitars on top. These days, this style is called folktronica, but back in the late ’90s and early 2000s, that term didn’t even exist. In that way, this album was ahead of its time. Also, most people didn’t hear it until 2000, when it was reissued and commercially released—despite originally being self-released in 1998. Another cool aspect is that it was home-recorded, giving it a polished sound while still feeling organic and natural.
8.5/10
This was a good album
Nice easy listening.
Arrancamos el 2025 laboral y volvemos al reto de la mano, como no podía ser, de un artista desconocido. Voz rara, nasal, muy de los 90s: me recuerda a Billy Corgan. Se lo siente como dolido, expresivo con sus notas. Va bien como música de fondo para escribir, con un clima fresco y mates. Una linda sorpresa para comenzar con el reto. Hasta mañana.
I have this album ingrained in my soul, but it's actually not my favorite DG album. Sell, Sell, Sell rips and was his last contract album before being dumped. He produced White Ladder on his own (which explains the drum machines, etc, which is not his usual production sound) and I imagine he almost gave up before landing an opening tour with DMB and getting the album to Dave's label where Babylon exploded. I also think A New Day at Midnight is better overall, but this dude can write songs. I saw him live once and it was awesome. I'm not sure if Sell is on this list, but if you are reading this--do yourself a favor and listen to it. This album shouldn't have worked, but every song is solid. I would go 4.5, but marking down for it not being his best IMO.
Great album
Great songs
Easy listening
Some really really nice songs in there.
First 3,5/5 Again? 3,5/5
Loved this album for a long time. It’s a Friday night record. Don’t know why. Anyway, it’s another of those records that sounds like the period it came from and probably influenced the soft club aesthetic more than most.
Didn’t expect this to be good but I really enjoyed it
Please forgive me for the exposure of my guilty pleasures. May be bland and boring but I love David Gray. Forgive me, Babylon and years love highlights
Doesn't hold its form all the way through, but man are there good songs on here.
Such a warm comforting hug of an album. I love the fact that this flopped on release and grew organically based on people discovering it rather than a marketing budget. People actually liked this organically rather than it being cool, and j think a lot of the reviews here miss this point. Sure its not breaking new ground, but there are some serious songs on here and i lobed revisiting it.
Sweet
‘We’re Not Right’ and ‘This Year’s Love’ stood out initially. And ‘Sail Away’. Oh, and a lovely Soft Cell cover that I listened to like four times in a row. Great closer.
This album is full of memories as I listened to it quite a bit the year I fell in love during a very overall tumultuous and wild time. Lots of memories in there. Still like it since most of the memories are so good.
It's a relaxing and chill album for a gray day.
This reminded me of a cross between Oasis and James Blunt. When I heard Babylon, I thought, OK I know who this is now, but have not heard any of his other songs that I know of. I felt like the album was cohesive, but almost too similar across the songs. Lyrically, I thoroughly enjoyed and would listen again.
Damn, great run of albums. This one was so groovy and ethereal, really got me in the 90s mood.
Excellent….
I really enjoyed this. Never heard of David Gray before. Very much a pre-cursor to the stylings of James Blunt and Ed Sheeran.
This Year's Love is one of the best songs from the album. Also, I enjoyed his singing and loved the album.
Part of that alt rock/folk rock movement that took place around the early 00's. Apparently dude released this album in 98 on his own record label and it did nothing. Then in 00 is was re-released by Dave Matthews label and it exploded. It spent 176 weeks on the charts, making it one of the longest charting albums in UK chart history. Babylon is a fantastic song. Favourite songs: Babylon, This Year's Love, Nightblindness, Please Forgive Me Least favourite songs: White Ladder 4/5
I bought this album at a used CD store in my youth and it still slaps.
Some very nostalgic hits. Hard to give this album a real review when this sound has been copied by so many artists.
I think it's an interesting sign of where we are musically in popular music that a record like this with a lot of electronic drums, keyboards, bass can just end up sending quite natural to the ears. It's better electronics and software, and also artists trying to make organic sounding music with the electronic tools we have. This wasn't what I expected, but I liked it. I particularly liked the cover of "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye". It's really emotional and brings out what an excellent song it is. I really enjoyed the Soft Cell original because it had a strange tinge of isolation, regret and a sense of moving on... it certainly sums up the way someone would feel about the ending of a relationship that in some ways was good, but in other ways was not at all good... kind of the new wave "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" I guess. I was going to give this three stars but the cover makes it a four for me.
This really is a late 90s masterpiece
not bad
Like this one! 4/5
Surprisingly enjoyable. Added several albums by David Gray to favorites for future listening.
4.5/5
This one surprised me in a good way—the singles were familiar, even overfamiliar, but the album had a consistent sound and the other songs were pleasantly new to me rather than bland or tiresome. Definitely growing on me.
Sounds better on CD. This album brings me back. For sure my jam.
DG got that rizz. This album had slapper after slapper. Really enjoyed this no cap.
Good
82% Best: Please Forgive Me; Babylon; This Year's Love Must-Hear? Sure
Although not my typical genre, I always loved this album for the relaxing downtimes when few else in the mix fit the bill. Great lyrics against a backdrop of simple melodies. Nothing wrong with this.
Had like a new age american folk vibes. Pretty easy listening and Babylon is a fantastic song. 3.5 rounding up.
Well, it's OK. I find his voice grating at times, but it's an OK singer-songwriter album and not offensive. The real high point for me though is his cover of Say Hello Wave Goodbye, which is one of my favourite ever songs - and I think he does it justice. This album was massively popular. I'm nit sure why, but it is a solid piece of work.
Enjoyed!
I really liked this..
I like this one and will play this on seldom occasions. Lots of melancholy good for a rainy day.
A blast from the past! So overplayed when i was a teen that i still dont really enjoy coming back to listen to it. Pretty sure this is one of the biggest selling albums in Ireland ever for some reason. 3.5 for nostalgia's sake.
Favorite Track: Please Forgive Me
Please Forgive Me is a classic. That thumping bass at the end is such a pleasant sound. Also the song was in Scrubs. The album as a whole wasn't necessarily my favorite, but I can't deny how powerful his voice is, how clean the instruments are, and how the whole thing is produced. I think there is a lot more in the lyrics than I picked up on. Feels a bit like Citizen Cope.
Coming out quick with Please Forgive Me which I just learned of over the summer because Goose did a cover over it. Didn't realize that it was by David Gray! Highly recommend listening to that cover. This original is also very good. Wow Babylon is also a heater, haven't heard it in probably 10+ years. Would have never guessed I would know the first 2 songs on this album since I would have told you I had no idea who David Gray was before this. Sail Away is another song that I know as well. Very soothing album which was way different than I expected. I was thinking this was more electronic due to it being labeled Folktronica. Loved the acoustic and backing instruments to go along with his singing style. This was a great surprise album which I had no idea what it was going in a came out very enjoyable.