Mutineers
David Gray
(IHT Records)
3 stars
David Gray's last name has been used plenty of times to describe his stark aesthetic. Indeed, the English singer and songwriter spent more than a decade exploring themes of loneliness and regret to often exquisite results. So what happens when Mr Misery Guts decides to look on the sunny side of life? Mutineers is not a total musical reinvention – the plaintive piano ballads and languid acoustic numbers are there, but an optimistic spirit courses throughout. Unlike the sparse sounds of 2010's Foundling, there is a charming directness to Mutineers, a large part of it due to Gray collaborating with the producer Andy Barlow from the electronic act Lamb. The title track is infectious with its tinkling keys and acoustics as the gravelly voiced one sings of new-found peace: "This moving close / Sure feels good babe." Birds of the High Arctic boasts a majestic orchestral flourish, while in the stirring Beautiful Agony, Gray's voice skips over shuffling drums to land in a soulful chorus. Mutineers may not land Gray a new legion of fans, but the faithful will be rewarded with another set of classy songs.
sasaeed@thenational.ae
