Music for Escaping

by Katrina Martin

One of my favorite memories of listening to The Hour of Bewilderbeast by Badly Drawn Boy (a.k.a. Damon Gough) happened on a gray, cold Friday afternoon in winter. I sat at my computer at work and put the album on to keep me company in the quiet office. Whenever I took breaks from my work and looked out the window, the snowstorm outside seemed to have worsened exponentially. At first giant fluffy flakes blanketed the ground slowly, but by the time the album finished at least four inches covered the ground and we'd cancelled classes for the evening. I decided soon after to go home early. Now when I listen to the album, no matter how warm the weather, I'm always transported to that chilly day. It makes me happy, because it reminds me of feeling cozy and comfortable with a hot cup of tea.

Gough's songs have this effect. Each song is like a soft flannel blanket, wrapping you up in luscious soundscapes and calming melodies. No one else sounds quite like Badly Drawn Boy, which has led some critics to warn listeners it may take a few listens to warm up to this first offering. It is well worth the effort. Gough, who won the coveted British Mercury Music Prize for the album, takes cues from folk artists with his frank yet metaphoric lyrics. He employs string instruments, samples, drum machines, slide guitars and a vibraphone, among other things. Some songs are melancholy, like "Camping Next to Water" while others, like "Once Around the Block" and "Cause a Rockslide" have beats that will have you dancing around the house. The overall effect is simply intoxicating. I put this album on when I need to escape to another place for a while. Each of the songs provide their own little world to fall into. I often listen to it with my eyes closed.

The romantic in me swoons every time I hear Gough's lyrics. He writes lines like, "The stars above me shine on me / I beckon them to fall on me / I'll catch them and save them in a jar" from "Camping Next to Water," and "Why are you trembling so much / I don't think I ever felt so good / When all I need is to be free / Where I love you and you love me" from "Another Pearl." In fact, I put "Another Pearl" on the first mix CD I made for my fiancée. This is what great albums are made of--potential mix tape songs.