"Don't call David Gray a singer/songwriter", says the press materials for Sell, Sell, Sell. But why not? Sure, if you associate this label with long haired guys singing stereotypical folk songs, this Welsh-bred performer is not one of them. He partly uses a full band, and puts anger and passion into his songs. Still the main focus is always on his voice. And what a voice he has! It can sound soft and warm, yet it has this slight touch of roughness that makes it really touch you deep inside.
And then there are these wonderful songs. Many of them sound so simple and natural that it makes you wonder why nobody has written them before. The title track comes along as one of the highlights, with slow verses where Gray's voice is only underlaid by church bell-like keyboard sounds, leading into a powerful chorus with full instrumentation. If there's anything negative to be said about Sell, Sell, Sell, it's that Gray doesn't quite hold the pace of the outstanding first few tracks throughout the album. While still being top class, some of the later songs are somewhat more bland and traditional, only featuring vocals and acoustic guitar. The lyrics don't carry a big message, but they're poetic and full of sensitivity. Bob Dylan would probably give an arm and a leg for still being able to write songs of this class.
David Gray will hardly take the charts in storm, for that he would need a different name, a more interesting look, and some cheap effects. He's more likely to join the league of artists like Paul Brady, who mostly come from Ireland, Scotland or Wales, make some of the finest music, but still remain well kept secrets. But you can't claim that nobody told you this time: his name may be (David) Gray, but his music sparkles in all colors.
