Track Listing

1. Birds Without Wings
2. L's Song
3. Light
4. Shine
5. Brick Walls
6. Rice
7. Wisdom
8. Lovers
9. 4am
10. Coming Down

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81667 in Music
• Released on: 2001-07-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Amazon.co.uk Review
Fourth album White Ladder made him the household name of 2000, but for the majority of the 1990s--the years from which The EPs 92-94 was compiled--David Gray's sales record was disappointing at best. Eventually, after re-mortgaging his house and setting up his own label to release White Ladder, the Manchester-born singer would prove that perseverance and unwavering faith are the stuff of one million album sales. Unfortunately for Hut Records (home of The Verve, Gomez and Placebo) their supplies of both ran dry in 1995 after Gray's second album, Flesh, bombed. Having missed out on the main prize of White Ladder, Hut here capitalise on Gray's success with this collection of his first four singles and respective b-sides. There is, however, more to this than just exploiting fans. While not as instantly compelling as White Ladder's highlights, nor as heart-wrenching as his other rarities selection Lost Songs, there are some beautiful moments amongst the 10 acoustic laments. His pretend accent (part-Scottish, part-Welsh, all totally unconvincing) aside, "Birds Without Wings" is gorgeous, "L's Song" is tender and "Brick Walls" is classic singer-songwriter material. For completists, it's a must for the b-sides. For fans of breakthrough singles "Babylon" and "Please Forgive Me", it's a less attractive proposition as, apart from "The Rice" and "Wisdom", some of his melodies are so subtle they're almost not there. But like everything with Gray, perseverance is rewarded, eventually. --Dan Gennoe

Customer Reviews

A simple genius
I bought this album last week and it's still on my stereo. Previously I only had A New Day at Midnight and White Ladder, so I thought it was about time I started delving into Gray's back catalogue. You might expect this album to consist of filler tracks of B side quality - not so. They're all pretty amazing songs, all equally good, and you wouldn't really expect anything less from him. David Gray has a talent for not writing any duff songs, and if there were an album of all his B sides I would quite happily listen to it!

The simplicity of these tracks is what makes the album. They're not overloaded with layers of instruments; most of the time it's just Gray and his guitar. With his heartfelt lyrics and vocal style he manages to pull you into the music like very few artists can. It's a rare genius and this is another window for it - so buy it.

'A modern-day Shakespeare'
Until the success of David Gray's fourth LP 'WHITE LADDER' first released in 98, i had no idea who and what kind of music this 'David Gray' man wrote.. Ten years on from when he first arrived in London to record as a solo artist, David Gray has now emerged as a multi platinum phenomena!! Whilst epic songs such as 'babylon' 'please forgive me' and 'sail away' remain treasured in the nation's first point of contact mr Mr Gray-this album offers the very finest of his early works previously obscured. 'Shine' and 'birds without wings' demonstrate the quality and pure talent evident even before the platinum selling 'WHITE LADDER'. Songs such as 'Shine' and 'This year's love' featured as the soundtrack in David Kane's British drama 'This Year's love'in 1998-way before David Gray became a household name. Whilst the film itself provided nothing more than a low-budget gritty social drama, Mr Gray's unbelievable talent can be seen as a genuine rarity and the heartbreaking soundtrack makes the film a must see!!!
This album stands isolated from any other of his early works, providing a different sound to commercialised recordings. Whilst the album moves away from the acoustic songwriting of the 'LOST SONG' album, for me this 1992-4 compilation captures David Gray at his finest. Reviewed as one of the 'greatest lyricists' of all time combined with the subtle yet moving melodies makes this album a must have for any fan!!

Charming early work
This collection of early EP's highlight what David Gray is all about - raw, honest and extremely powerful songwriting. I have reviewed the A-sides elsehere, so I'll just focus on the B-sides on offer. The songs seem to fall into two groups - the simplistic and beautiful - 'L's song', 'Brick Walls', 'Lovers' and '4 AM' and the well-crafted, soaring anthems - 'The Light' and 'The Rice'. My favourite track on this collection, which should have been on debut album 'A Century Ends' let alone second album 'Flesh' (upon which it later turned up re-done) - is 'The Light' - a soaring anthem reminicent of a traditional irish folk song. I love this song, easily one of his best. 'The Rice' is likewise fantasic - superb lyrical work - talking of broccoli and fridges etc. Just SO charming and also, like 'Debauchery', on 'A Century Ends' quite erotic. This CD is yet another fine collection from Mr Gray. At this point in his career David was so prolific, writing incredible stuff. This collection of his early work is proof that he just doesn't write a bad song.