Review by Dan:

Debut album from singer/songwriter James Blunt, and after the first listen I had to check that it this was the album anyone and everyone has been raving about. Some detailed research confirmed that it was, and I listened some more. What’s all the fuss about? Maybe I’m majorly missing something – “So Long Jimmy” has a good beat, as does the chilled “Wisemen”, and the range of notes Blunt hits throughout the album is impressive. However, that’s where the praise from me ends. “High” and “You’re Beautiful” are very weak, “Goodbye My Lover”, with its pseudo Bee Gees opening is, frankly, boring and, although “Cry” begins like Sting’s “Fragile”, that’s where the similarities stop. If you’ve got some spare cash, and fancy some relaxing crooner music, my advice would be to go for some Jack Johnson, or even Jamie Cullum.