Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: James Blunt (12-string guitar); Malcolm Moore (acoustic guitar); Ben Castle (12-string guitar); Suzie Katayama (strings); Mr. Nau (piano); Paul Beard (Hammond b-3 organ); Karl Brazil (drums). |  | James Blunt's 2005 debut, BACK TO BEDLAM, was a surprise runaway hit, and reminded the public that there was still plenty of room on the pop charts for pretty, heartfelt, singer-songwriter fare. Blunt's sophomore effort, ALL THE LOST SOULS, doesn't find him branching out exactly, but rather refining the formula that made BEDLAM such a success. Here Blunt's sharp songwriting, earnest lyrics, and fragile, expressive vocals come across stronger than ever, striking the perfect balance between wistful melancholia and sweet pop accessibility. |  | Overseen by producer Tom Rothrock (who also worked on BEDLAM), ALL THE LOST SOULS has a sleek, crisp sound that still manages to heighten the intimacy of the tunes. "1973," the album's first single, is a case in point. With its breezy, soft-rock sound, the song could have easily been a radio hit from the year it describes, but the familiarity is endearing, and sets the tone for the rest of the disc. In fact, the album--with its introspection, emotiveness, and guitar and piano-driven songwriting--fits neatly into the style pioneered by such '70s artists as James Taylor, which should please all folk and pop fans, whether they were born before 1973 or after. | Producer: Tom Rothrock | Engineer: Mike Tarantino; Sam Holland |
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