David Gray
Poppy but infectious and different - David Gray rose to fame for his "White Ladder" album which was home recorded and was finished long before anyone had ever heard of it.
David Gray
Biography
David Gray was born in Manchester but spent most of his childhood in Wales. He dabbled in punk during his career at university. After graduating, he headed to London to try and get a record deal - and succeded in 1992, releasing his first single Birds Without Wings. The album, A Century Ends followed in 1993.
It was in Ireland that he first built up a large following, and this finally seems to have translated to the UK in the very late 90's. He built up a reputation as a great live act - helped, I'm sure, by the band's more-than-slightly-manic drummer.
White Ladder hit the Irish charts big-time. It was completely home-recorded, in a London flat with traffic roaring past. He released it on his own label IHT. Another cue for success was the film This Year's Love - the title track for that appears on White Ladder, and four other of his songs featured on the film.
The subsequent album, A New Day at Midnight has also done well. It's a bit mellower than White Ladder but well worth getting hold of.
And the latest David Gray album, Life in Slow Motion, has just been made available (see links to the left).
Official site