One Plus One Is One

---

---

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
In IOne Plus One Is One/I, lovable, romantic, woolly-hat-clad eccentric Damon Gough has produced his best album since he beat Coldplay to Mercury Music Prize winning glory with his debut (IThe Hour of the Bewilderbeast/I). With Badly Drawn Boy shunning LA in favour of a Manchester studio and with Andy Votel back at the production helm IOne Plus One/I is a wry, self-mocking and exquisitely personal album that finds Gough re-evaluating the sudden fame that found him working with Joan Collins, recording soundtracks and residing in California. p The opening title track sets the mood with Gough exhaustedly intoning "Back to being who I was before/ Open up your door/ Give me some peace/ Hold me now/ Everybody is waiting outside." Other highlights include the playfully clumsy rhythms of "Four Leaf Clover" and the epic and ingenious "Holy Grail", the latter coming complete with weaving flute, children's choir, pounding piano and lyrics able to break a heart at half a listen. Charming, dishevelled and unpretentious throughout, IOne Plus One Is One/I is a superb comeback that will warm the hearts and delight the ears of his loyal fan base. I--Christopher Barrett/I

---

Customer reviews

review by: adamdrobinson date: 2007-01-22 rating:
It Needs Some Time...
If i were looking for instant gratification from an album, then I would probably have reviewed this 2 or 3 stars...but I wanted to stick with it and, after 5 listens, i can honestly say this album really grows on you and gets under your skin, songs such as Another Devil Dies and This Is That New Song, they really get inside you. It's a great album, but please please give it a few listens if it doesn't grab you at first...it'll be worth it!

---

review by: date: 2006-08-10 rating:
What a little Gem!!
I got this album quite a time ago, since then i have loaded it onto my MP3 player as i have done with all my CD's. Remembering that i didnt really like it when i first heard it, I was amazed when i was on the train the other day and thought i would give it a go. I have not stopped playing it since then! Its uplifting yet relaxing, great lyrics with some great instrumental! I would advise you to buy it, and give it a chance...I didnt to start with and now regret it! A true gem of a find!

---

review by: davemendoza date: 2005-05-09 rating:
Peace, love and......jazz flute!!!
This will never be regarded as a great album, and clearly lacks the coolness and mysticality of Bewilderbeast, but it does mark a significant return to form for Damon Gough. Judging by some of the lyrics in this album, and various past interviews, BDB himself felt his music and perhaps his professional life was lacking direction. As he sings in the title track 'Its time to close the doors on myself...As the past becomes the future it gets clearer that it still boils down to love and peace.' Love and peace is really what the album itself boils down to. It is full of uplifting lyrics like in 'Another Devil Dies' and 'Year of the Rat,' which both somehow inspire you to be a better person. pGough has really gone back to doing what he is best at - writing simple tunes with great lyrics. Whilst the songs themselves are catchy and decent without being brilliant, there is a lyrical maturity reminiscent of the incredible 'You were right' that was never too evident in Gough's earlier work. He manages to say some pretty wise and even profound things without sounding in any way forced or condescending. What really shines through in this album is what a nice bloke Damon Gough has managed to remain throughout his rise to fame. He's totally comfortable with himself and the music he's producing - who else is cool enough to have children singing on two tracks on the same album and get away with it?! Not Cliff Richard, and certainly not Michael Jackson...pBadly Drawn Boy simply doesn't make bad music, and anyone calling themself a fan should definitely add this to their collection. There are 5 or 6 good songs, and lyrics that really make you listen. For any fans of Anchorman, there is even a dashing of Burgundy-esque jazz flute. What more could you ask for?!

---

review by: rock_star737 date: 2004-09-15 rating:
Simply put...Woooooooowwwww!!
Well where do I begin. I bought this album since im already a big fan and have The Hour of the Bewilderbeast and Have You Fed the Fish? which I loved and listened to for months on end. So when i put this cd in my stereo I was expecting nirvana... I listened and listened but by the time I got to half the album i couldnt take anymore...what on earth is this?...this was rubbish...it made no sense to me at all. I said to myself "thats it, damons lost the magic"pFortunately two nights later i couldnt get to sleep so at 1.00am i went outside and sat down on my balcony in the night and since i had nothing to do i thought id give One plus Pne is One another spin. For the next hour i just couldnt believe the music i was hearing..this was incredible. Every single track had something new...a surprise...it was like watching a great movie.pOne plus one is one is an album that needs to b listened to fully and with attention to b truly appreciated. The songs are literally..and i mean this...magical. From easy love to the year of the rat to four leaf clovers to holy grail every song is enchanting.pTo me One plus One is One is the Moulin Rouge all crammed in a pub in the middle of an enchanted forest, filled with anything one could possibly imagine...from fairies to beer, from jazz to classical, from Angels to Demons, from fiction to factual..there is something truly time capsulating about this album. Its not now, its not the future, its not the past...its forever.pHowever b4 i tell u to go buy this album u require two important things otherwise i guarantee u, u wont like any of the songs....requirement 1 a pair of ears and requirement 2 a brain. unfortunately most ppl dont have these requirements. if u are one of the few that posseses such blessings use ur money wisely and by this masterpiece.


review by: date: 2004-08-26 rating:
Great Album
I must admit that I am new to BDB but the moment I started listening to this album I really loved it. I especially liked "Easy Love", "Summertime In Winter", "Another Devil Dies", "Year of the Rat", and "Fewer Words". Hell to be honest I loved them all and I will buy all his other albums.pJust a word of advice to people who like to complain, please go listen to an album before you buy it. It is usually what intelligent people do. You may want to write that down in case you forget. Anyway I think people should appreciate someone who hasn't been corrupted buy the music industry. I believe this is someone who is totally original, which is something of a novelty these days.

---

Similar products

Have You Fed the Fish?
The Hour of Bewilderbeast
Born in the U.K.
About A Boy
Born in the U.K.

---

Similar categories

Music . Styles . Pop . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Pop . General AAS
Music . Styles . Indie . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Indie . British
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Singer-songwriters
Music . Styles . Adult Contemporary . Pop Rock
Music . Substores . Regular Stores . Artist Pages Filter Nodes . Main Albums
Music . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . CD . CD Album

---