In the early part of the new millennium a hero arose. He was a bobble-hatted loafer who happened to write amazing melodies and engaging lyrics. Damon Gough - AKA Badly Drawn Boy - was that man. He still is in fact.
In his first DVD, BDB - The Video Collection (released in 2004), Badly Drawn Boy's first three albums, plus preceding EP releases, are featured. Shown in reverse chronological order, like some musical Benjamin Button, the videos remind us just how talented Gough is and how commercially successful this period of his career was.
In the 'play all' format the DVD opens up with All Possibilities, showing BDB busking outside London's King's Cross Station. He made less than £14 for his shift but had the fallback of knowing that the song was his 8thtop 40 hit single.
Next follow two more songs from Have You Fed The Fish? - each showcasing Gough's songwriting flair. However, it was his first two albums where the real diamonds in his career lie. From the excellent soundtrack to About A Boy, starring Hugh Grant, the videos Something To Talk About and Silent Sigh are taken. Gough's star at the time is apparent through the appearances of Hugh Grant and the legendary Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley in the videos. The robotic, half-animated video for Silent Sigh matches perfectly with the piano/drums rhythm that underpins the entire tune.
A quartet of songs is taken from the Mercury Music Prize winning The Hour of Bewilderbeast. Joan Collins turns a beautiful trick in Spitting In The Wind as Gough shows her the way to love; smart-suit, bobble hat and all. The best video in the collection is Disillusion showing Gough running around Manhattan with a yellow taxi t-shirt and offering punters a co-carry around the streets. My experience of Manhattan suggests this would be a quicker way from A to B anyway.
There are four extra videos, with a personal favourite of mine in My Friend Cubilas and a trio of live performances.
BDB - The Video Collection is a fine testament to a fine talent. Gough's later career has floundered somewhat, but he is still an exceptional live performer with an equally exceptional back catalogue as evidenced in these videos.
James A. Stewart
Tracklist:
1. All Possibilities
2. Born Again
3. You Were Right
4. Something To Talk About
5. Silent Sigh
6. Spitting In The Wind
7. Disillusion
8. Another Pearl
9. Once Around The Block
10. It Came From The Ground
11. Road Movie
Extras:
12. My Friend Cubilas
13. The Further I Slide (live at the Glastonbury Festival 2002)
14. You Were Right (live in the living room)
15. Pissing In The Wind (live in the woods)
In his first DVD, BDB - The Video Collection (released in 2004), Badly Drawn Boy's first three albums, plus preceding EP releases, are featured. Shown in reverse chronological order, like some musical Benjamin Button, the videos remind us just how talented Gough is and how commercially successful this period of his career was.
In the 'play all' format the DVD opens up with All Possibilities, showing BDB busking outside London's King's Cross Station. He made less than £14 for his shift but had the fallback of knowing that the song was his 8thtop 40 hit single.
Next follow two more songs from Have You Fed The Fish? - each showcasing Gough's songwriting flair. However, it was his first two albums where the real diamonds in his career lie. From the excellent soundtrack to About A Boy, starring Hugh Grant, the videos Something To Talk About and Silent Sigh are taken. Gough's star at the time is apparent through the appearances of Hugh Grant and the legendary Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley in the videos. The robotic, half-animated video for Silent Sigh matches perfectly with the piano/drums rhythm that underpins the entire tune.
A quartet of songs is taken from the Mercury Music Prize winning The Hour of Bewilderbeast. Joan Collins turns a beautiful trick in Spitting In The Wind as Gough shows her the way to love; smart-suit, bobble hat and all. The best video in the collection is Disillusion showing Gough running around Manhattan with a yellow taxi t-shirt and offering punters a co-carry around the streets. My experience of Manhattan suggests this would be a quicker way from A to B anyway.
There are four extra videos, with a personal favourite of mine in My Friend Cubilas and a trio of live performances.
BDB - The Video Collection is a fine testament to a fine talent. Gough's later career has floundered somewhat, but he is still an exceptional live performer with an equally exceptional back catalogue as evidenced in these videos.
James A. Stewart
Tracklist:
1. All Possibilities
2. Born Again
3. You Were Right
4. Something To Talk About
5. Silent Sigh
6. Spitting In The Wind
7. Disillusion
8. Another Pearl
9. Once Around The Block
10. It Came From The Ground
11. Road Movie
Extras:
12. My Friend Cubilas
13. The Further I Slide (live at the Glastonbury Festival 2002)
14. You Were Right (live in the living room)
15. Pissing In The Wind (live in the woods)
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