White Ladder David Gray ATO Records, 2000   Buy it online Tracks 1: Please Forgive Me 2: Babylon 3: My Oh My 4: We're Not Right 5: Nightblindness 6: Silver Lining 7: White Ladder 8: This Years Love 9: Sail Away 10: Say Hello Wave Goodbye 11: Babylon II   Reviewed by David Middleton	The old Bauhaus (school of design, not the band) axiom "Less is more" could not be more fitting of David Gray's latest release White Ladder. In a climate where a myriad of performers are looking to add more -- more instrumentation, more overdubs and slicker production -- it's refreshing to hear an approach that gives the lobes a welcome break. Simplicity fairly oozes from White Ladder's grooves. Though no traffic sounds are evident and the home-recorded quality is practically nonexistent, Gray's PR material nonetheless claims that White Ladder was "self-financed and recorded in a London flat with the windows open and the trucks rumbling past." This no doubt adds to the air of understatement and austerity that marks the majority of White Ladder's songs. "We were making a home recording and it had grown into something that I thought was worthy of putting on a record. We had a few things and it started to look like a record... it wasn't as magnificent technically as it could be but I didn't, you know, give a shit about that kind of thing and I never have done. On the old recordings that I like listening to, there's mistakes and funny sounds all over the place; they're not technically perfect things. Despite David Gray's statement about not being "magnificently technical," you can't help but appreciate the craftsmanship he gives each song and, regardless of the production, White Ladder surpassed my expectations. In fact it's just this sort of spartan result that lends Gray's songs more depth and emotion than any amount of post-production knob twiddling and sound board fiddling could hope to add. White Ladder is the kind of album that sneaks up on you. While you'll probably like it on the first pass, it's upon subsequent listenings you become drawn more into Gray's gentle, folksy style. Guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and some not too in-your-face dance and ambient beats make up the simple symphony of White Ladder. Mostly though, its David Gray's voice that shines. Though you wouldn't call him a stellar vocalist, his voice, slightly nasal, has a rough and warm tone about it. White Ladder is an enhanced CD, which means not only do we get to enjoy the music we also get to see -- for those who have the technology -- Gray in action. A biography, a few Web links and a QuickTime movie -- five minutes of which, we get an interview with Gray and the remaining time a live and in concert version of "Please Forgive Me" -- are the extent of the enhancement. In the 12 minute "documentary" we see Gray backstage and onstage in an unassuming wardrobe of simple baggy pants, white shirt and faded and frayed denim jacket. No spandex and tassels, mousse and makeup or dancers and flash pots adorn Gray's stage. Though his drummer, co-writer and co-producer -- simply acknowledged as McClune on the album's liner notes -- is naked from the waist up. Not exactly Britney Spears-sheds-her-foundation-garments-tabloid-type fodder. Straight forward and simple seems to be Gray's motto. White Ladder is David Gray's fourth album and was originally released in the UK under Gray's own independent label IHO in November of 1998. Having gone #1 on Irish charts and five times platinum, was picked up and released in North America by ATO (According To Our) Records started by longtime fan Dave Matthews. Says Matthews of Gray: "David is one of my absolute favorite artists -- beautiful in the purest and most honest way." I couldn't agree more. | January 2001   David Middleton is the art director of Blue Coupe magazine and though some wonder about his IQ, he still maintains that "Simple" is not his middle name.	White Ladder is the kind of album that sneaks up on you. While you'll probably like it on the first pass, it's upon subsequent listenings you become drawn more into Gray's gentle, folksy style. Guitar, bass, keyboards, drums and some not too in-your-face dance and ambient beats make up the simple symphony of White Ladder.