Ed Harcourt - The Beautiful Lie (rel.2006)

Front Cover	Album Info
	Artist/Composer Ed Harcourt Title The Beautiful Lie Length 54:50 Discs: 1 Tracks: 14 Format HQ 192+ kbps Packaging Jewel Case Label EMI Int'l Cat. Number 364203 Style Alternative Rock Rating N/A

Track list

01 Whirlwind in D Minor 03:59 02 Visit from the Dead Dog 03:03 03 You Only Call Me When You're Drunk 04:29 04 The Last Cigarette 03:32 05 Shadowboxing 03:22 06 Late Night Partner 04:38 07 Revolution in the Heart 04:22 08 Until Tomorrow Then 03:58 09 Scatterbraine 02:48 10 Rain on the Pretty Ones 04:20 11 The Pristine Claw 03:21 12 I am the Drug 03:33 13 Braille 05:33 14 Good Friends are Hard to Find 03:52

Notes

AMG Review by Tim DiGravina (4 1/2): Ed Harcourt's accomplished fifth album Beautiful Lie is easily one of his most accessible and listenable efforts. Yes, the hallmarks of his tortured singer/songwriter status are still in place, as flagrant strings, grandiose arrangements, and rampant-but-quality peer-mimicry rule these 14 tracks. But even though his lyrics are sometimes overbearingly dark and too many vampire metaphors abound, the music and songwriting compare favorably to contemporary indie-centric, raspy-voiced artists like Beck, the Eels, Sparklehorse, and Tom Waits. Harcourt dabbles in many genres here, from acoustic folk to '70s style pop ballads to rootsy psychedelia to experimental lounge, all the while rooting the music's emotion in melodic piano. When he rocks out full-force on "Revolution in My Heart" and the carnival-esque "Scatterbrain," the fuzzy dynamics recall the Walkmen at their best. Those two tracks bookend the Mark Linkous-like "Until Tomorrow Then" which marries blues-styled singing with grainy, haunted samples suggestive of a gramophone. Harcourt's mastery of so many styles and his multi-instrumentalist talents might be what's made him a niche artist up to Beautiful Lie's release. With so much going on stylistically, it can be hard to grasp his albums as cohesive entities. It's a shame, but because of Harcourt's eclecticism, it's hard to pin him down as having a distinct sound. He's almost too talented. But Beautiful Lie is an invigorating and frequently gorgeous affair, essential for old fans and a good place to start for newcomers. Credits: Leo Abrahams Guitar, String Arrangements, Guitar (Baritone) Laura Anstee Cello Johan Berthling String Arrangements, Woodwind Arrangement Fiona Brice String Arrangements Ane Brun Vocals (bckgr) Gillon Cameron Violin B.J. Cole Pedal Steel Graham Coxon Guitar Cameron Craig Engineer, Mixing Dave Emery Assistant Engineer Angela Gannon Vocals (bckgr) Hadrian Garrard Trumpet Steve Gullick Design Jari Haapalainen Percussion, Drums, Producer, Shaker Ed Harcourt Organ, Bass, Guitar, Piano, Guitar (Electric), Organ (Hammond), Bells, Producer, Spanish Guitar, Music Box, Casio, Optigan, Synthesizer Strings Sally Jackson Violin Ellekari Larsson Vocals (bckgr) Linus Larsson Engineer, Mixing, Overdub Engineer Jesse Murphy Violin Anna Rodell Violin Johan Rude Engineer Lisa Rydell Violin Andy Savours Mixing, Mixing Assistant Jeremy Stacey Drums Ellie Stanford Violin Michele Stodart Vocals (bckgr) Romeo Stodart Vocals (bckgr) Leo Svensson Cello Dimitri Tikovoi Drums Ed Turner Engineer Anna Wallgren Cello Jenny Wilson Vocals (bckgr)