User ratings in Music are temporarily disabled. More info
  • Record Label:
  • Release Date:
A New Day At Midnight Image
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

  • Summary: The English singer-songwriter finally returns with a follow-up to his 1999 breakthrough hit 'White Ladder.'

Top Track

Be Mine
From the very first moment I saw you That's when I knew All the dreams I held in my heart Had suddenly come true Knock me over stone cold sober Not... See the rest of the song lyrics
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. A New Day at Midnight is not White Ladder part 2, but it does bear certain similarities, namely emotional, beautiful music matched with equally beautiful lyrics, and, of course David Gray's unmistakable voice.
  2. ''Midnight'''s only drawback is its rinky-dink production, which, while less distracting than on ''White Ladder,'' is woefully inappropriate for such delicate, heartfelt music.
  3. Uncut
    80
    A dozen vivid and deeply personal songs.... Gray has made a record that anybody who cares about great songwriting should hear. [Dec 2002, p.130]
  4. While not much of a departure from the honed formula of 'White Ladder', much of 'A New Day At Midnight' opts to pare down that winning mix of gentle dance beats and piano even further, leaving Gray's gorgeous gutsy vocal to do more of the talking on his melancholy tales of love and loss.
  5. If you liked Gray before, you'll still like him now.
  6. Spin
    60
    A poor man's Aimee Mann. [Jan 2003, p.99]
  7. 40
    He lets the technology overwhelm the proceedings and all too often it is used in service of forgettable, substandard melodies.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. KarenS
    Mar 13, 2003
    10
    Where have you been all my life!! I saw/heard you first on the Saturday Early Show, & you are amazing. You did Other Side. I went straight Where have you been all my life!! I saw/heard you first on the Saturday Early Show, & you are amazing. You did Other Side. I went straight out & bought both your CDs. Now for the really funny part; I'm 58 yrs. old. Sober in AA 131/2 yrs. Your lyrics speak to me. Yes, you are amazing, across the generation gap...A New Day At Midnight...One Day At A Time Thank you David....thank you so very much...karen Collapse
  2. Feb 26, 2022
    10
    My favorite album of his and the one I have the deepest connection with and one which I return to again and again and sing along with on everyMy favorite album of his and the one I have the deepest connection with and one which I return to again and again and sing along with on every song. I love White Ladder too but this one edges out that one imo. I knew from the first listen too. Expand
  3. SteveA
    Nov 27, 2002
    9
    Outstanding album and up there with White Ladder. Gray has the knack of getting his atmospheric music and haunting melodies under your skin.
  4. buzz
    Apr 11, 2003
    8
    I think I own all of David Gray's CDs, expert, nooooo. The lyrics as always set him apart from the rest. His voice, wonderful, but, I think I own all of David Gray's CDs, expert, nooooo. The lyrics as always set him apart from the rest. His voice, wonderful, but, where is your accent that I have always loved to hear. I like his words, his music, and the sound. Even if this one isn't my favourite David Gray CD, David Gray is still my favourite singer song writer. Expand
  5. Jan 13, 2016
    7
    Some people said Gray attempted to make White Ladder II with this record but I don't think that's the case. A New Day At Midnight is one ofSome people said Gray attempted to make White Ladder II with this record but I don't think that's the case. A New Day At Midnight is one of David Gray's most upbeat records when taken as a whole, especially when compared to this record's predecessor. There are plenty of nice singalong tunes present and it's an appealling listen a couple of times around, however it lacks the heart and soul of White Ladder and the more you go back to it, the less it tends to give back. While the songs are decent, too often they are overproduced with too much unecessary background work happening, taking away from the more stripped down style he had previously employed to show off the strength of his song writing. While everything came together perfectly for Gray to make the excellent "White Ladder", "A New Day At Midnight" is more indicative of Gray's work in general, good but not quite brilliant. Expand