In 1996, The Fugees set the whole urban blues thing in motion with The Score. With a work of such stark emotional beauty, Blake has picked up the torch once again with Overgrown.
The object of his lamentations is conveniently out of reach, hence the constant cat-and-mouse game between enunciation and melisma. When Blake sees fit to loop a phrase or attempt a chorus, the undertaking breaks down under its own weight.
holy crap. James Blake really out did himself on this one. Absolutely amazing, loved how he is able to take simple melodies and evolve themholy crap. James Blake really out did himself on this one. Absolutely amazing, loved how he is able to take simple melodies and evolve them into something grandiose.…Expand
Oh good Lord the soul crushing beauty of the tracks 'Overgrown' and 'Retrograde' are enough to earn this album a space in the Top Ten AlbumsOh good Lord the soul crushing beauty of the tracks 'Overgrown' and 'Retrograde' are enough to earn this album a space in the Top Ten Albums of the Year on their own. Thankfully though they are nestled in a dark, glistening concoction of yet more of Blake's soul oozing masterpieces. 'Overgrown' sounds like a journey underground. You never know where you're gonna surface or how deep you're going to go. Blake steers you through the labyrinth of his creation, depositing you reluctantly back in real life at the end of it. 'Digital Lion' has been played on my iPod multiple times daily since it's release.…Collapse
This album sounds so good in a way that I can't explain and James control his vocals with attitude. Here's my favorite's top 5:
1 -This album sounds so good in a way that I can't explain and James control his vocals with attitude. Here's my favorite's top 5:
1 - Retrograde
2 - Overgrown
3 - Life Round Here
4 - Voyeur
5 - I Am Sold…Expand
Overgrown contains some of his best work to date. Pushing back the experimentation from his Self-Titled & dub from his EP's. he marchesOvergrown contains some of his best work to date. Pushing back the experimentation from his Self-Titled & dub from his EP's. he marches forward with his production & songwriting, both are getting stronger, resulting in an amazing follow-up, probably containing some of his most well-crafted tracks in his career.…Expand
James Blake is an artist coming out of his shell. Originally he didn't even like his singing voice, but release by release his vocals haveJames Blake is an artist coming out of his shell. Originally he didn't even like his singing voice, but release by release his vocals have become more and more the core fragment of his synthesis, and all the better for it. Expanding on his song-writing and knack for strong vocal melodies, and pushing his production back into the form of restrained beats, which elevate his vocal ability to a higher level, Overgrown is a refinement in every aspect of his debut LP, and a bold step into the realm of more traditional song structures. It is therefore warmer and more accessible than his previous work, which should hopefully earn a fair few fans before taking off into electronic experimentation, carrying his fans along with him.…Expand
The charming prince of quiet is back with his sophomore album, "Overgrown". Taking more soulful approach without sacrificing the essentialThe charming prince of quiet is back with his sophomore album, "Overgrown". Taking more soulful approach without sacrificing the essential post-dubstep elements that makes his debut album special, James have certainly leveled up. Highlight tracks: Retrograde, Overgrown, I am Sold, Dlm…Expand
This is a rather odd album. From the snippets, I wasn't expecting it to be so electronic based. Turns out that James Blake is actually quiteThis is a rather odd album. From the snippets, I wasn't expecting it to be so electronic based. Turns out that James Blake is actually quite into experimenting with dubstep and various electronic arrangements. Problem is, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. The tracks Life Round Here, Digital Lion and Voyeur were examples of how it was rather grating, but the other 8 tracks are much more appealing, although I struggled to find anything that was better than "ok."…Expand