September 21–28, 2000

critic pick|rock/pop

David Gray

He’s not necessarily a great singer, but rather a singer with great feeling. Throughout his acclaimed fourth album, White Ladder, Welsh-born, Dublin-based David Gray takes the listener on an intensely personal ride through his often-tortured psyche, complete with references to "drunken gibberish" and exclamations like "for crying out loud!" Through it all, Gray’s impassioned, deliberate vocals — wrapped around lyrics dealing with everything from poverty to romantic regret — come at you with a gale force of emotion. While folk-based, the tunes on White Ladder are also laced with sweeping keyboards, groove-minded electronic drums and the flourish of strings. All the better to emote to, my dear.

—Nicole Pensiero

With Five for Fighting, Fri., Sept. 22, 8:30 p.m., $19.50, Electric Factory, 7th and Willow St., on Fri., Sept. 22, 215-338-9000.