Presented to an artist who releases during the eligibility year (Oct. 1, 2004-Sept. 30, 2005) the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist.
JAMES BLUNT
Eligible Work: "Back to Bedlam (Custard/Atlantic)
Billboard Album Review- Back to Bedlam- October 08, 2005: British singer/ songwriter James Blunt has come a long way since his days of driving an armored tank as part of the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo. A smash in his homeland, "Back to Bedlam" is poised to repeat the process on this side of the Atlantic. Lead single "You're Beautiful" is being championed at AC and adult top 40, but the song is only one of 10 high points here. With deft songwriting and an at-times quavering falsetto, Blunt proudly stands somewhere between Leo Sayer and Elton John. Themes of love ("High"), friendship ("Cry") and war ("No Bravery") ring true. Though of a decidedly different sensibility, "Back to Bedlam" is as powerful in its own way as Tracy Chapman's 1988 self-titled debut and Alanis Morissette's 1995 set, "Jagged Little Pill."
