Gray lines up the poetry

Poetry, pure poetry.

On his seventh studio album, “Draw the Line,” singer-songwriter David Gray couples poetic lyrics with sweet melodies for a wonderful collection of love ballads and exasperated critiques.

The crooning Brit, who paved the way for the likes of James Blunt, demonstrates the power of the singer-songwriter on this lyrically driven album. “Draw the Line” is full of hushed pleas and gentle melodies, both of which will leave you begging for more, but the real treat is the words.

Lyrically, the ballads “Kathleen” and “Harder” top the list, and if for no reason other than its change in tempo, “Jackdaw” is also definitely a standout track.
“Breathe” and “Fugitive” exasperate the state of today’s post-Iraq and economically unstable society with lines like “Crouched in a hole like a mud-streaked fugitive,” a reference to Saddam Hussein himself.

Overall, the gentle melodies and Gray’s calming voice make “Draw the Line” great background music, but to recognize the album’s true genius requires a more active listening experience.