Back to Bedlam (by James Blunt, Alternative Rock)

His falsetto warble sounds a little odd, and he's all-ballad, all-the-time, but there's something magical and intriguing about James Blunt's debut CD, BACK TO BEDLAM. A former British soldier who traded in his gun for a guitar, Blunt has been storming the English pop charts, and is now gunning for popularity in the U.S. as well. He takes a poetic but strong anti-war stance on songs like "No Bravery" ("There are children standing here/Arms outstretched into the sky/Tears drying on their face/He has been here/Brothers lie in shallow graves/Fathers lost without a trace/A nation blind to their disgrace/Since he's been here"), inspired by his time stationed in Kosovo and Bosnia.

These are songs that kind of sneak under your skin, and get you when you're not looking. Mostly about the angst of imperfect love, they showcase the artist's unusual voice with spare arrangements heavy on acoustic guitar. The production and vocals are so sincere and sweet that it's positively jarring to hear an occasional four-letter word in the lyrics. Still, teens and adults will have fun losing themselves in James Blunt's visual and evocative lyrics.

Released on: October 4, 2005
Label: Atlantic
Genre: Alternative Rock
Parental advisory: Yes