He has a band. He's just chosen, purposely, to record the album very sparse and barren, but not in the traditional way most singer-songwriters do. Seeing drummer Clune play live is an experience, as he's not only a great drummer, he's quite a character as well. But playing along with a well-programmed drum machine is perfectly fine and provides a beautiful counterpoint to his piano and guitar-strumming - in other words, there's a reason for this, you know? Listen to the lyrics, he's illustrating his desperation and desolation with something musically equal. It's a rarity these days - a near-perfect album, and thank-freakin-God it actually has some personality and grit beyond what most singer-songwriters today offer. Too bad you're hung up on the lack of "real" drums. That kind of closed-mindedness keeps lots of quality things out of people's lives. I bet that, if you like the songs as much as you say you do, after a half-dozen times through you'll realize how meaningless your complaints about the lack of "real" instuments really is.

Bob Dylan? I'm not sure what album you were listening to. But perhaps that's not such a bad thing since Dylan is consistently overrated by the lamoids of the world.

"Please Forgive Me" is the real gem on that album. I hate David Gray's soft-rock cheeseball fans. He's alright, though, for the 2 solid singles off that album.

TWO solid singles? There is only ONE solid single off that Album and it is "This years love". Everything else is like all the others he has on his 3 previous records. He is a complete killjoy. Only other one I can listen to if I am on meltdown from a hangover is "Please forgive me".

This is the sort of record you slot in when you have decided to slit your wrists but have lost the courage. Put on David Gray and you will be going at your wrists like you are chopping onions. Never heard someone so morose. I am not crazy about Dylan either. The only reason people mention him is because in a world of attractive people, there he is, very unattractive, always looking unkempt, and you've never seen a sadder looking man until you've seen Bob. So these confused souls think he is a tortured soul and in their opinion that automatically makes him a genius singer/songwriter.

If Gray is what qualifies as credible music in the eyes of some, these days, it's no wonder the world is at War. What reaction is this sort of music supposed to get? What emotion am I supposed to feel after sitting through a David Gray Album? I have the single "This years love"..that's about it.

If a band is going to add some life into his music, then he should get a band. I don't know whose "bright" idea it was to play already dirge like tracks with even worse backing beats but it was a terrible concept. The question of quality barely arises because the thing is unlistenable.

Re, drumming in David Gray songs, my copy of the CD "White ladder" has a live excerpt of "Please Forgive Me" where that 'drum machine' is actually a real live drummer..amazing to watch him play at such a speedy pace. But I also like a big drum sound too...Phil Collins used to be good at those but haven't heard him do that for a LONG time..I wonder if that was because of his hand injury in the 90's? Oh welll...