BlueHammer85
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White Ladder is the fourth studio album by English folk singer-songwriter David Gray. It was first released in November 1998 through Gray's own record label, IHT Records, but failed to chart. On 1 May 2000, the album was re-released by Dave Matthews' label ATO Records and debuted at number 69 on the UK Albums Chart, before climbing to number one on 5 August 2001, more than a year later. White Ladder produced five singles, including the hit "Babylon", which ignited interest in the album and shot Gray to worldwide fame. Other singles released from the album were "This Year's Love", "Please Forgive Me", "Sail Away" and "Say Hello Wave Goodbye".
White Ladder spent almost three consecutive years in the UK top 100, charting between May 2000 and March 2003. Its total charting time as of 2015 is 175 weeks, making it one of the longest-charting albums in UK chart history. It was massively successful in Ireland, where it spent six consecutive weeks at number one on the Irish Albums Chart and had sold 350,000 copies by 2002. It is currently the biggest selling album of all time in Ireland. White Ladder was the fifth best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK, selling 2.9 million copies. White Ladder has sold over 3 million copies in the UK, making it the eighth best-selling album of the 21st century and the 26th best-selling album of all time.The album has also sold over 7 million copies worldwide
1. Please Forgive Me
2. Babylon
3. My Oh My
4. We'Re Not Right
5. Nightblindness
6. Silver Lining
7. White Ladder
8. This Years Love
9. Sail Away
10. "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye"
Review 163
The 3rd David Gray album to be reviewed and this one, his huge breakthrough - Much more pop orientated than his previous acoustic work yet still produces some graceful, heartfelt music which manages to capture his folk sound - It is a relaxed album with few high tempo songs, his biggest ever hit 'Babylon' probably the most upbeat, 'Please forgive Me' is a really nice track to open the album with and kind of sets the pace, slow, haunting and lyrically very good - 'White Ladder' does lack variety and is dull in places (especially the last 2 tracks) I do have a softer spot to his earlier acoustic albums but overall this is good and a well deserved breakthrough for the talented David Gray.
7.3/10