Badly Drawn Boy One Plus One is One
Damon Gough, better known as Badly Drawn Boy, doesn't seem to know what he wants to be. At times he sounds like the late Elliott Smith, while at other points he gets assistance on vocals from a children's choir. His latest, One Plus One is One, bounces from somber acoustic rock to poppy alternative cheese. Badly Drawn Boy is at his best with the latter, balancing his romantic lyrics with accompaniment that doesn't try to make too much out of something that's been said before. One Plus One is One may seem cliche to some. But if you watch the video for the album's first single, the cute and dreamy "Year of the Rat," you'll see that Badly Drawn Boy isn't an cliche. Instead, he's an earnest romantic. His album's not perfect. It's a bit too long, lagging at times. Length aside, though, One Plus One is One isn't fake, even though its title implies otherwise. Want a hug? Then open up and grab One Plus One is One. Badly Drawn Boy will hold on tight.
-- John Carroll
