In Your Bright Ray
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = In Your Bright Ray
| type = studio
| artist = Grant McLennan
| cover = bright ray.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1997
| recorded = Paradise Studios, Sydney, December 1996
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Alternative rock
| length = 50:06
| label = Cortex, Beggars Banquet
| producer = Wayne Connolly
| prev_title = Horsebreaker Star
| prev_year = 1994
| next_title = Intermission
| next_year = 2007
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-your-bright-ray-mw0000596293|title=In Your Bright Ray - Grant McLennan | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|via=www.allmusic.com}}
|rev2 = Robert Christgau
|rev2score = {{Rating-Christgau|neither}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist2.php?id=537|title=Robert Christgau: CG: Artist 537|website=www.robertchristgau.com}}
|rev3 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
|rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=5 |page=664}}
|rev4 = Entertainment Weekly
|rev4score = B+{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/1997/10/03/your-bright-ray/|title=In Your Bright Ray|website=EW.com}}
|rev5 = MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
|rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1999 |publisher=Visible Ink Press |page=738}}
}}
In Your Bright Ray is the fourth and final solo album, released in 1997, by Grant McLennan.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/grant-mclennan-mn0000661443/biography|title=Grant McLennan | Biography & History|website=AllMusic}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ctjc6UWCm4C&q=grant+mclennan+in+your+bright+ray&pg=PA430|title=The Rough Guide to Rock|first=Peter|last=Buckley|date=November 18, 2003|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=9781843531050|via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/grant-mclennan-z67l80d22bv|title=Grant McLennan|first=February 12, 1958-|last=May 6, 2006|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}
The album features Brett Myers of Died Pretty and Wayne Connolly of Knievel on guitars, Maurice Argiro of Underground Lovers on bass, and Tim Powles of The Church on drums.
Critical reception
AllMusic wrote: "With a top-notch backing group teasing all the little subtleties that a fan of crafted, gilded, lovely pop could want and McLennan's increasingly wizened, becalmed vocals, the mix of sounds and McLennan's marvelously well-developed material radiates, sparkles, and snaps, crackles, and pops with all his strengths and then some." Trouser Press called the album "pleasant and expertly executed," writing that it "offers little in the way of standouts."{{cite web |title=G.W. McLennan |url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/g-w-mclennan/ |website=Trouser Press |accessdate=18 November 2020}} CMJ New Music Monthly called the album "McLennan's least immediate offering," writing that "whatever additional concentration is required to appreciate its charms is amply rewarded with a deepened appreciation of his artistry."{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pCkEAAAAMBAJ&q=grant+mclennan+in+your+bright+ray&pg=PA47|title=Reviews|work=CMJ New Music Monthly|date=November 18, 1997|publisher=CMJ Network, Inc.|via=Google Books}}
Track listing
All words and music by Grant McLennan.
- "In Your Bright Ray" – 4:59
- "Cave In" – 3:34
- "One Plus One" – 2:59
- "Sea Breeze" – 3:49
- "Malibu 69" – 4:46
- "Who Said Love Was Dead" – 3:02
- "Room For Skin" – 3:11
- "All Them Pretty Angels"– 3:32
- "Comet Scar" – 3:38
- "Down Here" – 5:06
- "Lamp By Lamp" – 3:11
- "Do You See the Lights?" – 4:54
- "The Parade of Shadows" – 3:25
Personnel
- Grant McLennan – guitar, vocals
- Brett Myers – guitar, vocals
- Wayne Connolly – guitar, organ, vocals
- Maurice Argiro – bass
- Tim Powles – drums