Life in Slow Motion
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Life in Slow Motion
| type = Studio
| artist = David Gray
| cover = LifeInSlowMotion.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{startdate|2005|9|12|df=yes}}
| recorded = June 2004–June 2005
| studio =
| genre = Folk rock
| length = 44:31
| label =
| producer =
- Marius de Vries
- David Gray
- Iestyn Polson
- Craig McClune
- Rob Malone
| prev_title = A New Day at Midnight
| prev_year = 2002
| next_title = Shine: The Best of the Early Years
| next_year = 2007
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Life in Slow Motion
| type = studio
| single1 = The One I Love
| single1date = 29 August 2005
| single2 = Hospital Food
| single2date = 28 November 2005
| single3 = Alibi
| single3date = 27 March 2006
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r786867 |pure_url=yes}} |title=AllMusic review |publisher=AllMusic |date=13 September 2005 |accessdate=18 August 2012}}
| rev2 = Music Box
| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|author=John Metzger |url=http://www.musicbox-online.com/dgr-slow.html |title=Music Box review |website=Musicbox-online.com |accessdate=18 August 2012}}
| rev3 = PopMatters
| rev4 = Slant Magazine
| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=647 |title=Slant Magazine review |website=Slant Magazine |accessdate=18 August 2012}}
}}
Life in Slow Motion is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter David Gray, released on 12 September 2005 in Europe and on the following day in the United States. Following a muted response to his previous album, A New Day at Midnight, the album was seen by some as a return to the form that brought Gray international acclaim with White Ladder; it was also the last album recorded with longtime collaborator Craig McClune.
Gray cited Sigur Rós, Sparklehorse, Lucinda Williams, Björk and Mercury Rev as inspirations for the album. The album was Gray's first to use a cello player.{{cite web|url=http://www.varsity.co.nz/content/view/384/78/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028073929/http://www.varsity.co.nz/content/view/384/78/ |archivedate=28 October 2008 |title=Varsity.co.nz – THE INTERVIEW: David Gray |website=Varsity.co.nz |date=28 October 2008 |accessdate=18 August 2012}} The original choice to produce was Daniel Lanois, but he was booked, so Gray ended up using Marius de Vries, who'd produced Gray's hit single "Sail Away."{{cite web|author=Jane Stevenson |url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gray_David/2005/09/10/1211494.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709063809/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gray_David/2005/09/10/1211494.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=9 July 2012 |title=CANOE – JAM! Music – Artists – Gray, David : Exclusive interview with David Gray |website=Jam.canoe.ca |accessdate=28 February 2012}}
The three singles from the album were "The One I Love", "Hospital Food", and "Alibi". The album was also released on DualDisc format, which included a documentary of the making of the album, a photo gallery, and complete lyrics on the DVD side of the disc.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Life-Slow-Motion-David-Gray/dp/B000AOENJA |title=Life in Slow Motion: David Gray: Music |publisher=Amazon |accessdate=28 February 2012}}
The non-DualDisc CD of the album was one of many titles released with the infamous MediaMax CD-3 copyright protection system.
Chart and sales figures
Life in Slow Motion debuted at No. 1 on the Irish Albums Chart, staying for three weeks at the top before dropping to No. 4. In the United Kingdom a week after release in Ireland, it debuted also at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, spending two weeks at No. 1 before dropping to #3; it spent seven weeks in the top 10 and 25 weeks in the top 75. The album debuted and subsequently peaked at No. 16 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart.{{cite web|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=david gray|chart=all}} |title=Life in Slow Motion – David Gray |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=28 February 2012}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing = David Gray, with additional songwriters as noted
| total_length = 44:31
| title1 = Alibi
| length1 = 4:33
| title2 = The One I Love
| writer2 = Craig McClune
| length2 = 3:25
| title3 = Lately
| writer3 = McClune, Rob Malone, Tim Bradshaw, David Nolte
| length3 = 4:13
| title4 = Nos Da Cariad
| writer4 = McClune, Malone, Bradshaw, Nolte
| length4 = 4:10
| title5 = Slow Motion
| writer5 = McClune
| length5 = 5:00
| title6 = From Here You Can Almost See the Sea
| length6 = 3:39
| title7 = Ain't No Love
| length7 = 3:21
| title8 = Hospital Food
| writer8 = Malone
| length8 = 4:43
| title9 = Now and Always
| length9 = 6:45
| title10 = Disappearing World
| length10 = 5:05
}}
Credits
=Musicians=
- David Gray – vocals, piano, acoustic and electric guitar, harmonium, Wurlitzer, melodica
- Craig McClune – drums, percussion, dulcimer, glockenspiel, whistles, backing vocals
- Rob Malone – electric and double bass, acoustic and electric guitar, percussion
- Tim Bradshaw – piano, keyboards, electric and lap steel guitar, cello
- David Nolte – electric guitar, cello, melodica, autoharp, samples, backing vocals
- Marius de Vries – percussion, autoharp, recorder, glockenspiel, synthesizer, backing vocals
- Natalie Mendoza – backing vocals
- Caroline Dale – cello
- Strings on tracks 1, 2, and 7: contracted by Isobel Griffiths
- Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader
- Brass on tracks 1 and 5: performed by The Kick Horns
- Trumpet by Roddy Lorimer and Paul Spong
- Trombone by Neil Sidwell and Annie Whitehead
- Bass trombone by Dave Stewart
- French horn by Nigel Black, Dave Lee, and Michael Thompson
- Orchestral percussion by Frank Ricotta
- Track 5: baritone saxophone and assistant arrangement by Simon Clarke; French horn by Tim Jones
=Production=
- Produced by Marius de Vries with David Gray, Iestyn Polson, Craig McClune and Rob Malone
- Recorded and programmed by Iestyn Polson
- Mixed by Andy Bradfield
- Additional mix engineer/additional programming by Jason Boshoff
- Additional programming by Alexis Smith
- Track 1: orchestra arranged by Chris Elliott
- Track 2: orchestra arranged by David Nolte and Marius de Vries
- Track 5: horns arranged by Marius de Vries
- Track 7: strings arranged by Marius de Vries and Tim Bradshaw
- Mastered by Bob Ludwig
- Design and direction by Farrow Design
- Cover image concept by Red Design
- Cover photography by Joanna Thornhill
- Booklet photography by Phil Knott
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Life in Slow Motion ! scope="col"| Chart (2005) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Australia|8|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Austria|68|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Flanders|26|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Denmark|15|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Netherlands|23|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|49|id=23174|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Ireland2|1|artist=David Gray|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Italy|30|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|4|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Norway|3|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|14|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|19|artist=David Gray|album=Life in Slow Motion|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|1|date=20050918|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|16|artist=David Gray|rowheader=true|access-date=24 April 2021}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2005 Year-end chart performance for Life in Slow Motion ! scope="col"| Chart (2005) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/2005-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 2005|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=16 November 2021}}
| 43 |
|---|
| scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20050109/37502/|title=End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2005|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=16 November 2021}}
| 23 |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2006 Year-end chart performance for Life in Slow Motion ! scope="col"| Chart (2006) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2006.pdf|title=2006 UK Albums Chart|publisher=ChartsPlus|access-date=16 November 2021}}
| 195 |
|---|
{{col-end}}
Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Life in Slow Motion}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=2005|certyear=2005|accessdate=7 May 2019}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Ireland|type=album|artist=David Gray|title=A New Day at Midnight|award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=2005|certyear=2005|accessdate=7 May 2019}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|artist=David Gray|title=A New Day at Midnight|award=Platinum|id=2005-12-23|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=2005}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=David Gray|title=A New Day at Midnight|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2005|certyear=2005|id=3845-2567-2|salesamount=759,861|salesref={{cite news|url=http://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/charts-analysis-dave-emerges-victorious-in-close-albums-battle/075638|title=Charts analysis: Dave emerges victorious in close albums battle|last=Jones|first=Alan|date=15 March 2019|work=Music Week|access-date=15 March 2019|url-access=subscription }}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=David Gray|title=A New Day at Midnight|nocert=true|relyear=2005|salesamount=414,000|salesref={{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s95YFvxALsUC&q=david+gray+billboard&pg=PT41|title=All Change|magazine=Billboard|page=44|first=Paul|last=Sexton|date=5 September 2009|accessdate=7 May 2019}}}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{David Gray}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:David Gray (musician) albums
Category:Atlantic Records albums
Category:Albums produced by Iestyn Polson
Category:Albums produced by Marius de Vries