Gavin Clark
Beautiful Skeletons


4.5
superb

Review

by Rowan5215 STAFF
January 16th, 2016 | 260 replies


Release Date: 2014 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Even the sun goes down, heroes eventually die; horoscopes often lie

I guess it all comes down to one question, a lot less simple than it looks – do you believe that anyone deserves to die?

If you're of the mind to make the distinction between those who do and don't, then Gavin Clark would fall pretty firmly into the 'died unfairly' category. A lot of comparisons have been made between him and Nick Drake. This is maybe partly due to their musical tendencies, but in large part to the way they both died: tragically, like Van Gogh, without ever knowing how much their work was loved.

The major difference between Nick Drake and Gavin Clark is that the former has come to be heralded as one of the great singer-songwriters of all time, while the latter is pretty much the golden boy of backroom forums and indie film soundtracks. You've got the Sunhouse material that makes up the first stretch of the album, including top-quality b-sides "Crazy" and "Black Blood" and Gavin solo versions of "Hurricane" and "Spinning Round the Sun"; you've got the wealth of soundtrack material used by a well-meaning friend and solo material from Gavin's later years. Beautiful Skeletons is a goldmine that very few people care enough to dig up. That's what hurts the most as a retrospective lover of his music – the way Beautiful Skeletons, in an alternate world, could have easily been either a greatest hits or b-sides collection for the next Nick Drake, or Bob Dylan, or whoever Gavin Clark could've turned out to be. But he didn't, and it wasn't, instead becoming barely a footnote in the history of music – a stunningly gorgeous full stop on a career that barely had an introductory paragraph.

So I guess it comes down to that one question again. That one question determines how much you feel for the strangers who you hear about dying over the TV every day; how well you coped when you experienced your first close personal tragedy; even how you consider your own death, as an objective fact to be accepted or an event to be delayed as long as humanly possible. There's no right or wrong way to it, because those bonds between the atoms of your body are going to give in one day no matter what: I guess the best we can hope for is to leave behind some beautiful skeletons.



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user ratings (14)
4.3
superb


Comments:Add a Comment 
Rowan5215
Staff Reviewer
January 16th 2016


47985 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

sup Sunhouse fam

DoofusWainwright
January 16th 2016


19991 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah Sunhouse fam in the building, just giving this a read now

NorthernSkylark
January 16th 2016


12134 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Yes! Will read this in a bit, thanks rowan

zakalwe
January 16th 2016


40148 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

My god Row are you ok dude? This sounds like it's been written from your death bed. I dig.

Rowan5215
Staff Reviewer
January 16th 2016


47985 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

just me normal bed thankfully!

theBoneyKing
January 16th 2016


24673 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Hey fam.



Nice review Row. I'll check this out this weekend.

DoofusWainwright
January 16th 2016


19991 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Death hangs heavy over this one Row, love the final sentence that brings in that perfect album title.



Only small criticism is I still don't know which songs here spoke the most to you after reading the review. Would have been cool to hear you describe a couple of your favourite songs.

NorthernSkylark
January 16th 2016


12134 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Love that ending.



Cut off your ears fam, this is a classic

zakalwe
January 16th 2016


40148 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

The important question here is, is that Gav riding on his dad's shoulders or one of Gavs kids riding on his....and is that my house in the picture!!!!!

NorthernSkylark
January 16th 2016


12134 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

I like to think it's Gavin and his boy

DoofusWainwright
January 16th 2016


19991 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Lark I might end up bumping my rating for this once I've spun it a bit more, gonna try and get a physical copy soon and jam it to pieces

Rowan5215
Staff Reviewer
January 16th 2016


47985 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

been a deathy couple of weeks so far lads, couldn't really escape the shadow of it



Yeah I coulda chucked a couple of names in there but I feel like it would've felt a bit like padding - for the record Open & Shut Case is my fave

zakalwe
January 16th 2016


40148 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

His dad passed away when he was 18 and he said that was a contributor to hitting the guitar, booze and gear which in turn took there toll.

Seems to fit with the title.

Or is it gav riding his own shoulders? which would also fit.



NorthernSkylark
January 16th 2016


12134 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

It's a lovely image no matter what

That Shit hits hard zak, esp given the title of it

DoofusWainwright
January 16th 2016


19991 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Him riding his own shoulders is an awesome idea for a cover Zak, don't think this pic looks edited though?

zakalwe
January 16th 2016


40148 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Christ. This one will be on repetition now for months.

Food for the soul on an unparalleled scale.

DoofusWainwright
January 16th 2016


19991 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Yup, I feel I've done the Evangelist album justice now so I'm ready to move onto this one



If anyone wants to hear Gavin go rock check the Evangelist, great album

zakalwe
January 16th 2016


40148 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Bermondsey Stutter is one of the greatest things ever written.

Rowan5215
Staff Reviewer
January 16th 2016


47985 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

You'll like this I'm sure dude and cheers

theBoneyKing
January 16th 2016


24673 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Arcade, I can't speak to this but at least try the Crazy on the Weekend album.



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