Life in Slow Motion explained

Life in Slow Motion
Type:	Studio
Artist:	David Gray
Cover:	LifeInSlowMotion.jpg
Recorded:	June 2004–June 2005
Genre:	Folk rock
Length:	44:31
Label:	Atlantic (UK) ATO/RCA/BMG (US) iht
Producer:	Marius de Vries David Gray Iestyn Polson Craig McClune Rob Malone
Prev Title:	A New Day at Midnight
Prev Year:	2002
Next Year:	2007

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.^[1] 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."^[2]

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

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

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)! scope="col"

Position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[5]	43
UK Albums (OCC)^[6]	23

Chart (2006)! scope="col"

Position
UK Albums (OCC)^[7]	195

Notes and References

1. Web site: Varsity.co.nz – THE INTERVIEW: David Gray . https://web.archive.org/web/20081028073929/http://www.varsity.co.nz/content/view/384/78/ . 28 October 2008 . Varsity.co.nz . 28 October 2008 . 18 August 2012.
2. Web site: Jane Stevenson . CANOE – JAM! Music – Artists – Gray, David : Exclusive interview with David Gray . https://archive.today/20120709063809/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gray_David/2005/09/10/1211494.html . usurped . 9 July 2012 . Jam.canoe.ca . 28 February 2012.
3. Web site: Life in Slow Motion: David Gray: Music . Amazon . 28 February 2012.
4. Web site: [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=david gray|chart=all}} Life in Slow Motion – David Gray ]. Billboard . 28 February 2012.
5. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2005. Recorded Music NZ. 16 November 2021.
6. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2005. Official Charts Company. 16 November 2021.
7. Web site: 2006 UK Albums Chart. ChartsPlus. 16 November 2021.