Let’s be honest—I never expected to be writing this review. James Blunt’s Back to Bedlam 20th-anniversary release just landed on my turntable in all its red recycled vinyl glory, and I’m sitting here wondering why we all decided to be such jerks about this album. 13 million copies sold? After giving it a proper listen, I get it.
Here’s the thing about Blunt—everyone got so caught up in the “You’re Beautiful” hysteria that they missed what’s actually happening here. The guy can write some serious hooks. Even he admits that his biggest hit isn’t exactly his proudest lyrical moment, but holy shit can this guy write a catchy tune.
What really got me were tracks like “High” and “Wisemen”—proper songwriting that somehow got overshadowed by all the noise. And “No Bravery”? That’s not just another pop song, that’s someone who’s actually seen some stuff and knows how to tell the story. After serving in the military and seeing some of the shit that he’s seen, Blunt earned the right to write about whatever the hell he wants
This remastered version brings new life to these tracks. The red recycled vinyl release feels like a fitting tribute to one of the Noughties’ best-selling albums. In typical Blunt fashion, he jokes about “milking it for all it’s worth,” but honestly? This release deserves the attention.
The whole “posh boy” criticism is getting old. Sure, he comes across fancy, but watch that Netflix documentary and you’ll see there’s more to the story. The guy’s got actual combat experience and yet everyone wants to give him grief about his accent? Please.
Noel Gallagher might have sold his house in Ibiza because Blunt moved in, but honestly, that says more about Noel than it does about James. And speaking of James—his Twitter game is absolutely brilliant. The man handles trolls better than most comedians handle hecklers. There’s something genuinely refreshing about a pop star who can laugh at himself.
After diving into this anniversary edition, complete with previously unreleased demos from the Bedlam era, I’m actually excited about catching his show at the O2. His band looks like they’re having a blast in all the footage I’ve seen, and there’s something to be said for musicians who genuinely enjoy what they’re doing.
So yeah, I’m saying it: Back to Bedlam is fucking great. It’s not trying to be Radiohead or reinvent the wheel—it’s just solid pop songwriting from a guy who turns out to be way more interesting than the critics gave him credit for. Two Brit Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards, and five Grammy nominations later, seems like someone got something right.
The bottom line? Sometimes popular things are popular because they’re good. It’s taken me 20 years to get around to giving this album a fair shake, but I’m glad I did. Maybe it’s time we all admitted that hating on James Blunt was more about us than it ever was about him.
