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England's Ed Harcourt -- a former chef and member of the defunct indie rock outfit Snug -- progressed from bass guitar to a number of instruments (including piano/keyboards, guitar, banjo, and drums) during his prolific, genre-hopping solo career. A fan of Tom Waits and Jeff Buckley, he launched his diverse career at the age of 23. Harcourt's marriage of dreamland Americana and England's South Coast quickly attracted a devout fan base, and Harcourt spent the better part of the 2000s on EMI's roster, releasing unique albums whose tracks veered between orchestrated anthems, minimalist ballads, and Brit-pop nuggets.
Maplewood, the singer/songwriter's solo debut, sounds like a work in progress. Indeed, Heavenly Records released the four-track recording in its original state, despite Harcourt's original plan to use those atmospheric songs (which were recorded in the rural setting of his grandmother's Sussex house) as demo material. 2002's Here Be Monsters was recorded in a proper studio, featuring thickened and enriched versions of some of Harcourt's earlier work. The following year saw the release of From Every Sphere, a stripped-down sophomore effort, and Harcourt toured with Wilco and R.E.M. before releasing his third studio album, Strangers, in 2004. Beautiful Lie and the compilation Until Tomorrow Then: The Best of Ed Harcourt followed in 2006 and 2007, respectively. ~ Mark Joseph, All Music Guide |
