The Hour of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy · 2000
63 min · 18 tracks · alternative rock
A whimsical blend of lo-fi indie pop and heartfelt melodies wrapped in a blanket of melancholic charm.
Top tracks — play these first
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The Shining — This track opens the album with its lush instrumentation and introspective lyrics, establishing the whimsical yet poignant tone that defines the record.
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Everybody’s Stalking — With its catchy melody and clever lyrics, this song captures the essence of everyday life and relationships, showcasing Badly Drawn Boy's knack for storytelling.
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Once Around the Block — This track features a playful arrangement intertwined with reflective lyrics about life and love, embodying the album's spirit of exploration and vulnerability.
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Magic in the Air — A standout moment on the album, this song combines uplifting melodies with a sense of nostalgia, demonstrating Badly Drawn Boy's ability to evoke emotion through simplicity.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends whimsical melodies with introspective lyrics, creating a distinctive sound within its genre.
What we noticed
- Several tracks incorporate unconventional instrumentation, such as strings and brass, adding layers to the lo-fi production.
- The album frequently employs a narrative style in its lyrics, with storytelling elements that create a whimsical atmosphere.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic emotional journeys
- long, immersive listening sessions
- wave-like pacing experiences
- introspective and contemplative moods
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in 2000, The Hour of Bewilderbeast was Badly Drawn Boy's debut album, marking his emergence into the music scene after a series of EPs. This album positioned him as a key figure in the UK alternative rock landscape, following the success of singles like 'The Shining'.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Beta Band· Elbow· Sufjan Stevens
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 The Shining 5:18
- 2 Everybody’s Stalking 3:39
- 3 Bewilder 0:48
- 4 Fall in a River 2:17
- 5 Camping Next to Water 3:50
- 6 Stone on the Water 3:58
- 7 Another Pearl 4:27
- 8 Body Rap 0:45
- 9 Once Around the Block 3:44
- 10 This Song 1:32
- 11 Bewilderbeast 3:30
- 12 Magic in the Air 3:43
- 13 Cause a Rockslide 5:55
- 14 Pissing in the Wind 4:19
- 15 Blistered Heart 1:50
- 16 Disillusion 5:19
- 17 Say It Again 4:41
- 18 Epitaph 3:50
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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