The Beautiful Lie

Ed Harcourt | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 3, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dovecote
• ASIN: B0017M9Z7Y
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,817 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Q Magazine

His best since Here Be Monsters. Harcourt's mini-operas pack more incident into their three minutes than many bands manage in a career. A fine songwriter with the flourishes of an at times master showman

The Beautiful Lie is marvelous, each track a lush, inch-perfect melodrama with Harcourt bashing out his demons at the piano.

The Beautiful Lie' of the title is as eloquent a statement as the material is masterful. It's doomy, it's gothic, it's wonderfully arranged, mostly epic, occasionally sad, sometimes jaunty - and throughout infused with the passion of a storyteller whose delivery and form have finally found synchronicity. A very fine LP. - * * * *

Product Description

2008 belated U.S. release of British singer/songwriter Harcourt's fourth full length album, originally released in 2006. Often compared to such diverse artists as Neil Finn and Tom Waits, Harcourt's touching and personal songwriting puts him in a class all to himself. Features guest appearances from former Blur guitarist (and current solo star) Graham Coxon, The Magic Numbers and BJ Cole. Includes the first single, 'Visit From The Dead Dog'. EMI.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His best -- and that's saying something, September 13, 2006

By 

royalninjaturtle "R.J." (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beautiful Lie (Chi) (Audio CD)

I've been listening to Ed Harcourt since I recieved "Here Be Monsters" as a promotional disc about 4 years ago, and have bought every album since. Ed Harcourt is one of the best musical talents of the new millenium and,sadly, has yet to find any sort of recognition in the US. Unlike "Strangers", where he tried his hand at a few poppier tunes, Ed finds himself back where he started and embraces his dramatic flair turning out a very complete and utterly satisfying album. Like "Here Be Monsters", Ed orchestrates elaborate ballads complete with horns and strings, and maintains his brooding style in even his most upbeat songs resulting in perhaps his most well rounded and mature sounding album yet. He takes his songs in all the right directions, and strays from the pitfalls of predictable songwriting keeping his sound fresh and giving the album incredible replay value. "The Beautiful Lie" is like a good novel with all of its chapters joined by a unifying theme. Each song flows from the first to the last and leaves you wanting to replay the album as soon as it's finished. If I had to pick a favorite song(--seriously--every song is great)I would probably pick one of "shadowboxing"/"until tomorrow then"/or "good friends are hard to find". On every track Ed Harcourt emotes his lyrics with genuine passion and binds his words and his music together to paint images that are sometimes haunting and sometimes whimsical, yet always sincere . This is his best work definitely and deserves much more attention than its going to get.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars File Under "Everything Wrong with the US Music Industry", June 23, 2006

By 

E. V. Camarillo "Trying To Give Snobbishness ... (Portland, Oregon, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beautiful Lie (Chi) (Audio CD)

Why isn't this recording available in the US now? Why is it that impossibly talented, remarkably prolific, and wholly magical artists like Ed have such an impossible time of it in the US? It can't just be American Idol and the drug-addled dinosaurs that pull the levers in the anorexic, decaying, cadaverous halls of the once powerful music industry. Or can it? If you are here, you know you are going to shell-out hard-earned money for this priceless treasure. But you must have friends, you must know people, share this music with them (in whichever way best suits your own conscience). If you are new to Ed, you are in luck! There are three deserving masterpieces (and an early glimpse at genius) available to you (and they can be had at bargain prices in the used bins)! Maybe it is just us, you, me, and Ed. If that's the situation, then we (you and me) are very fortunate souls indeed... Ed deserves more.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaking indeed, May 30, 2007

By 

Christopher Costabile "JBParanoid" (Clearwater, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beautiful Lie (Chi) (Audio CD)

I find it unbelievable that after nearly a full year, this disc remains undistributed in America. Ed Harcourt is one of the best singer/songwriters of our generation, and he's only getting better with each successive album. He released an online-only double album of demos and throwaways called "Elephant's Graveyard," whose quality puts to shame most artists' official releases.

"Beautiful Lie" is Ed's latest and greatest effort. It contains his most heartbreaking ("Until tomorrow then," "Late Night Partner") and uproarious ("Shadowboxing") songs yet. Songwriters everywhere should be taking notes on how to craft melodies like these, yet Ed Harcourt remains in relative obscurity. Although it is well worth the 20 odd bucks you will spend for the import, I officially chastise record companies everywhere for not releasing this in the states. CONSIDER YOURSELVES CHASTISED!!!!!