Name: Gaze by The Beautiful South
Brand: The Beautiful South
SKU: 602517840423
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 2.5 (84 reviews)

ALBUM

After a three-year break that saw vocalist Jacqui Abbott leave the band and frontman Paul Heaton embark on a low-key solo career, the '90s most successful MOR purveyors, the Beautiful South, return with their eighth studio album, Gaze. Anyone wondering whether the Hull-based outfit can strike it lucky a third time with its choice of female sparring partner should skip straight to the string-soaked campfire melodies of "Half of Him," the album's only solo piece from the newly recruited Alison Wheeler, which reveals she possesses both the soulfulness of her predecessor and the slightly lilting sweet tones of their original chanteuse, Briana Corrigan. Unfortunately, the follow-up to 2000's Painting It Red doesn't quite match the talents of their new recruit. Pursuing the country-pop sound that dominated Heaton's Biscuit Boy alias' debut, the gently shuffling opener "Pretty" and the jaunty lead single "Just a Few Things That I Ain't" are both perfectly serviceable examples of breezy Nashville-tinged pop. But far too often, its 11 tracks descend into unintentional parody territory, as on the corny honky tonk of "Let Go with the Flow" and the barroom balladry of "The Gates," which sees Heaton unwisely adopt a dodgy U.S. twang and drunken drawl, respectively, and while their trademark kitchen-sink tales and everyday observational style remain firmly intact, the relentless barrage of lyrics make Alanis' dictionary-swallowing antics seem like a preschool ABC singalong. The slightly grungy Brit-pop of "Life vs. the Lifeless" and the back-and-forth melancholy of "Get Here" offer hope that the South are still capable of restoring their former glories. But rather than rejuvenating their career, their lengthiest gap between records appears to have resulted in a lack of creativity and a tiredness where the bandmembers often seem bored with their own output. The much-quoted statistic of "one in seven U.K. households own a Beautiful South album" is extremely unlikely to increase anytime soon.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo

1. Pretty

by The Beautiful South

Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Acoustic Guitar: David Rotheray
John Brough; Performer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Percussion: Gary Hammond
John Brough; Performer
Performer: David Rotheray
Sean Welch
John Brough
David Stead
David Hemmingway
Damon Butcher
Gary Hammond
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Producer: John Brough
Paul Heaton
John Kelly; Production
Programmer: John Brough; Production
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: David Rotheray
David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

2. Just A Few Things That I Ain't

by The Beautiful South

Electric Guitar: John Brough; Performer
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Percussion: Gary Wallis
John Brough; Performer
Performer: John Brough
Paul Heaton
Alison Wheeler
Damon Butcher
David Hemmingway
Gary Wallis; Performer
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Producer: John Brough
Paul Heaton
Jon Kelly; Production
Programmer: Gary Wallis
John Brough; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

3. Sailing Solo

by The Beautiful South

Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Hammond; Performer
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Kelly
John Brough; Production
Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Performer: Sean Welch
David Rotheray
Paul Heaton
Alison Wheeler
Gary Hammond
Damon Butcher
David Hemmingway
David Stead
John Brough; Performer
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton
David Hemmingway; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Programmer: John Brough; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

4. Life Vs. The Lifeless

by The Beautiful South

Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Electric Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Hammond; Performer
Performer: David Rotheray
Sean Welch
John Brough
David Stead
David Hemmingway
Damon Butcher
Gary Hammond
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Producer: John Brough
John Kelly
Paul Heaton; Production
Programmer: Kevin Kerrigan
John Brough; Production
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: Paul Heaton
David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler; Performer
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

5. Get Here

by The Beautiful South

Acoustic Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Composer: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Hammond
Gary Wallis; Performer
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Brough
John Kelly; Production
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Performer: David Rotheray
Gary Hammond
Sean Welch
John Brough
Gary Wallis
David Stead
Damon Butcher
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Programmer: Gary Wallis
John Brough; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

6. Let Go With The Flow

by The Beautiful South

Composer: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Hammond; Performer
Performer: David Stead
Damon Butcher
Kevin Brown
Gary Hammond
Alison Wheeler
Tony Robinson
Paul Heaton
David Rotheray
David Hemmingway
John Brough
Sean Welch; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Producer: John Brough
Paul Heaton
John Kelly; Production
Saxophone: Kevin Brown; Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Trumpet: Tony Robinson; Performer
Vocals: David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler
John Brough
David Rotheray
Sean Welch
Paul Heaton; Performer
Programmer: John Brough
Gary Wallis; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

7. The Gates

by The Beautiful South

Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Acoustic Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Hammond; Performer
Performer: Paul Heaton
Damon Butcher
Sean Welch
John Brough
David Stead
David Hemmingway
David Rotheray
Gary Hammond
Alison Wheeler; Performer
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Kelly
John Brough; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

8. Angels & Devils

by The Beautiful South

Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Percussion: Gary Hammond
John Brough; Performer
Performer: Alison Wheeler
Sean Welch
John Brough
David Stead
David Hemmingway
Damon Butcher
David Rotheray
Paul Heaton
Gary Hammond; Performer
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Producer: John Brough
Paul Heaton
John Kelly; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

9. 101 per cent Man

by The Beautiful South

Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Organ: Damon Butcher; Performer
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Hammond; Performer
Performer: Sean Welch
David Rotheray
Paul Heaton
Alison Wheeler
Gary Hammond
Damon Butcher
David Hemmingway
David Stead
John Brough; Performer
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: John Brough
David Hemmingway
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton
David Rotheray; Performer
Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Kelly
John Brough; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

10. Half Of Him

by The Beautiful South

Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Bass Guitar: Sean Welch; Performer
Drums: David Stead; Performer
Electric Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Percussion: Gary Hammond; Performer
Performer: David Rotheray
Sean Welch
David Stead
Damon Butcher
Gary Hammond
Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Brough
John Kelly; Production
Programmer: John Brough; Production
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Vocals: Alison Wheeler
Paul Heaton; Performer
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

11. Spit It All Out

by The Beautiful South

Acoustic Guitar: David Rotheray; Performer
Composer: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Composer
Percussion: John Brough
Gary Wallis; Performer
Lyricist: Paul Heaton
Dave Rotheray; Composer
Performer: John Brough
David Rotheray
Paul Heaton
Tony Robinson
Kevin Brown
Damon Butcher
Gary Wallis; Performer
Piano: Damon Butcher; Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Saxophone: Kevin Brown; Performer
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Kelly
John Brough; Production
Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Programmer: John Brough; Production
Synthesizer: Damon Butcher; Performer
Trumpet: Tony Robinson; Performer
Vocals: Paul Heaton; Performer
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production
Composer Lyricist: Dave Rotheray
Paul Heaton; Other

12. The Last Waltz

by The Beautiful South

Primary Artist: The Beautiful South; Main Performer
Mixing: John Brough; Production
Producer: Paul Heaton
John Kelly
John Brough; Production
Studio Personnel: John Brough; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

12 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

47 minutes and 25 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1423x1423 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

11/12 tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

9/12 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Pop/Rock, Adult Alternative, Britpop, Brit Pop, Brit Rock

Label

UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)

Music Distribution Service

UMG Global

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Dec 31, 2002

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

602517840423

Shopping cart

Notification

Gaze

1. Pretty

2. Just A Few Things That I Ain't

3. Sailing Solo

4. Life Vs. The Lifeless

5. Get Here

6. Let Go With The Flow

7. The Gates

8. Angels & Devils

9. 101 per cent Man

10. Half Of Him

11. Spit It All Out

12. The Last Waltz

Technical Specifications

Gaze

Product information

Release options

1. Pretty

2. Just A Few Things That I Ain't

3. Sailing Solo

4. Life Vs. The Lifeless

5. Get Here

6. Let Go With The Flow

7. The Gates

8. Angels & Devils

9. 101 per cent Man

10. Half Of Him

11. Spit It All Out

12. The Last Waltz

Technical Specifications