DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON – ARTIST PROFILE
May 3rd, 2006 by rui
“The Complete Guide to Insufficiency stands as one hell of a debut, and easily one of the finest records of 2005.” – Coke Machine Glow
“Remarkable, like a timeless classic or an obscure LP you discovered in a dusty second hand shop.” – Angry Ape
In this day and age, where an artist’s merit is often judged by a snippet of an MP3, David Thomas Broughton has created an anomaly- a work that deserves your undivided attention. Spreading 5 tracks across 40 minutes, Broughton develops his eerie folk songs into epic mantras on death, war, love, and sex.
Seeking to capture the controlled chaos of David’s live show, the album was recorded in one complete take in Wrangthorn Church, Leeds, England, with minimal tweaking and tampering in the subsequent mix. The result is a truthful representation of Broughton’s music, warts and all.
The church is as integral a part of the sound as any other instrument, making its presence known in subtle ways throughout the album. Its ghostly reverb creates a solemnity and sense of isolation, and when Broughton sings “My body rots while she is weeping/And I’ll remain forever sleeping,” one can easily envision him calling from beyond the grave. The pealing church bells at Wrangthorn also create a chance moment of beauty at the end of “Unmarked Grave,” unexpectedly becoming part of Broughton’s vocal loop.
The Complete Guide to Insufficieny is comparable to such forebears as John Fahey and Nick Drake, as well as contemporaries Antony and the Johnsons and Neutral Milk Hotel, but even these comparisons don’t fully convey the scope and beauty of Broughton’s sound.
Using simple tools- an acoustic guitar, some looping pedals, a cheap drum machine – Broughton has created a singular statement of purpose and artistic intent. Long after “freak-folk” is no longer a trend, listeners will still be pulling The Complete Guide to Insufficiency off the shelf.
David Thomas Broughton at iTunes
David Thomas Broughton at Myspace
Press Quotes
“The Complete Guide to Insufficiency is basically flawless. It could easily be one track with five parts; the tracks blend together so seamlessly that skipping around would just kill the experience.” - Tiny Mixtapes
“David Thomas Broughton’s debut ought to catapult him somewhere near the head of the bearded class” - Pitchfork Media, Recommended Music
“Layer upon layer of musical quality from Broughton, whose songs are touching and sensitive” - The Guardian Guide
