Reissued with a new sleeve to commemorate the fact that Gray has sold lots of records and you really should own his entire back catalogue, 'Flesh' was his second studio effort back in 1994.
Then as now, he mainly pursues a low-key approach to recording, employing a skeletal back up of acoustic guitars, bass and vocals. However, vocally there are differences - the Gray of 1994 was a lot more gruff and gravelly than the maturer, more open voice of today.
The abrasive 'What Are You?' illustrates the harsher qualities of his voice, pitched somewhere between Van Morrison and Mike Scott, as he bellows out accusations to a departing lover.
Elsewhere, the slow-burning 'Coming Down' could have easily fitted onto a mid-70s Rolling Stones album while the stark 'Falling Free' features just Gray and piano on that year's 'This Year's Love'. 'Made Up My Mind', meanwhile, is a strident, chest-beating anthem that recalls the likes of Hothouse Flowers.
Lyrically, Gray's preoccupations are the same as they have always been, love and life. The influence of Dylan is again palpable in his use of everyday images and places in his observations, although the most pervasive feeling is Celtic.
Despite Gray rolling his r's far too frequently and some of the tracks veering toward sameyness, this is well worth a listen for the converted, demonstrating as it does how, even earlier on in his career, Gray was capable of making emotive, affecting music with a timeless quality.
