April 7, 2000 15:36

THE BOY'S NEW ALBUM IS BEASTLY!

The hotly-tipped [b]BDB[/b] talks exclusively to [b]nme.com[/b] about his first LP - and slams [a]Oasis[/a], [b]Gomez[/b] and [b]The Beta Band[/b]...

BADLY DRAWN BOY'S long awaited debut album will be called 'THE HOUR OF BEWILDERBEAST' and is set for a June 23 release through XL Recordings, nme.com can reveal.

It will be preceded by a single 'Another Pearl' on June 3.

Speaking exclusively to nme.com, Badly Drawn Boy (real name Damon Gough) revealed that the 17-track album was distilled from some 200 songs he had written - and that he hoped people wouldn't think it sounded like Gomez.

He said: "It's a really varied record...I wanted it to encompass all the textured sounds I could. Bands like Gomez, seem to make a concerted effort to vary each of their songs, to have a Latin flavour or some other style. But I don't do that and don't want to be put along with them."

Gough confirmed he was more than happy with the album and struck out against bands who have been content to settle for less.

"When Noel Gallagher says there are two songs that are shit on his record, I think 'well why don't you go write two more, there's no need to put out stuff you're not happy with'. I don't want to be like the Beta Band complaining that the record is bad. And I won't be. I think I succeeded in doing what I wanted to."

Doves, long-time friends of Gough's, collaborated on two album tracks, 'Pissing In The Wind' and 'Dissillusion'. "It made sense, they're old mates and they were right for the songs," Gough said.

Gough is currently finalising festival appearances and dates for a headlining tour, which are all yet to be confirmed.