and Nick Drake and wrote that "like Drake, he's mastered the art of evoking melancholy without slathering on too much sentimentality." Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times drew similar comparisons to Drake, while noting that Gough "never succumbs to Drake's sad solipsism, though, favoring an expansive reach emotionally and musically." In a more mixed assessment, Spins Barney Hoskyns wrote that "Gough's dewy little tunes are mere scribblings in the margins of alt-folk's dog-eared hook-book, while his too-cool-to-care singing is drip-dry dreary" and that The Hour of Bewilderbeast, when compared to Elliott Smith's Figure 8, makes Gough "look like an imposter." The Hour of Bewilderbeast appeared on several year-end lists. Pitchfork ranked the album at number 18 on its list of the top 20 albums of 2000. NME ranked the album at number 4 on its list of the 50 best albums of 2000. In addition, the album received the 2000 Mercury Prize, a prize Gough was favoured to win. When Gough received the prize, he tossed the prize money on the ground and said: "I always assumed I was never going to win because good things don't happen to good people normally." The album was also listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Track listing Personnel Credits for The Hour of Bewilderbeast adapted from album liner notes. Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, drum machine, tambourine, handclaps, whistling, slide guitar, harmonica, Wurlitzer electric piano, lead keyboards, organ solo, drum machine organs, percussion, crash cymbal, vibraphone, xylophone, harp, string arrangement, sound effects Spencer Birtwhistle – drums Adrian Dacre – drums Jimi Goodwin – bass Clare Hewitt – backing vocals Sean Kelly – drums, handclaps Matt McGeever – cello, handclaps Sam Morris – bass, keyboards, French horn, handclaps Northern New Orleans Brass Band – horns Ian Rainford – handclaps Martin Rebelski – Wurlitzer electric piano, clavinet, keyboards Joe Robinson – drum programming, loops, theremin, effects, sound effects Derrick Santini – handclaps Ian Smith – drums, electric guitar, percussion, vibraphone, handclaps Paul Taylor – string arrangements Andy Votel – drum programming, effects, piano, keyboards, strings samples, samples Matt Wardle – piano, organ, synthesizer, keyboards, vocals Gary Wilkinson – keyboards, drum programming, sirens, noises Andy Williams – drums Jez Williams – electric guitar, slide guitar Sophie Williams – handclaps Charts Weekly charts Year-end charts References External links