James Blunt's debut album, Back to Bedlam, is quite possibly one of the best albums of the year.

A quite unique story, I think you'll agree? The talented new singer-songwriter is speaking from personal experience, having lived one of the most extraordinary lives of any musician. A former soldier, his Army career saw him stationed in Kosovo as part of NATO’s peacekeeping force, before he then spent time protecting the Queen on horseback and the Queen Mother, while she lay in state. Yet, music remained his passion and he never gave up on the dream of one day becoming a fully-fledged artist. Within 4 weeks of leaving the army, a publishing deal was signed with Linda Perry's Custard Records.

Back to Bedlam features 10 beautiful, heartfelt songs. A breathtaking debut album, which smacks of the personal experiences - both tragic and uplifting - that have shaped his life to date. So good is this album, that when the 10th song ends I felt disappointed that there wasn't more.

Blunt's voice is delicate, emotional and quite unique. His song writing talent is clear from the start. "High", the first track to radio talks of an all-consuming, passionate love and beautiful dawns, painting beautiful images of both, and delivered in the unmistakeable vocal style that we're sure to hear a lot more of in the future. The album finishes with "No Bravery", an insight into James' first hand experience of war. Again emotion flows throughout. It is class.

Back to Bedlam was recorded in Los Angeles with the help of super-producer, Tom Rothrock (who has worked with Beck, Elliott Smith, Badly Drawn Boy), for this contains much of the song writing pedigree of all three of those artists. It is a masterful debut and one, which you mustn't allow to pass you by.