It is very clear that Sam Smith is an old soul with a broken heart in his new album, The Thrill of It All. Ever since his breakout single ‘Latch’ in 2012, his career has only skyrocketed and he sold more than 12 million copies of In the Lonely Hour.
The Thrill of It All is more of a mournful album, almost every song is sad, but he has the voice to accompany that type of music. Heartbreak is where his music resigns.
This album shows us that music, for Sam, comes from heartbreak and not infatuation- this is distinctive about him and his music. Additionally, the themes in this album such as sexuality, religion, and fame are also threaded throughout. This is one of my favorite albums to be released this year (considering I am a sucker for sad songs).
Ultimately, this album has a narrative style to it. Each song isn’t a bunch of lyrics thrown together, they all have stories accompanying them. I always like this in an album (lyrics mean a lot to me).
Some of these songs have a retro sound to them. For example, “Midnight Train” embodies that style, being about a love that has become unhealthy (this type of doo-wop sound completely complements the lyrics).
One of the more standout songs of the album is “HIM” which is an LGBTQ anthem. The lyrics “Don’t you try and tell me that God doesn’t care for us/ It is him I love, it is him I love” shows the emotion- this song is empowering. His most personal song on the album “The Thrill of It All” is my personal favorite because of the intimacy in it.
Two songs that are at the top of my list are “Baby, You Make Me Crazy” and “One Last Song”. I hear a little bit of Amy Winehouse in these songs, they have such a cool beat and sound. They also don’t make me completely depressed like the rest of the album.
The Thrill of It All is easily one of the best albums of this year. Sam Smith’s voice remains a thing of wonder throughout. It is stripped back to bare emotion of heartbreak. The 14-track album is definitely above average- give it a listen (although it seems like everyone already is, according to my Spotify friends' activity).
Check out his tour dates bellow!
