2014-06-26
British singer-songwriter Sam Smith has already spent time on top of the U.K. charts with his sweet, high-tenor voice. Now Capitol Records has released his debut US album In The Lonely Hour, and he is receiving the full new-star treatment, with a high-profile publicity campaign including live performances on once-hip television shows.
Think of Sam Smith as a one-man boy band. He sings of love frustrated, love stymied, love lost, and romances that never blossomed. Production is tight, state of the art, highly controlled, and factory shiny. When they want more emotion, they bring in some strings. When they want a few cuts for the dance floor, they up the tempo and bring in a drum machine. The result is listenable commercial pop that goes down easy.
Where can you hear music like this? Nearly everywhere.
-Gerald Etkind
Air
Pocket Symphony
Yo La Tengo
I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
THE MALIBOOZ
Queen's English
THE APPLES IN STEREO
Travelers in Space and Time
STARS
In Our Bedroom After The War
THE WEAKERTHANS
Reunion Tour
The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.