SAM SMITH

In The Lonely Hour

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

Quick Links:

• Sam Smith home page
• Sam Smith on facebook
• Sam Smith at V&M Music (UK)