As per normal, I emotionally prepare myself to suffer on all your behalf. Now hear me out: Sam Smith is not at all the worst singer to ever sing. They just never quite appealed to me. I did like a couple songs off the last album which was unusual for their usual efforts. With Unholy being the lead single, I had no idea what to make of the new direction. I'm about to find out. A one...a two....
The album begins with the...lead single? I forgot this was actually the lead single. I feel bad now. "Love Me More" was the lead not Unholy guys. Lyrically the song is not bad, but I just don't like it sonically.
"No God" is actually a strong track. I like they didn't oversing it so you could really hear the message. The instrumentation feels a little different and I like it.
"Lose You" is the song I knew Sam Smith could make if they wanted to. The voice just works. I have always liked their voice but been sonically disinterested. It is a poppier number of not wanting to lose a lover.
I like the music of "Perfect", but it feels like how the oreo thins just don't have enough cream in them to make you want to buy them again.
Ah yes..."Unholy". I have mixed feelings to this track. I for some odd reason really appreciate the instrumental of this. It feels fresh. However, the lyrics are ridiculous and Kim Petras adds nothing.
"How to Cry" needs a little more sauce to make it a solid track which disappoints me. It has the potential to be a real tearjerker.
"Six Shots" is essentially what I usually don't like about Sam Smith. That is all.
If you truly want to torment me ever in my life, I will give you the secret. Play the Jessie Reyez part of "Gimme". And I usually like Reyez! This song is absolute garbage. It doesn't even have the redemption arc of Unholy.
And a random interlude!
"I'm Not Here to Make Friends" has a kind of earwormy quality while also being grating at the same time. How the heck. It sounds like One Kiss and Lizzo's catalog had a child. But it kind of shows me Calvin Harris is absolutely stale with slimming ideas.
"Gloria" is such a strange sort of interlude-ish thing.
The album closes with "Who We Love" which features Ed Sheeran, but the well written unmade bed cannot make up for this disaster of a body of work.
LYRICS: 5/10 - I do like some songs, but others would've been much stronger if they had a real message or lyrics that made sense. Some were too shallow to be appreciated.
MUSIC: 7/10 - This is where I really see the improvement. Sam Smith usually is not my cup of tea but I do like quite a bit of the musical arrangements on this body of work. Just...other flaws are holding it back.
OVERALL: 5/10 - I am actually really disappointed that they did not spend more time on the lyricism itself. Sonically, this has the potential to be the first Sam Smith album I'd really have cared for. Half-baked lyrics and messages held it back.
Comments
Post a Comment
Suggestions or comments