Sam Smith is a 22-year old singer and songwriter from London, England. He began his singing career in 2007, and recently became the latest sensation when he collaborated with the electronic music duo, Disclosure, with the song “Latch”. His debut album, entitled In the Lonely Hour, peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. After listening to his album, I completely fell in love with his style and voice. The album starts off with “Money On My Mind”, which incorporates styles such as pop and electro, while still keeping a gentle vibe throughout the tune. The second song, “Good Thing” starts with an orchestral harmony and transitions to Smith’s soothing voice, then to a slightly more upbeat melody. The third addition to his album, “Stay With Me”, is one of the most played songs on the radio at the moment, due to its gospel-like sound, catchy chorus, and melancholic message.
Although I enjoy every single one of the songs featured on his album, my favourite has to be “Lay Me Down”, because Sam Smith’s voice makes an astounding triumph from being quiet and innocent, to bold and emotional in a matter of seconds. Even to those who aren’t big fans of soulful music, are sure to get goose bumps when listening to this beautiful song.
This album is one of the best I’ve heard so far, especially in today’s music. It doesn’t involve the typical lyrics that include “partying” and other immature behaviour, which I find admirable of him. All of the tracks listed can be affiliated with the different stages of love, whether it’s the newfound love, or heartbreak, Sam Smith seems to be able to make everyone relate to his music. For this exact reason, many of his listeners can listen to his album throughout their lives. I find that this album can be played at parties, while you’re working, or even when you need some solitude to get your thoughts together. I highly recommend this album to everyone who is in need of some more than decent music, which, let’s face it, is hard to find in this day and age. This piece of work is something that I hold very close to my heart, and I’m sure others will be able to as well.