Secret beach at Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Ah! I’ve been meaning to write about Sam Smith for the past couple of months, but I’ve been humming and hawing about his high level of notoriety– yes… I am a music blogging snob, and?… But then, I had the same internal debate last August with sharing Lorde– and it turns out she was still pretty under the radar. Once again, like I mentioned in the RAC post from last month, I feel the victim of my own music isolationism. I’m really just on my own little music island, throwing up flares and hoping they spark.

Anyway, you all need to know Sam Smith. What finally pushed me over the edge to fall back into the blogosphere were the launch of his new single “Leave Your Lover” as well as the release of In the Lonely Hour, his long-anticipated album, in Australia! (3 days ahead of the UK and 3 weeks ahead of North America!)

Sam Smith is well known for his featured vocal work on Disclosure’s “Latch.” Smith is flawless in these beautiful, slightly achy ballads: “Lay Me Down,” “Leave Your Lover,” and “Stay With Me,” are some stunning standouts.

“Leave Your Lover” by Sam Smith

 

Smith, however, moves beyond these ballads and proves his musical dexterity throughout the album. Pulling trick after trick: from the killer breakbeat single “Money On My Mind,” to the relaxed jazzy piano groove of “I’m Not the Only One;” the accompanied storytelling of “Good Thing;” the hip indie, albeit eventually irritating, “La La La” collaboration with Naughty Boy; and the building, anthemic, Emeli Sandé-sounding “Like I Can.”

And he uses strings! UGH! I SWOON!

“Good Thing” by Sam Smith

“Like I Can” by Sam Smith