The third album from Sam Smith arrives amid mixed messages. Love Goes comes six months later than planned, renamed from To Die For. The latter is explained by Britains coronavirus death rate. The reasons for the former are less scrutable. Perhaps Smith deduced that mid-pandemic was not the right frame of mind to enjoy their latest album, which even hardcore fans would admit tends towards the self-absorbed and glum. There was also the crying selfie posted in March as Smith struggled to cope with lockdown: the inevitable criticism led by Piers Morgan prompted talk of a backlash.
Accordingly tweaked, Love Goes comes accompanied by a statement from Smith talking up its experimental nature and the collaborators who boldly embraced my creativity and direction and allowed me to be whoever I wanted to be in the studio that day, imploring fans to listen with an open heart, which seemed to suggest they might be in for a shock. Such talk was hard to square with their collaborators, including Shellback, Stargate and Steve Mac, the latter famed for his work with notoriously challenging Irish collective Westlife and for co-writing Rockabye, Clean Bandits 2016 Christmas No 1. Then Smith told Zane Lowe that they were not ashamed that Love Goes was tamer, creatively, than 2017s The Thrill of It All. Because at a moment of such unsafety in my life, all I wanted to feel was safe. So thats honest to me.
So, bold new departure, or more of the same? It would take a superhuman effort to call any of it experimental, but the music on Love Goes sounds different to that of its predecessor: out with the retro-soul affectations and the nods in the direction of Coldplay; in with misty pop-facing electronics, gentle tropical house shadings and Auto-Tuned backing vocals. Youve heard it all before, but theres a lot of melodically solid songwriting particularly on singles Diamonds and Kids Again, the latter enlivened by a George Harrison-ish slide guitar solo and the occasional mild surprise, as when title track bursts from piano ballad into martial brass, melodramatic strings and backing vocalists chanting hey! somewhat in the vein of Boney Ms Rasputin.
Equally, you sense Smith reaching for something that remains stubbornly out of their grasp. As its title suggests, Dance (Til You Love Someone Else) is clearly inspired by Robyns Dancing on My Own, and why not? Theres a compelling argument that the 2010 hit is the greatest pop single of the last 20 years, a brilliant electronic rebooting of the old disco trick whereby euphoric club music is paired with lyrical despair. But in Smiths hands it doesnt quite work, largely because their euphoric club music isnt particularly euphoric, four-to-the-floor beat or not: its solemn minor piano chords and synth washes feel opaque and mopey, and the disco string arrangement never quite spirals heavenwards, as if too careworn to muster the energy.
The lyrics stick fast to romantic misery, from infidelity to perfidious swine interested only in Smiths bank balance. These are perennial topics for Smith, though as they told Lowe, their first two albums were inspired by unrequited love; Love Goes is apparently their first proper heartbreak album. In truth the difference feels like splitting hairs, particularly when you consider how The Thrill of It All actually came at that well-worn topic from unexpected angles: Midnight Trains agonising over what their exs family thought of them; Burnings examination of the consolation of smoking cigarettes in the aftermath of a break-up.
Here, the travails of Smiths personal life seem to have drained them of the ability to speak in anything other than cliche: you get thorns in the side, poisoned chalices, darkest thoughts and rosy memories of summer wine in Breaking Hearts alone. There are intriguing intimations that these relationship disasters were underscored by nihilistic hedonism (drug-fuelled fights about your lows and highs) but the songs never probe deeper. The best moment comes on So Serious, where Smith gently mocks their image as pops leading purveyor of despair God, I dont know why I get so serious sometimes suddenly theres violins and movie scenes and crying rivers in the street and cannily acknowledges that at least its good for business: Put your hands in the air if you sometimes get sad like me.
And maybe theres something canny about Love Goes. Its gloom feels more amenable than that of The Thrill of It All: at no point here does Smiths falsetto sound as eerie as it did on that albums No Peace, and its shifts in musical style never obstruct its familiarity. For all Smiths talk of experiments, perhaps thats what they think their audience wants at this moment in time, 2020 having already delivered more than enough by way of the unfamiliar: an album that exists to waft sadly, but unobtrusively, in the background.
Lady Blackbird: Beware the Stranger (Ashley Beedles North Street West Vocal Mix)Gilles Peterson has described LAs Lady Blackbird as the Grace Jones of jazz: here her emotive vocal is remixed into subtly effective disco house.
Read the original:
Sam Smith: Love Goes review heartbreak album plays it safe in hard times - The Guardian
- 10 best Reverse 1999 Arcanists to use and build - Sportskeeda - November 20th, 2023 [November 20th, 2023]
- The tightrope of 'Cabaret' - The Source - Washington University in St ... - Washington University in St. Louis - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Peter Schlesinger's Hedonistic Photos of Artists in 1970s Paris - AnOther Magazine - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Jonathan Baileys Long-Awaited New Drama Is Almost Upon Us Here's The Lowdown On Fellow Travelers - Yahoo Sport Australia - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Surusinghe 'Brake Fluid' EP review: every second hits as hard as a ... - NME - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Reformation Taps Model and Actress Camille Rowe for Holiday ... - Sourcing Journal - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Latest additions to the Halloween horror movie canon - Two Row Times - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Towa Bird Shares New Single And Video 'Drain Me!' - uDiscover Music - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- We Asked AI to Rewrite the Eagles Hit "Hotel California" about ... - American Songwriter - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- There's no such thing as normal mental health - The Medium - The Medium - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Use your voice, Luke: How Mark Hamill's anti-Jedi mind tricks gave ... - Salon - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Realms Of Ruin Finally Fixes A Major Problem With Warhammer ... - TheGamer - October 25th, 2023 [October 25th, 2023]
- Eric Nam and SG Lewis on Feeling Lonely and Getting Healthy - Interview - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Tom Ford Waxes Nostalgic and Prada Plays the Slime Card - The New York Times - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- September Horoscopes - The New Paltz Oracle - SUNY The New Paltz Oracle - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Attracting Gen Z Workers and Future Leaders to Automotive - Ward's Auto - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- C Pam Zhang on Relishing Pleasure, Observing Billionaires, and ... - Vanity Fair - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Paramount+: new shows and films streaming in October 2023 - ScreenHub - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- At 2nd Debate, Rivals Laud Reagan, Trump Dances on His Grave - TIME - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Business is Key to Attaining Justice and Peace in the World - denvercatholic.org - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- San Antonio filmmaker recalls time he recorded Jimmy Buffett ... - San Antonio Current - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- The Will and Intensity of Marisol - frieze.com - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- All Is (Boomer) Vanity - The American Conservative - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Slayyyter: STARFUCKER review - takes you on one hell of a night ... - The Line of Best Fit - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- 10 Best Modern Movies Set in the 1990s - MovieWeb - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Condiments & sauces category propelled by natural colors and ... - Food Ingredients First - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Dumb Money director reveals fundamental difference with Wolf of ... - Dexerto - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- How Janet Jackson, Lost in Translation, and Melbourne nights inspired Troye Sivan's new album - Yahoo Eurosport UK - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Outside the Box: Is Russell Brand a Victim of Groupie Culture? - Fair Observer - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Russia Lauds North Korea's 'Square-Headed Dude' and His Pauper ... - Center for European Policy Analysis - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Where to Watch and Stream 'Saw X': Showtimes - Collider - September 28th, 2023 [September 28th, 2023]
- Why I believe the question God, what is your will for my life? belies ... - Patheos - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Pleasure in the age of panic - Cherwell Online - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Dominique Larose: Northern Ballet's first soloist on bringing The ... - Luxury London - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Drew Barrymore reveals Kate Bosworth sent her flowers after ex Justin Long visited her show - Yahoo Entertainment - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Chris Holmes: I'm overlooked, sure. When I was in W.A.S.P., I was ... - Guitar World - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor on if she'd ever do Eurovision and her ... - NME - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- 10 Movies like The Social Network you must watch - Ready Steady Cut - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- The eternal paradox, and 'Quantum Criminals,' of Steely Dan - Wisconsin Public Radio - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Five Classic SF Novels Featuring Advanced Body Modifications - tor.com - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- From queer Westerns to Wes Anderson Here are HUNGER's most ... - Hunger TV - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- WGSN, Coloro Crown Moody Navy Alternative as 2025 Color of the Year - Yahoo Life - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Woo Girl Nails Life Balance For First Time Ever With Piss Up Friday ... - The Betoota Advocate - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Biden's Corruption Is What The Media Hoped For Trump - The Federalist - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- Brandon Cronenberg Dives into the Deep End - FilmInk - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- The 10 Best Movies of 1996, Ranked - Collider - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- WFA: The Shits - Everything Is Noise - May 10th, 2023 [May 10th, 2023]
- 10 Things You Must Do On Your First Hedo Trip - Vacation Parties - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- Epicurus | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - January 23rd, 2023 [January 23rd, 2023]
- An All-Nude Vacation With My Boyfriend Taught Me a Ton ... - SELF - January 19th, 2023 [January 19th, 2023]
- What to Expect at Hedonism | Hedonism II - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- HEDONISM II: HOTWIFING HEAVEN - Hedonism II - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Disco - Wikipedia - November 25th, 2022 [November 25th, 2022]
- Hedonism Resorts - Wikipedia - October 30th, 2022 [October 30th, 2022]
- What Is Hedonism? An Ethics Explainer by The Ethics Centre - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- Eudaimonia - Wikipedia - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- 'The White Lotus' season 2 trailer brims with love, murder and a whole lot of hedonism - Alternative Press - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Reconsidering the Good Life - Boston Review - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Alcoholic Drinks and the Spectre of Stagflation; A Wile E. - Euromonitor International - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- The Weeknd Brings Sex, Money, and Drugs to His New Series: The Idol - uDiscover Music - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- 7 of the Best Rock Bands of the '70s - American Songwriter - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On The Radio, And More Featured In Meet Me In The Bathroom Trailer - uDiscover Music - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Is the new Porsche 911 GT3 RS the most extreme road car in history? - British GQ - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Charlies Good Tonight: Read an Exclusive Excerpt From the Authorized Biography of the Rolling Stones Late Drummer - Billboard - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Wreck cast on huge behind-the-scenes secret on BBC series: Can you imagine the chaos? - Express - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Four albums recorded in France and one song that should have been - The Connexion - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Twisted elegance: Janet Jacksons The Velvet Rope is a template for Black pop stars to embrace the darkness - TheGrio - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- On the futility of modern bureaucratic states - Catholic Culture - October 8th, 2022 [October 8th, 2022]
- Fall is the time towards the cranberry secure - DU Express - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- 1st October Weekend in Osijek Was Full of Life - Trust Us, Head On East - Total Croatia News - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- LSD, Dolly's and a Rolls Royce car chase: How Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones nearly came to blows - Far Out Magazine - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- I survived the sex, drugs, and misogyny of 90s Wall Street to make millions - New York Post - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The Stars Advise: Dont Overdo It in Indulgence - astrosofa.com - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Procera rolls out vintage gins - The Spirits Business - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- How To Watch 'Hellraiser' In The UK: Horror Film Reboot Set To Terrify Audiences - Bustle - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Fresh blood brings new life to Interview with the Vampire - The Boston Globe - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Why do bankers love techno? - The Spectator - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- Alice In Chains : Dirt - The heaviest grunge album at 30 | Treble - Treble - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The simmering wickedness of Pentiment's dialogue is a delight - Eurogamer.net - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]
- Gothic Gin Announced as Official Partner of Goodwood Revival - BevNET.com - September 7th, 2022 [September 7th, 2022]