by The Cowl Editor on November 16, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
by Elizabeth Jancsy ’18
A&E Staff
It has been three years since our ears have been graced with the voice of Sam Smith following his chart topping, Grammy award winning album In The Lonely Hour. This previous release skyrocketed Smith’s career to the top, earning him recognition around the world. The wait is finally over as Smith releases his highly anticipated sophomore album The Thrill of It All.
According to The New York Times the album is “about a man who turns his gaze outward.” As Smith’s music makes a comback on the charts, his fame is rising as well.
Smith’s old sound is back. For those who love his soulful, smooth, and heartfelt chords, they will be happy to know he has not strayed from his original sound.
The Thrill Of It All, released Nov. 3, is Smith’s second full-length studio album. Consisting of 14 new songs, Smith has listeners in a trance from the tear worthy ballad “Pray,” to the feel good bop “Baby, You Make Me Crazy,” the album has a vibe for everyone.
The album has already gained much attention from the first single Smith released this fall, “Too Good At Goodbyes,” which jumped to the top five spot on Billboard Hot 100 upon release. It was clear based on that single alone that the album would be another milestone for Smith.
When describing the pressure of releasing a new album after such a successful first one, Smith tells Rolling Stone, “For the first two months, I really struggled because I realized I didn’t actually like myself a lot.” After touring for two full years, Smith moved back to London with his sister in 2015 to work strictly on his album out of the spotlight.
After receiving so much praise for his album, and much backlash for his incorrect statement at the 2016 Oscars about being the second openly gay person to win an academy award, Smith decided it was time to work on himself, notably losing a lot of weight since he was last seen on tour. Smith is now back in the spotlight with what he describes to Rolling Stone as a “not so pretty album” that he likens to “a whiskey by yourself in a dark room, at night, thinking about life.”
Smith continues by explaining, “I want this to be more gritty. I want it to sound older, a bit more uncomfortable,” which reflects the changes Smith has made as a person and artist. Since its release date, The Thrill of It All has reached number one on the Billboard Top 200 Charts. Fans can purchase the album on iTunes or stream it on Spotify and Apple Music.