Money On My Mind: I really like the lyrical content on this one, but I’m not really crazy about the hook on this one, and while Sam’s vocals are pretty good, I feel like this is not one of his best songs.
Good Thing: Once again, I really like the very personal lyrics on this track, but while the lighter sound and tempo of this track is solid, I think the hook is kind of boring. Not a bad song, but I think Sam has done better.
Stay With Me: The song that really helped catapult Sam to popularity is still a really enjoyable song years later. Sam’s performance is really strong, the hook is really beautiful, and as a whole, this one sounds amazing. Really enjoyable track!
Leave Your Lover: While the verses on this track aren’t Sam’s best, I really like the hook on this track a lot. As always, Sam’s performance is also very good. Not my favorite Sam Smith track, but it’s pretty solid overall.
I’m Not the Only One: I know this is a really popular track, but I wasn't initially all that crazy about it. I think it grew on me a lot because of Sam’s very beautiful vocals, and the absolutely fantastic hook. Definitely a really good song.
I’ve Told You Now: The verses are pretty catchy on this one, the beat is head-nodding stuff, and Sam’s very passionate vocals only help make the already-strong hook even better. I really like this one!
Like I Can: Really strong hook, a fantastic performance by Sam, and some really catchy verses make this one of Sam Smith’s better songs. I’ve broken the replay button on this one, and I still find it very enjoyable!
Life Support: Sam brings the goods with his vocals on this track, and his performance is very strong. I first thought the track was a little boring, but the hook really grew on me over time. This one was definitely a grower for me; it's a good showcase of Sam’s vocal skills, and one of the better songs on the album.
Not In That Way: For me, this song succeeds entirely on the shoulders of Sam’s beautiful vocals and strong performance. The verses are fine, and the hook is pretty good, but what really lifts the song is Sam himself. It’s a really enjoyable song.
Lay Me Down: Another one that I feel is lifted entirely by Sam’s vocals. It takes a minute to actually kick in, and while that can often be boring to me, this is a case where I don’t mind it because Sam’s performance is really beautiful. This is a really enjoyable track!
Restart: This is a really upbeat track with a really catchy, fun beat and a pretty strong hook as well. After all the very light, kind of empty tracks on this album, it’s nice that the first Deluxe Edition bonus track is really upbeat and danceable. And it’s really enjoyable as well.
Latch (Acoustic): A lot of people remember the original version of this track, but this acoustic version is, in my opinion, better than the original version. Sam’s vocals, as always, are beautiful, and the hook is much more potent and meaningful when the song is acoustic. The original version? Good. The acoustic version? Incredible.
La La La (Naughty Boy ft. Sam Smith): This is actually a track by Naughty Boy that features Sam Smith (it was made while Sam was still on the come-up), and it’s available on the Deluxe Edition of the album. It’s upbeat and catchy, but also really dark in regards to its lyrics. Even if he sounds a bit raw on this one, Sam’s vocals are strong once again. It’s not my personal favorite track, and I’m not 100% feeling the hook, but it’s not a bad song overall.
Make It to Me: Ending things off, we have another one of my favorite Sam Smith songs. Sure, it’s short, but for the little time it plays for, Sam treats us to some beautiful vocals, a fantastic hook, and lovely instrumentals. A really memorable track, and a great end to the Deluxe Edition of this album.
Overall, I can say I definitely enjoyed this album. It’s extremely light, and some of the tracks on here can be a bit too boring for my tastes, but Sam’s beautiful vocals and consistently strong performances help make up for that. His lyricism is also really strong, and there are quite a few memorable, really enjoyable tracks on here. It’s certainly not the best thing I’ve heard, and it feels like a little bit more effort could’ve been put into the tracks that didn’t end up becoming singles, but all in all, I walked away pretty satisfied with this album and, for the most part, I dug it. It’s not gonna turn me into a diehard fan of his, but it’s certainly a good start.
So, who’s ready for “The Thrill of It All?”
Favorite tracks: Stay With Me, I'm Not The Only One*, I've Told You Now, Like I Can, Life Support*, Not In That Way, Lay Me Down, Restart, Latch (Acoustic), Make It to Me
Least favorite track: Money on My Mind
Rating: Good
(*An asterisk next to a “favorite track” indicates that the track wasn’t initially one of my “favorite tracks” when I first wrote the review. If a track has an asterisk next to it, it means the song wasn’t initially a favorite of mine, but it grew on me, and the text for the song may have been edited to more properly reflect that.)
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