SNAP REVIEWS
Album: x Artist: Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
With his shy smile, sensitive softpop tunes, and status as one of Taylor Swift’s besties, Ed Sheeran seems like the perfect boy to take home to mom and dad. With his latest album, x, the British pop star is desperately trying to shed his milquetoast image — as he sings about rolling in the sheets (sometimes with other celebrities) and funks it up with the help of producers Pharrell Williams and Rick Rubin. “If you love me / Come on get involved,” Sheeran sings as he exercises his falsetto on Sing, a sultry R&B-flavoured number co-written and produced by Williams, which starts off with guitar strums reminiscent of the theme to HBO’s Flight of the Conchords. (If only Bret and Jemaine made cameos ... ) “Baby bring a lemon and a bottle of gin / We’ll be in between the sheets until the late AM,” Sheeran kisses and tells on Don’t, a groovy tune about his fling with another pop star. The remainder of x (or multiply) isn’t quite as smooth or successful; the 23-year-old Suffolk native could - (or subtract) some of his more awkward stumbles, including The Man, which features sparse synths and drum beats. Sonically, it’s a winner, but his rambles about an ex-girlfriend and the complicated after-effects of their relationship sound like one of those accusatory and regret-the-next-morning drunk-dialed conversations. And why, on Nina, does he feel the need to specify that he’s smoking “illegal weed” — especially at a time when more and more jurisdictions are legalizing it? Why didn’t he choose another three-syllable word? (Likely because he’s not entirely ready to scare off his target market ... or their parents.) Here are three possible syllables for some of
Sheeran’s attempts on x: Insipid. Sandra Sperounes , Edmonton Journal
Album: In the Lonely Hour Artist: Sam Smith (Capitol)
“Why am I so emotional?” new comer Sam Smith sings on his Top 10 hit, Stay With Me. “No, it’s not a good look, need some self-control.” It may not be a good look, but as far as the sound? Amazing. The 22-year-old English singer’s soulful pop debut, In the Lonely Hour, is a passionate, heart-wrenching album that explores the emotions behind falling in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same. It’s a brave and honest album that captures the mood perfectly, especially on the bold Leave Your Lover and the guitar-tinged Not In That Way, where he closes with the heartbreaking line: “You’d say, ‘I’m sorry, believe me, I love you, but not in that way.’” The 10-track set is full of more lyrics like that — words that reel you into Smith’s story of loneliness and love lapses, making for beautiful music. Lonely Hour is not all depressing. Album opener Money On My Mind is full of upbeat swag, while the dance-soul bonus track, Restart, feels classic. There are also the hits Smith co-stars on that are helping him shine brighter: Disclosure’s Latch and Naughty Boy’s La La La, which showcase the singer’s versatility. Smith’s voice also helps lift the album’s sad tone, bringing on a fiery, spirited vibe much like Adele on her masterful 21 album. And Smith even borrows from some of her top collaborators: Eg White, who co-wrote and produced Adele’s Chasing Pavements, is behind Good Thing, while Set Fire to the Rain cowriter and producer Fraser T. Smith helps on Not In that Way. Mes fin Fekadu , Th e Associated Press