Album Review: Sam Smith’s “The Thrill Of It All”

By: Meghan Thompson 

Sam Smith`s new album “The Thrill of It All” is a beautiful story book that dances with the many feelings and moments that are experienced while in love. While his opening song “Too Good at Goodbyes” exhibits the emotions and the emotional damage that can wash over one in the time of messy breakup, his second song on the newly released album “Say it First” has the opposite effect as it paints a picture of a newly in love couple and the foolishness, happiness and awkward hesitance to say “I love you” that may take effect during such a delicate time. The switch between the story of a couple who has ended and a couple who has just begun seems to consistently play out through the 14 song album. Peeling back the pages within the storybook that creates this album, the stories of the two couples seem to evolve as each song plays one after another.

The rhythm of the music within the album seems to switch, much like the two altering experiences within a relationship, from a modern and Adele-like beat to what seems like a more 50s to 60 bop found in many jazz love songs during the era. The piano melodies which accompany Smith`s voice in many of the songs breathe a stronger presence into many of the songs and tie together the overall feel and message behind his new album.

Overall, Smith`s new album is relate-able to anyone who has ever experienced being in a relationship and being in love with someone. There is sure to be a song that will relate to at least one experience in everyone’s dating life and sums up the struggle of it all. For me, I particularly enjoy and relate to the title track “In the Thrill of it all” as it speaks volumes about the experiences i have had in some of my most recent relationships and the stupid choices i have made going after the wrong people because i was in the thrill of it all.