A new studio release by Coldplay will always be a major musical event, and the new CD, Ghost Stories, is the first since the much-publicized break-up of frontman Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow. Of equal interest to me is the debut album of British soul crooner Sam Smith, who is out to prove his guesting as vocalist with other acts is no fluke.
Coldplay: Ghost Stories (Parlophone/Warner). Also known as Martin’s break-up album, one would suspect that given the title of the CD, this would be filled with haunting, angst-filled, ethereal tunes. But ghost stories can also be fleeting and insubstantial. Magic, Ink and True Love are percussion-driven, mid-tempo numbers that should find favor with fans. And there’s A Sky Full of Stars, the CD’s Tear/Waterfall song. While the rest of the tunes do harken to Parachutes/Yellow days, there is a glum sameness to the songs, and I would venture to say the jury is still out on how the CD’s music will stand the test of time, and in relief to the band’s collected works. Already introspective by nature, the band’s music doesn’t need added weight.
Sam Smith: In the Lonely Hour (Capitol/Universal). The voice behind Disclosure’s Latch and Naughty Boy’s La La La comes up trumps with this album of self-penned tunes. It’s the easy transition from his natural tenor to falsetto that turns most of his songs to instant charmers. Money on My Mind is the carrier single and showcases his impeccable phrasing and falsetto. In Good Thing, he mixes up things musically — it starts off as a ballad, goes up-tempo and then has an unexpected orchestral break. At times reminiscent of James Morrison via his languid mid-tempo numbers, Smith’s lyrics generally center on unrequited love, something the singer himself has often referred to as the “story of his life,†given how so many of the men he’s had relationships with have ended badly.