Album Review: James Bay – Chaos and The Calm
James Bay’s first full-length debut album is nothing new. You won’t find this album pushing any boundaries, breaking new territory, or whatever other clichés there are to describe a piece of work that is merely paint by numbers.
His breakout single, ‘Hold Back The River’, has an infectious chorus and a nice melody, a perfect sing-along song. It’s easy to see why it performed better than his debut offering, ‘Let It Go’, a pretty much generic version of Ed Sheeran’s slow guitar ballads, his voice just does not have the emotional depth of an Ed Sheeran, which is one of the album’s biggest flaws. His voice offers sameness and the album offers too much calm. It needs more chaos and depth.
‘Scars’ is the best track the album offers. James’s vulnerability comes to the fore in a stripped down ballad that allows Bay to deliver his best vocal performance, the crack and grit in his voice finally coming alive as the song builds up to a nice climax.
Bay can write, there’s no doubt about that. There is genuine heart in his lyrics, reflecting on love, hopes, and his fears, and his struggle to get out of a small town. It’s relatable.
Ultimately, Bay’s record shows promise. His skill as a songwriter is evident. The problem arises when he has to compete and set his music apart from the likes of an Ed Sheeran or Ben Howard.
They’re one level up and he needs to figure out how to kick his music into another gear. More chaos, less calm.
Rating: 2.5/5
