James Blunt--All The Lost Souls

Let's be honest with ourselves. We (I'm speaking on behalf of everyone, here) all love the 'Royal soldier becomes sensitive high-pitched troubadour' story, but what about the music? I should confess that I have mixed feelings about Blunt's music--I don't find it dynamic or incredibly engaging. I do think he has a knack for melodies and harmonies, that he is quite masterful in the art of the soft-spoken ballad.

Back to Bedlam was a quality effort, but not exactly my cup of tea. I was hoping that the sophomore album All the Lost Souls--after hearing the lead single "1973"--would feature more complex arrangements, or at the very least, a maturity in Blunt's sound. But for better or for worse, this album is a heavy dose of the same.

That's not to say that there isn't anything quality on All The Lost Souls. The lazy guitar on "Give Me Some Love" leads into a high-charged chorus that seems well-paired with the mysterious dark-aired "I Can't Hear the Music". The Lennonesque "Shine On" (not a cover) is another gem on the album, along with crooning 'oohs' on "Same Mistake". Blunt's world now certainly seems less chaotic than Bedlam, and it's resulted in a relatively good album. But it seems that the album title has gotten to the heart of the problem with Blunt's music--perhaps there's too much emotion in these songs that the record's soul seems lost.

Go and get your copy of All The Lost Souls (awesome album art).
Listen to "Give Me Some Love" (4.7/5)
Listen to "Same Mistake" (4.6/5)