Just a while ago we had newcomers Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, One Direction, The Vamps, George Ezra, Jake Bugg, Tom Odell, Passenger, and closer we have Irish Hozier, and now it’s the latest entrant James Bay, certainly British music is big and rightly so they have the artists who have made it to the top.

Bay is another singer – songwriter bringing a heavy dose of soulful, alt rock sound that won him the 2015 Brit Awards Critics Choice award. An album more for serious listeners. His album cover sees him all in black, his long hair held in place by his signature hat, which many might mistake for his country singing, which is surely not for Bay's music falls in the category that a few artists could be in, with just a singer and his guitar with a few drums kicked in and then some piano. If you are into sentimental stuff and won’t mind an album full of guitar leads, check the album that promises some fairly good moments.

One of the standouts would be Let it go, and if you thought this was gonna be a cover of the song from Frozen, you are wrong. This is so much better. This song is so good it’s almost addictive; Bay brings out the pain in his lyrics. The song exposes the struggles of maintaining a relationship that’s being tested. “Trying to fit your hand inside of mine, When we know it just don’t belong,” he croons. Hold back the river is another topper here that peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. It has wonderful lyrics. “Tried to keep you close to me, But life got in between, Tried to square not being there, But think that I should have been, Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes, Hold back the river, so I can stop for a minute and see where you hide, Hold back the river, hold back……”

Other pieces that we can cue into are Move Together again very acoustic, while Scars, speak about dependency and vulnerability. The song begins on a slow note, building to a climax. Raised on a staple diet of classic rock, Bay shows his rock edge when he changes gear, getting spirited on When We Were On Fire, moving onto a punchy guitar riff on Collide, and Get Out While You Can. The gospel-tinged closing track Incomplete, talks about love and the changes that take place in a relationship.

This is an album of genuine talent, playing on romance, hope, fear, the past, the present, and the future. Bay is a singer-songwriter one-man-show who has a powerful voice and is an awesome musician. It would take time to really digest this whole 12 track album, but a second listen is recommended.

Lyrics included.

Rating: ***

-  Reviewed by Verus Ferreira