Tom Odell – Wrong Crowd

Returning songwriter hits the right - and a few new - notes...

The building house piano on the lead single from Tom Odell’s new LP ‘Wrong Crowd’ could be seen as a sonic departure for the singer-songwriter. ‘Magnetised’ is a stomping, euphoric pop whirlwind quite unlike anything we’ve heard from the artist before.

However, the Jim Abbiss-produced record soon returns to sullen ground while exploring themes of isolation, specifically the kind that comes with growing up. The LP showcases cinematic strings on ‘Constellations’ and a towering crescendo on ‘Still Getting Used To Being On My Own’, while ‘Silhouette’ provides all the emotional leverage of a fairy tale blockbuster with a more delicate string section and pulsing percussion.

Unmistakably catchy piano riffs and heart wrenchingly honest lyrics form the basis of the record much like Odell’s debut, however by amplifying the intensity on the new tracks proves that maybe, just maybe, more is more.

7/10

Words: Shannon Cotton

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