Sam Smith Releases New Album "Love Goes"

After years of anticipation, Sam Smith released their new album “Love Goes” on October 30. The follow up to 2017’s “The Thrill of It All” finds smith in a very new situation and time in their life. After going through an extremely grueling break up, coming out as non-binary and living through a pandemic, Smith redefined what music meant to them. The album was first scheduled for release in May or June 2020, and was originally titled "To Die For" (After track 14 on this album). However in May 2020, Smith announced that that they would be delaying the release, changing the title, and altering the track listing due to the effects the COVID-19 Pandemic has taken on the world. The 17 track mixture of dance worthy melodies and deep lyrics makes the perfect playlist for when you aren’t quite sure how you feel. We will be discussing all 17 tracks, showing off some of the most revolutionary work and other times when things fall short.

Love Goes

Track 1: “Young”

The a cappella intro sets the stage for “Love Goes”. Like all good prologues do, “Young” tells the backstory behind the concepts on the album; the song catches us up to date. We find Smith trying to compensate with a broken heart, using drugs and parties to distract from the pain. Smith shows no regret, as they are in a point in their life where the opinions of others is irrelevant. Smith shows this with his lack of care “If you want to judge me, go and load the gun” and uses his youth as an excuse for their actions “I’ve done nothing wrong, I’m young”. This is one of the most moving songs on the album and is an incredible opener for the album.

Track 2: “Diamonds”

The previously released, Diamonds, finds Smith letting go of their lover, siting their love for tangible items overwhelming, and one of the reasons the relationship is over. While Smith was looking for a soul connection with their lover, they wanted material possessions, something not important to Smith as they know that this love is fake. “Material love won’t fool me” shows just how little possessions meant to them, even going as far as to encourage their lover to “take all the money (they) want from (Smith)”. The dance funk beat mixed with the incredible vocals of Smith create a beautiful symphony. However, the dance music may easily be lost among the wide array of new 80’s inspired dance themes like that of The Weeknd or Dua Lipa.

Track 3: “Another One”

“Another One” finds Smith coming to terms with the loss of the relationship, Smith even goes as far as to wish their lover good luck in their next relationship. Sam explains that there are no hard feelings still remaining singing “Honestly I’m happy for you, I do not wish you no harm”. The song shows the most development in Sam across the entire album, and Smith embraces what they have lost, but are also confined in their new found self love. Possibly one of the most dreamy songs on the album, Smith finds who they are without their lover, and even though they weren’t the one, Smith still wishes him the best. The coordination between the writing and the production go hand in hand, it is some of the best on the album. Although the song gets lost among the other tracks, it is a true gem to listen to.

Track 4: “My Oasis (feat. Burna Boy)”

Taking on a darker Latin spin, “My Oasis” finds Smith yearning for their lover back, a sharp contrast from the last track. It’s almost like a flashback has sent us back to one of the darkest times in the relationship. Burna Boy plays the other side of the relationship, giving the other side to the story. The toxic relationship filled with infidelity takes a turn on both artists with Smith even describing their mental state being in a “free fall”. Although Smith’s lover “played with (their) emotions”, Smith still “prays for their devotion”. For the singers, the other person is their oasis that they desperately need and crave. The song speaks of doomed love and Burna Boy’s feature helps give a fresh perspective on things.

Track 5: “So Serious”

On “So Serious”, Smith embraces the vulnerability of his mental state, and states that they let the world get to them, making them too serious at times. The melancholic lyrics find Smith in a tough time in their life, and has Smith feeling that no matter how hard they try to be happy, nothing lasts. Smith blames this on how serious they are yet they state “I don’t know why I get so serious some times”. Sam also blames their ex-lover for sending them into this downward spiral, as they explain that “last summer” they were happy and making plans for the future until the love interest broke Smith’s heart. Although the the upbeat production and melody try to compensate for the more depressing lyrics, the way the two blend sometimes buts the song at odds with its true intentions. Smith tries to keep to the uniform of dance beats found across the albums while also discussing a very emotional topic which does not flow at times. Though not all songs should be a ballad, this song could have benefited from a more downbeat piano driven melody. However, this might have destroyed the entire point of the song, and proven just how serious Sam can be.

Track 6: “Dance: ‘Til You Love Someone Else”

After five tracks there’s a clear direction that Smith is taking right? Well maybe not. On “Dance: ‘Til You Love Someone Else”, everything that Smith has worked for is thrown out the window as Smith once again feels the heartbreak. Like the incarnation of “Young”, we see Smith substituting real love and inner peace for drugs, one night encounters, and parties filled with people that don’t care about them. The “Diamonds” in Smith’s eyes dub track two of the album momentarily useless, and the acceptance of lost love on “Another One” is forgotten as Smith explains they are “still not over it”. Though the relationship is over, Smith uses alcohol, drugs, and sex to bring back the best parts of the relationship. At one point, Smith begs they’re lover to “confide in (Smith)”. Smith’s mentality states that “You can’t fall out of love ‘til you find someone else”, however, Sam is not ready for this, so in the mean time they will spend the time partying. When Smith is at the darkest time in their life, they chose to live a lifestyle of excessive partying, and although “sadness is beautiful”, Smith does not want to let it consume them. The production and lyrics blend magically on this track, creating a visual in your head, sending you back to an 80’s club filled with sweaty bodies dancing on the dance floor, couples hooking up left and right, and the smell of alcohol filling the room. This is easily one of the most creative and best songs on the album, and in our opinion, should have been a single.

Track 7: “For The lover That I Lost”

Like the realization after a hang over, “For The Lover That I Lost” finds Smith reminiscing over past relationships. Smith honors the decision to end the relationship, however this does not stop them from wishing that their lover would come back. The relationship still tears Sam apart, as they explain they try to “Go a week without losing sleep thinking about (the lost lover)”. Smith explains that they’d take it all back, stating that “All the memories feel like magic, all the fighting seems so sweet”. Smith admits that they do not need the toxicity of the relationship back, however Smith still has so much love for their lost lover. This short yet compelling song is one of the most vulnerable songs on the album. The style gives a nod back to that of Smith’s earlier work, with the violin and piano beautifully harmonizing Sam’s powerful voice. This is an Incredible song.

Track 8: “Breaking Hearts”

“Breaking Hearts” continues the narrative of heartbreak. Sam once again looks back at the end of the relationship, and points out the flawed character of both the lover and Sam themself drove the pair apart. Sam explains that their lover’s infidelity made them “busy breaking hearts, while (Smith) was busy breaking”. The theme of looking back on better times is one again present, and Sam uses the analogy of a never ending summer that is finally ending. Smith acknowledges that they have felt this way before, and that they’ve “felt depression deep in (their) soul”, which is similar to the mood presented in “Dance: ‘Til You Love Someone Else”. Smith followed their lover to the doom after letting him into their heart, and is now feeling the consequences of that love. Finding a mixture between their old sound and new, Smith masterfully blends this heartbreak ballad. This is a real feat on the album and deserves praise for is vulnerability while also fitting perfectly into the album.

Track 9: “Forgive Myself”

Like a trio, “For The Lover That I lost”, “Breaking Hearts”, and “Forgive Myself” all masterfully tell the story of heartbreak, anger, lust, and healing. On “Forgive Myself” Smith finally comes to term with the fact that they weren’t perfect in the relationship and that it is finally over now. The raw emotion shows Sam at their darkest moment, however Smith sees the light in the tunnel, and tries to make it toward the end. Smith has come to believe that “Good things don’t last”. Though things are over, Smith still misses their lover, and would do it all again in a heartbeat. Smith acknowledges all of the blame that they have put on themself, and insists that they cannot love some else until they forgive themself. Smith also questions the legitimacy of the relationship, and throws out the possibility of anything blooming in their relationship. Smith thinks about the relationship from the minute they wake up, until the minute they go to sleep. Smith shares that the heartbreak has left them “crying on the floor”, and was so powerful, it will take time to completely heal and move on. The final part of the trilogy completes the story, and helps Smith move on. Just like the previous two tracks, this song is very much inspired by Smiths previous work, and fits perfectly in terms of their mental state. This is a beautiful song, and is defiantly won of the most emotional on the album, as it is relatable and deeply personal.

Track 10: “Love Goes (With Labyrinth)” Almost like Beethoven meets a Labyrinth track off of the “Euphoria” playlist, the title track “Love Goes” is Smith’s work toward completely healing. Labyrinth assists Smith, acting almost like an inner voice that stands to guide Smith toward recovery. Smith still gets caught up in their past relationship, acknowledging that they “tried to change” their lover, and admits that their lover was “broken”. Labyrinth and Smith come together to share their opinion on how “love goes”. After the beat drops 2/3’s through the song, the triumphant symphony of instruments sees Smith finding confidence in love again, like a trigger that has switched in their head. Although it is the title track, “Love Goes” fails to dig deeper into emotions, touching only the surface of love and focuses more on production. This too is not the strongest on the album as it is more odd than intriguing. Labyrinth’s vocals are misused on the track, and all together the song leans to heavily on its instruments. Although disappointing compared to other songs on the album, the track is none the less fun to listen to and enjoy.

Track 11: “Kids Again”

“Kids Again” is devoted to moving on from the endless summer that has been reflected on for much of the album. Smith tries to come to terms with what has happened, and move past it, becoming the best person they can be. Smith reflects on how little their lover cared about the past singing “don’t it make you sad that we’ll never be kids again?”. Sam reflects on the life they had together, how they would tour together, listen to music together, and come to know each other in such an intimate way. It hurts Sam to realize just how much of their life is gone, finding it sad that their youth is gone, and that no one cares about what happened as much as they do. The nostalgic track is like a scene of swirling color, with each memory floating by. As Sam continues toward the future, they admit they will miss the past, and hope that it won’t define them, as Smith believes that they “changed the world”. The song is a very moving one, and one that anyone can relate to. The guitar helps bring the feeling of nostalgia to full fruition.

The “bonus Tracks”

Track 12: “Dancing With a Stranger (With Normani) [BONUS TRACK]”

Possibly the biggest song on the album, “Dancing With a Stranger” takes full advantage of the pop dance 80’s music circling mainstream radio. The song paints a beautiful interaction between two lovers trying to move on. Normani gives a great second opinion on the song, and the work done to make the song unique really pays off. The xylophones and catchy beat perfectly describe the emotions surrounding the song. Although it is featured as a bonus track, “Dancing With A Stranger” helps shake up the narrative Smith has laid out and brings a much needed feature to the project. And as it was released much earlier than the rest of the album, we will leave individual interpretation up to the reader.

Track 13: “How Do You Sleep? (BONUS TRACK)”

One of our favorite songs Smith has released, “How Do You Sleep?” Perfectly defines heartbreak and lost relationships. Smith turns one of their most vulnerable situations into lyrical gold. The themes of infidelity, pain, and hurt swirl around as Smith struggles to understand how their partner could so easily forget about the love Smith gave them. The main question, “How do you sleep when you lie to me?” Is a question that breaks the heart of Smith, as they hope “that (their) love will keep (Smith’s lover) up tonight”. Sam’s lovers lack of care drives Smith to the brink of insanity, though Smith insists they are “not this crazy”. The beautiful production creates a vibe that when proceeded by “Dancing With a Stranger” would have created a perfect album on its own, although the themes of “Love Goes” are beautiful enough.

Track 14: “To Die For (BONUS TRACK)”

Originally being the title track of the album that was supposed to be released in May 2020, “To Die For” is one of the best tracks on the entire album. Here you will find some of the best writing on the entire album, mixed with the raw emotion Smith is known for. On “To Die For” Smith yearns for love. They yearn for a love so powerful that they would die for this person. Smith compares the picture perfect lives of those walking along the sidewalk to their own, where their world is “crashing down”. Smith feels lonely, as they are only searching for someone “to die for”. Sam is sick of seeing their “solo shadow on a sidewalk”, and yearns for a relationship pure enough to survive death. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album and if the situations were different, would have been the perfect title track to the album.

Track 15: “I’m Ready (with Demi Lovato) [BONUS TRACK]”

“I’m Ready” continues the theme of wanting love from the previous track however in a much more happy and upbeat way. Smith and Lovato compare what they desire in a lover while getting over their past loves. They don’t think of another possible heartbreak, as they are willing to “take that risk”. They are both “ready for someone to love” them. Although the upbeat chorus lifts up the song, it is sharply contrasted with the dark verses and pre-chorus. Sam and Demi have gone through very dark times in their lives, and for them to be able to finally be ready for another relationship is something that is to be celebrated as it is in this song.

Track 16: “Fire On Fire (BONUS TRACK)”

Originally featured in “Watership Down”, “Fire On Fire” tells the story of of love, sharply different from the rest of the album. The deep desire of the love is beautiful. The passionate song is full of imagery as the lovers compare the intensity to a “city of roses”. Smith shakes off what others say, as they have seen first and how deep this love is, and how passionate the love is. The beautiful song would be out of place on any other album full of heartbreak, however, Sam pulls it off creating a magic experience for listeners to enjoy.

Track 17: “Promises (With Sam Smith) [BONUS TRACK]”

Calvin Harris’ “Promises” started a new era for Smith, as they departed their soulful sound for a more dance driven one. The funk inspired beat mixed with Smiths powerful vocals tells the story of an odd love, where neither partner is committed to the other. No strings are attached as Smith yearns for physical connection between the lover and them. Jessie Reyez taunts Smith as they make it clear that there are “no promises” of “golden rings” but Smith will “give (them) everything tonight”. The funk song is the perfect outro to the album as it brings us back to the central themes in the albums opener “Young”.

Thanks for reading this weeks edition of Behind The Record, if you have a song or album you think we should cover, email us at unknownskullrecords@gmail.com or DM us on Instagram! Make sure you come back often to see what’s new in the world of music.

Behind the Record powered by Unknown Skull Records Season 1: Article 8. Thanks for Checking out this weeks music review! Check out our website here if you haven’t already!