From the evidence of Long Way Down, Tom Odell is the real deal – a modern songwriter who may be as much a commercial product as an artist but has the talent to match his appeal.
Long Way Down is an album that, while often samey and, in the grand scheme of things, says next to nothing, heralds the arrival of a highly talented artist. Now we just need to find some fatal flaw in the Odell armoury so we can all act smug and faintly superior.
The appropriately titled Long Way Down, his debut long-payer, aims for the nosebleed seats without riddling its audience with cannon fire.
Make no mistake, this is V Festival, this is Olly Murs with a piano, this is not the saviour of British music on a global or domestic scale. Odell may well sell a lot of records (though long term, he may not) but as far as art to engage and inspire goes, ‘Long Way Down’ has precious little to recommend it.
Long Way Down is not a dishonest record, it's just that Odell's paddling in a horses trough, thinking it's the sea. The whole thing just tumbles into itself. It’s like a ball of colourful plastiscines turned into one browny-green lump.
Imagine this – an act that’s three parts Ben Howard, five parts Adele, four parts Keane, eight parts Florence and 500 parts Marcus Mumford’s arse .... Welcome to Tom Odell. Please, you’re welcome to him.
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The why behind how good ol’ Tom over there took such a beating from the critics on his debut will forever elude itself as up there with the big mysteries of life to me, comfortably snuggled between "what is the meaning of life?" and "how do Bladee fans exist?"
The fact is, that beating is so rough I could imagine a parallel universe were such beatings are literal beatings, and poor ol’ Tom over here getting jumped in that alleyway and ... read more
Grow Old with Me - 9/10⭐
Hold Me - 8.5/10
Another Love - 10/10⭐
I Know - 10/10⭐
Sense - 7.5/10
Can't Pretend - 9.5/10⭐
Till I Lost - 9.5/10⭐
Supposed to Be - 7/10
Long Way Down - 9/10⭐
Sirens - 6.5/10
I Think It's Going to Rain Today - 6.5/10
Storms - 7.5/10
Heal - 7/10
It's sweet and I love his voice, this album is perfectly fine, but nothing is particularly new or exciting. Jubilee Road is far better in my opinion.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The why behind how good ol’ Tom over there took such a beating from the critics on his debut will forever elude itself as up there with the big mysteries of life to me, comfortably snuggled between "what is the meaning of life?" and "how do Bladee fans exist?"
The fact is, that beating is so rough I could imagine a parallel universe were such beatings are literal beatings, and poor ol’ Tom over here getting jumped in that alleyway and ... read more
This album is one that me and my family consider somewhat of a livesaver, since Another Love was able to calm my little brother down at the time, who was 1 year old whenever we were on long car journeys. At the time, I hated how often I had to hear the song (plus it was on the radio all the time), but some of the other tracks grew on me and I was happy to hear some of the others make it to the radio.
Revisiting the album, I'm surprised by how much I like it, since piano-led singer-songwriter ... read more
1 | Grow Old with Me 3:03 | 65 |
2 | Hold Me 3:08 | 71 |
3 | Another Love 4:04 | 95 |
4 | I Know 3:52 | 67 |
5 | Sense 4:24 | 59 |
6 | Can't Pretend 3:37 | 72 |
7 | Till I Lost 3:37 | 67 |
8 | Supposed to Be 3:33 | 55 |
9 | Long Way Down 2:29 | 59 |
10 | Sirens 3:41 | 56 |
#35 | / | Amazon |