With an EP of songs stripped to their core and bereft of any frills, Blake creates a soulful six-track project that defies expectations while branching into new ground. But unlike his past EPs, Enough Thunder accompanies the flicker of candlelight better than the pulse of strobe.
Enough Thunder is not Blake’s most dynamic or genre-defying work, but neither is it a definitive statement of what is to come. Instead, it is a snapshot of a period of his creativity, a peek into his sketchbook.
It’s impossible not to note his fast-growing confidence in his own voice and songwriting abilities.
Enough Thunder certainly offers up enough for any Blake fan to both love and hate—and at the end of the day still be entirely unsure of exactly what to hope for.
Since Enough Thunder feels a bit scrapped together, the EP doesn’t fully recreate the sustained mystique of Blake’s full-length album. The singer’s stately quaver makes it easy to overlook that this is mostly B material, though.
Although this may be a relative disappointment it should not be looked at as the start of a decline, but merely a curiosity in the collection.
For those who adored Blake's heavier, more rhythmic early material, Enough Thunder could easily turn into Not Enough Thunder.
Enough Thunder could be the link between the kind of artist that will pass as a mere fashion trend, or weld the form and content of his art into something with staying power. Though not a stand-out EP, James Blake is to be commended for attempting the path of the latter.
All in all, Enough Thunder sounds like an “Everything Must Go” musical yard sale, Blake clearing house of all his unused ideas that couldn’t fit on a proper record.
Once We All Agree - 3/5
We Might Feel Unsound - 3/5
Fall Creek Boys Choir (feat. Bon Iver) - 4/5
A Case Of You - 4/5
Not Long Now - 3/5
Enough Thunder - 4/5
I've listened to quite a bit of James Blake's discography and this is the last of his EPs that I had yet to check out up to this point. With his upcoming album announced, I figured now would be a good time to give this one a listen. This EP does kind of come across as some tracks that didn't make the album, but James is so good that even his throwaways are a great listen. The Bon Iver collaboration is beautiful, they sound so good together.
[72.00] So this was an attachment to "James Blake" supposedly and from listening I can tell it isn't as produced as the album and has this echoey thing I am not a fan of. Need to learn Enough Thunder on piano doe.
favs - Fall Creek Boys Choir, A Case of You
69 - Once We All Agree
74 - We Might Feel Unsound
77 - Fall Creek Boys Choir
75 - A Case of You
65 - Not Long Now
72 - Enough Thunder
1 | Once We All Agree 4:23 | 86 |
2 | We Might Feel Unsound 4:00 | 85 |
3 | Fall Creek Boys Choir 4:33 | 82 |
4 | A Case Of You 2:57 | 78 |
5 | Not Long Now 5:23 | 83 |
6 | Enough Thunder 4:15 | 85 |