Sam Smith - Gloria (Special Edition) (2023) [Hi-Res]

Sam Smith unconvincingly touted Love Goes as experimental, so when the same adjective was used to promote 2023 follow-up Gloria, there was reason for skepticism -- even in the wake of the second pre-album single, the undulating hit Kim Petras collaboration "Unholy." A voyeuristic tale of a family man leaving his unsuspecting wife behind for exploration at a gay club, "Unholy" is without doubt anomalous in Smith's songbook. It's also the singer's most distinctive dance-pop song since "Latch," if only on a personal level, its sinuous Arabic scale incorporated by established producers ILYA and Omar Fedi. The gamble of sorts paid off when Smith and Petras made history as the first publicly non-binary and transgender artists to top the Billboard Hot 100. Gloria otherwise presents a challenge only to those who expect piano ballads -- there are none -- and are averse to dance music with flashes of disco, reggaeton, and mid-'90s deep house. It's largely unobtrusive and serviceable, distinguished mostly by Smith's elastic voice and increased specificity and complexity to the reflective and romantic songs. Additionally, interludes with historic sound bites from trans activist Sylvia Rivera and the Lilli Vincenz documentary Gay and Proud speak directly to liberation. The more individual touches are to be found in the ballads, as the songs for the dancefloor, and a trap-tinged downtempo number with Jessie Reyez, are generalized in their evocations of heartache, flirtation, and sexual impulsiveness. "Love Me More" starts the album boldly with Smith open about their struggle with self-esteem. In "How to Cry," they're sliding out from under the thumb of a cold, controlling lover, isolated from family and friends. The choral "Gloria" is the album's most powerful moment, the sound of Smith shedding their burdens. "Gloria" would have been an ideal finale. Instead, because there was no other place to put it, a saccharine Ed Sheeran duet ends the album. "We love who we love," the hook, reassures as much as a shrug. Making up for that and the other ineffective material is "Six Shots," a pure R&B slow jam that sounds both classic and contemporary. Although it sticks out here almost as much as "Unholy" and the title song, it's unfortunately destined to be classified as a deep cut.

Review by Andy Kellman