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
Petras
made history as the first publicly non-binary and transgender artists to top the Billboard Hot 100.
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
'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
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
shedding their burdens. Not to be missed 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. ~ Andy Kellman