Tom Odell – Wrong Crowd

Tom Odell released his second album Wrong Crowd on the 10^th of June, a notoriously difficult album to get right. But the Cicestrian singer-songwriter seems to have pulled it off, with his signature jazzy piano and falsetto the sophomore work follows on well from his critically acclaimed debut Songs from Another Love. Within the three years between the two records, the first of which won the BRIT’s Critics’ Choice Award in early 2013, Odell has been playing new material at gigs and festivals to great reception.  

Magnetised, one of the first singles off the album, stands out with its catchy tune and powerful vocals. Odell grew up listening to the likes of Elton John, David Bowie and Tom Waits so it’s no surprise that it’s his voice that truly makes his music unique. High and trembling, they quickly switch to display just how much power and control his voice has.  

Title track Wrong Crowd, which is also the opener, is a sorrowful exploration of the effect of friends, and the influence that the people around us can have. Strong and rounded, the angsty, torn lyrics are perfectly accompanied by heavy piano and, unusually, drums. The heavier beat this adds fits with the passion Odell expresses in all his songs, writing predominantly about his own life and experiences.

There are some hints that the singer is straying into an increasingly pop-like style. Here I Am in particular seems to be too clean, making it appear sadly generic in comparison with much of the rest of the album. Whilst it is not bad pop, it simply falls short of the other tracks that manage to sound fresher and more unique, with high energy and a wealth of feeling clearly poured into them.

Molly Lempriere

Wrong Crowd is released on 10^th June 2016, for further information or to order the album visit here. 

Watch the video for Wrong Crowd here: