The Thrill of It All
by Sam Smith
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Nov 3, 2017
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
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  1. The Line of Best Fit
    Nov 10, 2017
    85
    Whilst The Thrill of it All isn’t a complete departure from the artist we all know and love, it is clear that Smith is in a new phase of his career and is encompassing what it means to be a ‘soul’ singer.
  2. Q Magazine
    Nov 22, 2017
    80
    Both [HIM and Pray] perfectly distill the vision and boldness of this return. [Jan 2018, p.115]
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  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    Nov 3, 2017
    80
    Occasionally, Smith slips back into blandness. ... But like Adele’s ‘25’, this is an undeniably accomplished album that will, deservedly, shift a helluva lot of copies.
  5. The Telegraph (UK)
    Nov 3, 2017
    80
    The Thrill of It All is stripped back to bare emotional bones, shot through with vulnerability and sensitivity, not so much wearing its heart on its sleeve as proffering an open vein.
  6. The Independent (UK)
    Nov 2, 2017
    80
    Smith’s voice remains a thing of wonder throughout.
  7. Los Angeles Times
    Nov 2, 2017
    80
    For all its familiar emotion, though, The Thrill of It All demonstrates Smith’s impressive growth as a vocalist and a songwriter. His singing has gotten deeper and richer.
  8. Rolling Stone
    Nov 2, 2017
    80
    Doubling down on his magnificent, gender-nonconforming voice while pushing his songcraft forward, Smith's second LP knights one of the mightiest, most expressive vocalists of his generation.
  9. Consequence
    Nov 2, 2017
    75
    Much of it feels comfortable; at 25, Smith can still sing the hell out of the kind of love songs he could sing the hell out of when he was 20. But he’s grown, too, and The Thrill of It All is best when he stretches out of his comfort zone.
  10. Entertainment Weekly
    Nov 2, 2017
    75
    Turning heartache into Top 40 magic is Smith’s strength--he famously thanked an ex for his success during a Grammys speech--but only a few moments here truly resonate emotionally. One of those is the staggering standout “HIM.”
  11. AllMusic
    Nov 10, 2017
    70
    Additional songwriters and producers, including but not limited to Timbaland, Stargate, Emile Haynie, and Malay, contribute to one or two songs each, but this album maintains a consistency and intensity that places it slightly above the debut.
  12. Slant Magazine
    Nov 2, 2017
    70
    He's deepened his craft without exactly broadening it, which makes The Thrill of It All feel more like a fine-tuning than a bold new adventure.

Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Most Discussed Album of 2017
41
#41 Most Shared Album of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 190 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 133 out of 190
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 190
  3. Negative: 37 out of 190
  1. chidime
    Nov 3, 2017
    7
    The best part of this album is definitely one key thing: Sam Smith's voice. The instrumentation is for the most part, basic and almost fadingThe best part of this album is definitely one key thing: Sam Smith's voice. The instrumentation is for the most part, basic and almost fading to the background. The lyrics/songwriting, while a bit more experimental in nature than Smith's earlier work (especially in 'Pray', and 'HIM'), are still nothing special- we've heard most of them before, and a good amount of them on the album are bland.. However, Sam's voice rises to the occasion. Even in the worst of the songs on the album, Sam Smith manages to create a spectacle out of his voice. His voice is many factors better on this album than on his older material. The layers in his voice carry what should be a bland, disposable album to new heights. In short, I have never heard this dimension to Sam Smith's voice, and I'm more of a fan of his for that. At the end of the day, a great voice a good album doesn't make. With better, more energetic production/instrumentation, more engaging/less cliche lyrics, and more memorable songwriting, this album could have been an instant classic, when coupled with Sam's newly minted voice. But the silver lining in all this is that Sam seems to be further experimenting with his voice, and certainly seems keen on pushing his music to new levels: He just needs to take his songwriting/producers to that new level too.

    BEST: Pray, Baby, You Make Me Crazy, No Peace, Midnight Train, HIM
    WORST: The special edition tracks, One Last Song

    6.8/10    … Full Review »
  2. kyledokic
    Nov 3, 2017
    0
    Awful recycled pop rubbish. His albums always seemed to have some average singles mushed together. This album will be forgotten by the end ofAwful recycled pop rubbish. His albums always seemed to have some average singles mushed together. This album will be forgotten by the end of the month.… Full Review »
  3. Youngmetro
    Nov 6, 2017
    6
    I found this album to be above average.the production was hit or miss for me but overall basic and not that special . The saving grace forI found this album to be above average.the production was hit or miss for me but overall basic and not that special . The saving grace for sure his Sam's vocals . His subject matter and how he uses his voice allows the project despite the lack luster production to keep my attention for the most part. However it loses me later on . If your a Sam smith fan or someone who wants to see what he's about for sure give it a listen . If you don't like Sam Smith just skip this, doesn't change what he does .It's not a bad album but in my opinion it ain't a good album and i feel like this is a good blue print for Sam to use to eventually hit his peak.… Full Review »
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