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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 6 noveMber 2017
Review: Sam Smith’s ‘Thrill of It All’ is a thrill indeed

By MESFIN FEKADU On his sophomore album, of the brightest spots on the
AP Music Writer he’s still singing emotional album, as Smith sings about
NEW YORK (AP) — Sam songs, but his growth is the after effects once a re-
Smith, “The Thrill of It All” evident. And perfectly ex- lationship has ended.
(Capitol) ecuted. “I’ve been burning/Yes
When Sam Smith debuted “The Thrill of It All” is simply I’ve been burning/Such a
on the music scene in 2014, that — a thrill — as Smith’s burden/This flame on my
he sang beautiful and sear- piecing voice and vivid lyr- chest,” he sings on the
ing songs about love lapses ics tell stories about his rela- piano tune, where a choir
and loneliness. There are tionships and experiences — or layered vocals — lat-
moments you’d feel sad for over the last three years — er comes in, bringing on a
him, but then you’d remind the good, the bad, the sad chilling feel.
yourself not to pity the guy and more. Another highlight is “HIM,”
too much, because, wow, “Burning,” which hits where Smith sounds power-
he has THAT VOICE. straight to the heart, is one ful and most confident.
“Don’t you try and tell me
that God doesn’t care for
us/It is him I love,” he sings
in a commanding tone, fol-
lowed by a choir again —
coming in at the right time.
There’s not a miss on the
10-track album. “Say It
First,” about wanting your
partner to say they’re in
love before you do, is soft
and relatable, while “No
Peace,” a duet with un-
signed singer YEBBA, is a
winner.
There are groovier jams,
too, that will move your
spirit, including “One Last
Song,” a song for the ex Singer Sam Smith poses for photographers on arrival at the
you’re still in love with but Harpers Bazaar ‘Women of the Year’ Awards 2017, in London,
need to be away from, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017.
and “Baby, You Make Me (Photo by Grant Pollard/Invision/AP)
Crazy,” with its sing-a-long recruited new collabora- track, “Pray”; and Gram-
hook. At times the latter tors to help him out. Malay, my-nominated country
track sounds like an advice who has worked with Frank singer Cam co-wrote “Pal-
column. Ocean and Zayn, lends his ace.” Jimmy Napes, who
“When the person that you magic to “Midnight Train” worked heavily on Smith’s
love just says no?/Boy, get and “Say It First”; Poo Bear, debut “In the Lonely Hour”
yourself together/Move on who has written many of and won the best original
with your life,” he sings. Justin Bieber’s hits, co- song Oscar with the Brit-
Smith co-wrote each of wrote “Burning”; Timbaland ish singer last year, also
the 10 songs, and even co-produced the closing worked on seven songs.q
Record crowd attends ceremony for Selena

By MIKE CIDONI Selena was born in Texas in or Eric Garcetti at the po-
AP Entertainment Writer 1971. She died in 1995 at 23 dium, repeating himself in
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some after being shot by a busi- Spanish.
4,500 fans gathered on ness colleague. “Selena was an angel,” he
Vine Street in Hollywood Her music still resonates. As continued, which generat-
on Friday to pay tribute of 2015, Selena had sold ed cheers. “And we thank
to the late Tejano music more than 65 million units the family for all they gave
queen Selena Quintanilla, worldwide, making her the and have given this coun-
who was honored with the best-selling female artist in try, and it’s a message we
2,622nd star on the Holly- Latin music history. need now more than ever.
wood Walk of Fame. According to a Hollywood Because we aren’t strang-
Known simply as Selena, Chamber of Commerce ers to this land, this is our
the singer-songwriter broke spokeswoman, Selena’s home.”
barriers for women in Latin crowd was the largest-ever Numerous celebrity guests
music. for a Walk of Fame cere- at the ceremony included
She opened the floodgates mony, breaking a 1998 re- actor Edward James Ol-
for a new generation of cord set held by onlookers mos, who appeared in 1997
contemporary artists of Lat- at the unveiling of the star biopic “Selena,” starring
in descent who would go for Mexican singer Vicente Jennifer Lopez. “Desperate
on to enjoy huge popular- Fernandez. Housewives” actress Eva
ity with mainstream Ameri- “This is history in the mak- Longoria was the only one
can audiences. ing,” said Los Angeles May- to go up to the dais.q