Following divisive promo single “Wild Love,” Grammy-nominated British artist James Bay ends up exceeding expectations on his intriguing sophomore LP, ‘Electric Light.’

Grammy-nominated English singer/songwriter James Bay didn’t rush to release his sophomore album, Electric Light– understatement.  After dropping Chaos and the Calm in 2014, fans had an excruciating four-year wait for a new project.  After dropping promo single “Wild Love” – an ‘about-face’ from anything served up on his debut album – it seemed that Bay planned on shocking the world with an experimental sophomore LP.  As he’d release more singles, it became clear that Electric Light had plenty of promise.  Now, with the arrival of the album, Bay exceeds expectations.

“Wasted On Each Other”

A brief, though odd “Intro” kicks off Electric Light.  If nothing else, it piques the listener’s interest because it’s quirky and certainly not what’s expected.  Nonetheless, the real heat comes with full-length gem “Wasted On Each Other.” Clearly, James Bay came to rock, with beefy, fierce guitars and a devastating, thudding kick fueling the groove.  Bay holds up his end of things, delivering excellent vocals, particularly when he ascends into falsetto.  Completing a killer one-two punch is the aggressive, thrilling “Pink Lemonade”, the second single from Electric Light.  The guitars remain robust, chocked-full of massive ‘stank,’ while Bay forgets vocal finesse in favor of unapologetic grit.  Definitely the way to start an album.

“Wild Love”

Then comes the quirky promo single, “Wild Love”. Initially, this record felt totally off-putting and ill-conceived.  Listening to “Wild Love” in the context of Electric Light, it plays out better.  Still, the modern, experimental vibes are imperfect.  While the vocal effects are terrific on the chorus, the verses remain a bit sketchy.  The good news is that “Wild Love” is a ‘grower,’ even if it doesn’t feel as triumphant as “Wasted on Each Other” or “Pink Lemonade.”

Atonement arrives with the touching balladry of “Us”.  James Bay opts for a more soulful sound, created by piano, organ, and background vocals.  Incorporating vintage cues, “Us” also weaves in modern touches. Bay does a fantastic job of showing vocal poise early-on, specifically the first verse.  He serves up excellent falsetto on the first iteration of the chorus while falsetto transforms to full-voice on the second iteration. The pacing is fantastic on “Us.” It starts off relatively slow, then, it picks up steam.  The bridge section is powerful – very dynamic and chocked-full of energy.  While Bay pulls back initially on the final chorus, he embraces the power once more, in all its glory.  Impressive record.

“In My Head” 

“In My Head” embodies some of the same experimental spirit of “Wild Love.” It’s quirky, yet the record has enough ‘tried and true’ elements to make it relatively successful.  “In My Head” balances the soulful, the vintage, and the progressive.  Imperfect, but definitely intriguing.  Following another wild “Interlude,” Bay strikes gold with “Just for Tonight.” One reason for its success is that it has more of an assertive, hard-rocking sound, much like the aforementioned one-two punch of “Wasted on Each Other” and “Pink Lemonade.” James Bay is lethal with distortion added to his already soulful, gritty pipes.

“Wanderlust” has a tough act to follow.  Nonetheless, it’s respectable and well-rounded without earning top-honors on Electric Light.  “I Found You” does in fact earn top- honors, giving James Bay one of the most soulful songs of his career.  This gospel-infused number may be the most pleasant surprise of the album, though why should anyone be surprise – Bay broke into the game with a degree of soulfulness. Clearly, upon recording this cut, backed by choral vocals, he was listening to some soul.  He slays – that is all!

“Sugar Drunk High”

After ‘having church,’ Bay continues to impress with the aggressive, high-energy rocking “Sugar Drunk High.”Here, he ditches the falsetto for fully-commanding, distorted vocals. Again, he’s lethal in that capacity.Progressive spirit is full-force on “Stand Up” which incorporates those cool, ‘futuristic’ voice effects (think Imogen Heap), also featuring its share of soulfulness and ample rhythm.  

Penultimate record “Fade Out” also finds Bay employing electronics and a wider palette of sounds.  Still, it’s more accessible than “Stand Up,” lying somewhere between contemporary soul, pop, and alternative music stylistically.  He closes out fittingly with “Slide”,slackening the pace and bringing down the dynamic level on “Slide.” A piano ballad, from the jump, Bay exhibits great authenticity and stunning, tender vocals.  On the second iteration of the chorus, there’s a bit more oomph, as well as tasteful, harmonized backing vocals.  The bridge, which follows, initially seems like that breakthrough moment – that potential climax – but quickly, it descends from the sky back to earth. Even so, effects-filled, harmonized vocals bring more spirit beyond the bridge, even if they never percolate to the fullest.

Final Thoughts 

Personally, the unexpected “Wild Love” tempered expectations for Electric Light.  Even after being on board with follow-up singles, the level of excitement dwindled. Ultimately, James Bay delivers on his sophomore album, with plenty of gems over the course of the 14-track effort. Electric Light isn’t flawless, and “Wild Love” is still a bit polarizing, but all in all, the musicianship of Bay has only expanded since Chaos and the Calm.

Gems: “Wasted on Each Other,” “Pink Lemonade,” “Us,” “Just for Tonight,” “I Found You,” & “Slide” 

James Bay • Electric Light • Republic • Release: 5.18.18

Photo Credit: Republic