Tom Odell

To win a Brit Award before releasing your debut album brings a certain level of expectation, but Tom Odell managed it with aplomb.  Not only did he top the chart with his first long-player, it also went on to reach platinum sales figures. Its follow-up is now ready to be revealed and a supporting will take place from November.

Odell's breakthrough success was built on piano anthems and ballads predominantly about heartbreak, crucially avoiding clichés and displaying his endearing vocals.  It would be an easy choice to try and repeat the formula of mature pop, but any notion of this is dispelled early on by the title track and 'Magnetised'.  Whilst they retain the retro backing vocals that are something of a trademark to Odell's work, club beats are certainly new and work surprisingly well.  'Concrete' is soulful and features a particularly strong chorus, while 'Constellations' is a return to piano and strings that swoons gracefully.  'Silhouette' begins in a similar manner before opening up into energetic pop brilliance, while 'Here I Am' is destined to be a live favourite that shows how something as simple as hand claps can be effectively utilised.

'Wrong Crowd' is not a perfect record; with cuts such as 'Sparrow' and 'Jealousy' not quite hitting the mark, but Odell more than shows that the success of his first album was no flash in the pan.  He continues to channel failed relationships into wonderful work, but crucially displays that as an artist, he is capable of successfully developing his sound.  He hasn't abandoned the qualities that brought him to prominence, but uses them as a foundation to create a fine collection that firmly places him amongst the elite of contemporary British singer-songwriters.

If there's something to take away from this year's Isle of Wight Festival, it's probably sunburn. Unlike the mud bath of two years ago, 2014 will be remembered for serving up one of the hottest weekends I can remember for a festival, along with some crowd-pleasing performances. While not every act managed to capture their moment in the sun, all the major names delivered in spades.

But it wasn't just the music that made the weekend for many; a real sense of celebration seemed to erupt across the site. Partly fuelled by anticipation over the World Cup and partly because of the good weather, thousands of smiling faces could be seen everywhere. Sunflowers seemed to be an essential festival accessory and many opted for as few clothes as possible with t-shirts looking like they'd gone out of fashion altogether. I've even had to make a note in my diary that it's international flip-flop day on June 20th, just one of the many things I learnt around Seaclose Park this year.

The highlight of Friday afternoon should have really been local boy Tom Odell on the main stage. But his piano led ballads took some time to win the crowd over despite his number 1 album 'Long Way Down'. By the time he'd finished though, the reaction showed that he'd justified his place on the main stage billing.

Continue reading: Isle of Wight Festival 2014 Review

With just hours until thousands of people flock to Portsmouth and Southampton for their annual ferry trip to the Isle of Wight Festival, it's time to look ahead to the first big event in the summer festival calendar.

Twelve years since the festival was resurrected, organiser John Giddings has steered Isle of Wight from strength to strength. With around 60,000 punters travelling to the Island, it's not just Seaclose Park that's transformed for the weekend, there's a real community spirit that's evident as buses wind their way towards the festival site. Past years have seen a surprise appearance from Kanye West for Jay-Z's headline set, rock royalty like Jagger, McCartney and Neil Young take to the main stage, and bands such as the Foo Fighters casually chatting to fans on the car ferry. This year looks like it will live up to the festival's reputation without a repeat of 2012's well-publicised mud bath. Although there's perhaps not many surprises on the line-up, there's still plenty to look forward to.

The top twelve to watch from June 12:
Boy George: If you're arriving early, the former Culture Club front man is headlining the Thursday night festivities. But far from a nostalgia act, George is touring his first album of original material in 18 years. He's embraced DJ culture and is likely to put on an impressive show whether he's behind the turntable or the microphone.

Continue reading: Isle of Wight Festival 2014 Preview

The Somerset House Summer Series has firmly made a name for itself as a must-attend event in the calendar, presenting an eclectic line-up of fantastic artists in an equally stunning setting. Wedged tonight in the midst of the ten-day run was the much-lauded Tom Odell, who enchanted the crowd with his ardent vocals and boundless enthusiasm.

If you've listened to Odell's album, you'll have been struck by the fact that someone so young seems to have such experience with love and heartache and can express it in such an eloquent and sincere way that many artists twice his age could only dream of. Live, this aptitude is hauntingly magnified, paired with his soulful voice that cracked with emotion and strained with the yearning depicted in his lyrics.  

'Can't Pretend' saw him strike his piano keys with a ferocious vivacity as he bounced about on his stool, completely engrossed in his performance. Luckily, his intensity was infectious and the sell-out crowd stood completely mesmerised; for the majority of his set the audience were so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. 'Sirens' provided the perfect opportunity for Odell to showcase his vocal talent and, even with little but a piano to support him, his voice and presence permeated the grand courtyard.  You'd never have guessed this was the same man who had been forced to pull out of a slot supporting The Rolling Stones mere days earlier due to a chest infection; he was pitch-perfect throughout and not once did his voice falter. 

Continue reading: Tom Odell - Somerset House 17th July 2013 Live Review

Set for release on 24th June 2013, Tom Odell's first album is an anticipated release: he was nominated for the BBC's Sound Of 2013 award, was the BRITs' Critics' Choice and, perhaps most impressively, has been chosen to support The Rolling Stones this summer.  His own headline shows are scheduled for October, including a multiple-night run at Shepherd's Bush Empire.

If you're not familiar with Odell's work, what is most immediately striking is the fragile vocal style, something that you wouldn't expect to have a commanding presence.  It isn't disguised behind a wall of sound though, nor is this a collection of a cappella work.  Predominantly accompanied by keyboard, he engagingly stomps through numbers such as 'Hold Me' and the passionate 'I Know'.  The voice is endearingly emotive without feeling in any way forced and this is the key to the songs being so captivating.  The majority of writing is about heartbreak, but where Odell mainly succeeds is in conveying a genuine grief as refrains from turning to clich's.  Take 'Till I Lost' for example, a towering track with touches of gospel and haunting backing vocals that makes no mention of crying or sadness, it is instead conveyed through the soundscape.

The touch of soul that is 'Supposed To Be' marks another highlight of this release, but it's not all doom and gloom.  'Grow Old With Me' is a spritely piece that builds to a rousing conclusion which could easily have audiences dancing but, truth be told, Odell is best when he's hurt - his pain is our gain.  'Another Love' sees him sounding at his lowest and most vulnerable, emphasised by a sparse arrangement to begin with, then developing into a huge and powerful crescendo that will strike a chord with anyone who has been damaged by a relationship - if you're going to wallow, this is definitely how to do it.  The peak of a good record - there's a couple of fillers in the middle that stop this from being great - it proves that the hype for this artist is very much justified.

Continue reading: Tom Odell - Long Way Down Album Review