Sam Smith has unleashed ‘Gloria’ – their fourth studio album.
Led by the optimistic ‘Love Me More,’ the set sees Smith exploring themes of religion, identity, and more.
That Grape Juice has been spinning the LP since its release. Join us below to find out which five tracks are essential on ‘Gloria.’
5. Who We Love
Serving as the ‘Gloria’s closing track, Smith teams with Ed Sheeran to create a wistful love ballad that plays into each of their respective strengths.
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4. No God
If there is one song on ‘Gloria’ that showcases Smith’s growth, then it is ‘No God.’ Playing into familiar territory that Smith has explored in the past, ‘No God’ ups the ante by displaying newfound confidence with an ease that had not been there previously.
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3. Perfect
One of Smith’s two collaborations with singer Jessie Reyez, ‘Perfect’ is the stronger of the two by far. A pseudo-rock anthem complete with roaring guitars on the outro, Smith makes a home in a new sound, proving they were meant to be here all along.
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2. How To Cry
Smith has long proved that their strengths lie in ballads and with ‘How To Cry’ they continue to prove this to be true. A bare bones production with mainly just an acoustic guitar gives Smith’s emotive voice to shine in all of its GRAMMY-winning glory.
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1. I’m Not Here To Make Friends
Smith is no stranger to celebrating their queer identity, and on ‘I’m Not Here To Make Friends’ it is front and center. Teaming up with Calvin Harris and having RuPaul open the track, the song is a disco-infused pop banger that celebrates humanity and identity in all of their facets.
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Do you agree with our picks?