Like British singer James Bay’s latest album, “Changes All the Time”, “Talk” ends with an upbeat chorus sung over a guitar riff. To get there, he opens with a confession: “I don’t know how to talk to you/I gotta give you something real.”
The truth is that Bay is incredibly candid. The album, his fourth, sees the musician turning lyrics into emotional cries or solemn encouragement over raw instrumentals – as indicated by the album cover, which features Bey accompanied by images of a guitar and a keyboard.
The 34-year-old singer-songwriter first emerged a decade ago, making a splash with his 2014 debut album, “Chaos and the Calm.” Their breakout hit, the six-time platinum “Let It Go” – with its picky intro and easy-to-sing-along chorus – has since surpassed 1.2 billion streams on Spotify. Bey’s talent came to the fore amid the embrace of pop singer-songwriters in the 2010s: she toured with Hozier and Taylor Swift early in her career; Their breakthrough track shared the radio waves with enduring hits from Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.
Now, in 2024, his new music will arrive at the appropriate time. The folk style of “All the Time Changes” is likely to be embraced by nostalgic fans and newcomers alike, who have turned to the genre during its post-pandemic resurgence. Led by artists like Noah Kahn and Lizzy McAlpine, potential new listeners are looking for vulnerable songs to become universal chants.
Kahn and The Lumineers join Bey on the spirited lead single, “Up All Night”, an entry in the “stomp and holler” canon that conjures up images of live musicians in pubs, around campfires, in garages or elsewhere. Brings to the fore immediately. On stage, over Bey’s guitar, Ally promises to drop her guard while singing: “Let’s talk about dreams/Let’s talk about lies/Let’s talk about all the things that hurt us Keeps you up all night.”
Produced by Gabe Simon – who most recently worked with Kahn on the critically acclaimed “Stick Season” – “Changes All the Time” sees Bay delve into late-night thoughts and big emotions with a variety of voices.
Holly Humberstone, known for her moody pop, takes credit for writing the album “Dogfight”. The Killers’ Brandon Flowers co-wrote “Easy Distraction”, an unapologetic love song with a killer bridge and electric guitar melody. Bay imitates singer-songwriter Kevin Garrett’s soft, whispering vocals on “Crystal Clear”, which Garrett co-wrote.
Bay’s strength as a songwriter is most deeply felt in the album’s most emotional moments – such as when “Hope” employs a chorus of background vocals, turning an appeal of optimism into a unifying message. . Even when Bay sings about tough times, he gives reassurance that “it’s gonna be okay” – like he sings on “Dogfight”.
“Changes All the Time” makes it clear that positivity – even in moments of stress – is where Bey’s love for the craft shines through.
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