Blunt's CD not so beautiful

By Jess Camp

Published Sept. 21, 2007

Although James Blunt's ode to the "beautiful" was played ad nauseam last year, his album left some listeners hungry for more. Was this fellow just a one-hit wonder, or did he hold a few more tunes in his pipes? Well, it turns out that he did indeed have more songs percolating through his mind and out his mouth.

Blunt's sophomore album, All the Lost Souls, hit stores and iTunes on Tuesday, and on it Blunt stepped out from his usual sappy, falsetto-filled songs and ventured into a land of despair. The majority of the songs are about people who are full of sadness and have given up on life, death and failed dreams. The album title was chosen for a reason, and it perfectly fits the mood of the CD.

Although energetic songs have never been Blunt's calling card, All the Lost Souls is in sore need of them. His first album, Back to Bedlam, was full of crescendos and high-pitched melodies. But this time around, it seems as though Blunt is just going through the motions of making an album. He feels as though he thinks that if he waited any longer to put more thought into these songs, people would forget about him.

He hasn't put any extra oomph into it, and not one track made me stop and think "now this is what music should be."

Not only has Blunt adopted a more melancholy vibe, but he has also lost his trademark falsetto. He uses it sometimes, but not nearly as much as on Back to Bedlam. What a rip-off. His highs are comparable to those of Justin Timberlake and Adam Levine's. His raspy screeching made him stand out, but now he's just like any other pop artist.

None of Blunt's songs are really peppy, so it's best to listen to this album if you're looking to fall asleep. Or maybe cry.

Blunt is just a storyteller in a singer's body. With each different lyric, Blunt spins tales that can pretty much relate to everyone.

In "I'll Take Everything," Blunt sings about enjoying everything in life, because he's just going to end up dead later. It's the antithesis of the lame phrase that tries to keep people from having fun with their material goods: "You can't take it with you." According to this song, that's exactly why you should partake in everything you can.

There is one hopeful song on the album, "Shine On," about a guy and his girl. The world is full of people who are "slaves to the gods they've made," but not this pair. They are dancing on a cloud high above everyone else, smiling at each other, because they've realized that life isn't really that bad - all you need is love.

All the Lost Souls is decent, but it is certainly not as good as Blunt's first. Maybe it's because two years ago, Blunt was a cutie from Britain who complimented women on their looks. Or maybe it was that he stripped in his video. Either way, his new album lacks the great hit his first had. These are decent tunes but not something to put on the iPod dock if you expect your guests to stay at your place and have a good time.