James Blunt Guides "All the Lost Souls" Through the Teardrops

I once saw James Blunt perform on a television show, I am thinking it was Saturday Night Live, and I remember this performance because I was depressed and his song helped exploit that to the fullest. I've never given one of his albums a listen though and so song by song I now do so and make some notes. The album I chose was his second one "All The Lost Souls."

"1973": Mainly directed towards someone named "Simona" with chorus reflections on what they did in 1973. They did not do anything to make an interesting story and the cardboard music suffers because of it.

"I'll Take Everything": It made me imagine an elderly person singing about their aches and pains in a retirement home. Oh, my feet hurt. I bet James Blunt could do a good impersonation of that old pedophile from the cartoon "Family Guy."

"One Of The Brightest Stars": It feels like music made for a soap opera opening with sections then easy enough to cut off and insert into scenes as background music keeping the theme of the show.

"Same Mistake": This is a song that will find the hole in your heart and burrow in if you let it. Desperation mixed with self-realization and sad acceptance that his faults will always play out in the same way with his choices made.

"Carry You Home": Sometimes you can go sissy rock and prick at the heart strings and while this one has a theme that is well meaning it was just sissy rock that was too sissy for me. Ha.

"Give Me Some Love": This song mashes the gas down a little harder and it pays off. A little angst makes it into his voice and the profanity adds the plus after the A: good song.

"I Really Want You": Another song that makes it across the finish line with the emotion intact. The delivery is fun in some soft whispered sections, even when the vocals don't match the speed at the end of a line, a little awkward, but I think it fit's the mood of the song. When you cannot hold your crush inside any longer let it out with this track.

"Shine On": Par for the course for James Blunt, a lovely song, but then some silly moments to that ruined it for me. "We just shone."

"Annie": A shout out to Annie as a star that's not going very far, he seems torn between mocking Annie for thinking she would be famous, though one could also interpret as jealousy if they want. However, it's not an interesting enough sounding song to really draw in many interpreters to sit and contemplate.

"I Can't Hear The Music": Is it, is it, is it really worth listening to? Is not.

"1973 (acoustic)": It doesn't change the song up enough to give it new life.

"All The Lost Souls" holds a couple of singles that make for midnight cry sessions, but mostly it is an all the same vibe with weepy piled on top of weepy. The best songs are "Give Me Some Love" and "Same Mistake."