This emotionally raw album might be the one of the best albums the singer has released to date.
As a reflection of divorce and the emotional pain that comes with it, Paloma Faith’s The Glorification of Sadness will strike a cord with anyone who has been through it and having to find your way once more after it.
Yes it is a serious, reflective and even on occasion angry album but it does take the listener through an impressively structured emotional journey – even if some of the songs in terms of tone don’t always quite work.
For those who are familiar with Paloma Faith’s previous albums, as always there is sense of soulfulness to her music – particularly when you listen to album opener ‘Sweatpants’ which might become slightly repetitive lyrically but it is disarming also in its honesty and vulnerability.
Further on the album, songs such as ‘Bad Woman’ and ‘How You Leave a Man’ are fierce and show a singer who is not prepared to wallow in the situation but to find the courage to carry on for the sake of herself and her children. Both songs are filled with fighting talk.
Elsewhere, ‘Eat Sh*t and Die’ feels more like the Paloma Faith that we are normally used to quirky and soulful pop that is distinctive but still with undertones of that anger and passion that is present throughout.
But it is when the songs changes tone unexpectedly that the album falters slightly – ‘Cry on the Dancefloor’ and ‘The Big Bang Ending’ just feel slightly out of place on an album that seems to be really emotionally driven.
Yet despite this, there is plenty to emotionally unpack on The Glorification of Sadness that makes it an impressive achievement and i would have to say it is one of Faith’s best albums to date. There is an intensity and range of styles that work well with the subject matter right at the heart of it – as heard on ‘let It Ride’ which is cool, calm and collected and refreshing to listen to or ‘Divorce’ which has a thoughtful poignancy about it that makes us sit up and pay attention.
Overall, while the overall vibe of the album is serious, there are glimmers of fun and positivity to be be found as well, with songs such as ‘Enjoy Yourself’ and ‘I am Enough’ really highlighting this well. While the album starts in a dark place, as it progresses you get a real sense of just how far the singer has come emotionally and it comes across as a very emotionally mature album. Definitely recommended.
By Emma Clarendon
The Glorification of Sadness is available to buy now.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐