Sam Smith celebrates requited love on their new record “Hazel Eyes.“
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TOP 5 TRACKS
5. Hold On
“Hold On,” the penultimate track on Hazel Eyes, is sonically diverse and plays with expectations. Sam Smith sings about love saving you from danger, the pull to let go, and the drive to hang on.
Musically, “Hold On” takes you on the biggest journey of all the tracks. It draws influence primarily from gospel and rock, and it constantly reaches toward something, driving forward until the outro, when Smith’s smooth singing turns more desperate and distorted, and the instruments take over in a way that feels almost suspenseful and unnerving. You can feel those drums and guitars in your chest as the song closes.
4. Thief
In “Thief,” Smith ventures into the realm of outlaw country. The Sam Smith we get on this track is drunk and distrustful, worried that the betrayal in a past relationship could happen in their current one. In the hours of the night when Smith is alone and awake, their suspicion and memories of past hurt only grow, and they are ready to take their love back “like a thief” if their current partner betrays them.
I wasn’t expecting to hear Sam Smith pull off a country song so well, so this was a fun surprise. While it has influences from genres beyond country—particularly rock—it fits comfortably under the outlaw country label when you put it together. This is definitely intentional, especially since the track is literally called “Thief.”
3. Moondance (Ft. Feist)
“Moondance” begins with Smith’s breaths, a low piano bassline, and steady drums. Their voice blends beautifully with the delicate vocals of Feist, the featured artist. These all stay throughout the song, with things only being slowly added, such as guitars, more drums, or eventually, elegant strings. The song’s lyrics are about a moment when two lovers who have changed each other for the better are dancing in the moonlight.
The celestial ways of describing Smith’s future with their lover—making a constellation, being a celestial body together, riding into the sky on a river made of sunlight—are all beautiful and add to the dreamy quality of the lyrics. That, combined with the slight groove, makes this a fun listening experience.
2. To Be Free
“To Be Free” is a classic Sam Smith ballad with the choir to match, but it is particularly moving. Directly and indirectly referencing their struggles with public scrutiny, homophobia, transphobia, and body dysmorphia, this song is an optimistic and moving closer to the record, most of which was about Smith’s relationship with a lover. This song is about their relationship with themself and finally being comfortable in their own skin, which is what it means to be free.
1. Oh Mother (Ft. The TwoCity Chorus)
Most of Hazel Eyes is about romantic love. “Oh Mother” is about maternal love instead. In this song, Smith has been betrayed by their lover and seeks comfort from their mother. As the song goes on, it becomes clear that The TwoCity Chorus is the collective voice of Smith’s mother. This makes the song particularly powerful because it shows the strength of a mother’s protection—it feels like it comes from all around rather than just a single voice.
This track is gospel with rock sensibilities. I love how much it stood out from the rest of the album while still fitting. The gospel and rock influences are omnipresent across most tracks, but the theme of maternal care isn’t, and the large, heavily featured chorus really adds to it.
SONG-BY-SONG RATING
Everlasting Love (4/5)
Hazel Eyes (4.5/5)
Moondance (4.5/5)
My Guy (4/5)
When He’s Gone (4/5)
Thief (4.5/5)
Love Is A Stillness (3.5/5)
Sugar Rush (4/5)
Oh Mother (5/5)
Constant Companion (4/5)
Hold On (4.5/5)
To Be Free (4.5/5)
RGM RATING
(B)
Overall, Hazel Eyes is a very interesting project for Sam Smith. It had a very strong concept: requited love. For the formerly chronically heartbroken crooner, this is a natural and heartwarming development. After the pop record Gloria, featuring the divisive “Unholy,” Hazel Eyes is almost a return to form, but with a twist. Smith plays with genres, drawing on gospel, rock, doo-wop, folk, country, acoustic pop, and baroque pop, among others. At the same time, it felt cohesive and was a good listen from start to finish. Fans of Smith will like the
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