A heartfelt and vulnerable collection

James Bay recently released his third studio album, Leap. After much success with his previous albums, he has grown as an artist and came back ready to share his most vulnerable music yet. This album explores topics of love and heartbreak. His vocals are passionate as he bares his heart through lyrics that are sure to leave the listener wanting more.

The first track, “Give Me The Reason,” sets the heart-wrenching and vulnerable tone for the album. He sings about losing a relationship. He nostalgically recalls moments in the relationship and searches for a reason not to let this person or memories go. He needs the other person to meet him with the same sentiments. Behind the heartbreaking lyrics are indie guitars and a dance beat which puts the song somewhere between pop, indie and rock.

The third track, “Save Your Love,” is another vulnerable and honest track. He is asking someone to save their love for someone like him instead of a partner that does not appreciate them. He watches the relationship from the outside and does not want to intrude but wants to treat this person better. This track strays away from the dance beat sound and relies on rhythm guitar to carry the track behind the story-filled lyrics.

A few tracks later, Bay continues to sing about love with the song “One Life.” He sings about wanting to spend forever with one person. With heartwarming imagery of their promising future, he tries to convince them that they are meant to be together forever. He sings passionately, flowing between strong belting and soft vocals. The accompaniment of this song takes influences from both pop and folk, where he uses pop percussion and folk-like acoustic guitar patterns.

The next track, “Silent Love,” transitions to a more somber and heartbroken tone. He sings about having been in love with someone he used to spend time with, but he never confessed his feelings. Now that they are not around anymore, he cannot seem to let them go so he regrets never telling them. This song is heart-wrenching, as the listeners can hear the pain in his voice through the cracks, cries and belting. He is accompanied by strong harmonies, acoustic guitar and somber piano. This vulnerable song will break the listener’s heart.

One of the final tracks, “Endless Summer Nights,” is an optimistic and energizing way to close the album. He sings about summer nights full of life and love. The drums drive the energy of the song, while the electric guitar makes the song feel young. Full of light and energy, the song is easy to listen to and makes the listener feel alive. While the lyrics and vocals are still full of passion, this song is far more uplifting than most of the others on this album.

Overall, James Bay’s most recent album, “Leap,” is a heartfelt collection of songs in which he shares his most honest sentiments. Accompanied by a mix of styles, he is able to show off his artistry and growth over the years while communicating his heartfelt messages.