• Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Nov 5, 2013
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 44 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 44
  2. Negative: 5 out of 44
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this album

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Nov 6, 2013
    10
    I love this CD. I cannot stop listening to it. I really do not get why the critics are so adverse to Mr. Blunt. My favorite songs in this CD are Face the Sun, Bonfire Heart, Always hate me, Bones. However, I do like all of them. In my humble opinion this is a must buy CD.
  2. Nov 6, 2013
    10
    I agree with the previous user. This latest album from James Blunt is terrific. THe songs and lyrics are just heat warming and touching. Furthermore it looks like that James has really taken an introspective look and wrote with an honesty difficult to find in today's music. Maybe that is why he is so often criticized by this so called music experts. 10 out of 10 on my book!
  3. Nov 9, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's very good and all songs are listenable...I think this album deserves a better review than this one. Don't forget that james has wrote the music and lyrics, which is a hard thing to do these days! Expand
  4. May 12, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers. James Blunt's latest album, even half a year after its release, is still very listenable. The songs are at times chipper and love-oriented, and at other times poignant and futuristic-analytic. The melodies rarely escape the typical flutter of the piano or simple chords of the guitar, but are exceptional in their simplicity. Perhaps the most notable tracks on this album are "Face the Sun" and "Bonfire Heart." "Face the Sun" presents the listener with a striking ambiguity, playing off Blunt's vocal persona caught between pleasure and reality. The swan-song aspect of this tune is very moving as long as the listener chooses to climb the ever-climbing waves of Blunt's passion. At once we hear a desperate choral "stay with me!" in accordance with a more reasonable front-vocal "in time, all the flowers turn to face the sun." We hear, then, two voices assumed to spring from the same mind: one begging for a second chance, and the other content to separate. "Bonfire Heart" is quite different. The song is harmonious, in-unison, cheerful, optimistic, and radio-friendly. "Bonfire Heart" is designed to lift the spirits of any listener by tying a veritable knot of unity and global kinship among everyone. This easy-going, totalizing form of musical artistry is what, I think, places "Bonfire Heart" a notch or two below "Face the Sun." Have a listen! Collapse
  5. Jul 6, 2014
    10
    I love this album. I don't get where all the negative reviews come from. Try Sun on Sunday and Face The Sun. Check James Blunt Youtube channel for the unplugged session, , you'll love it.
  6. Feb 9, 2016
    8
    I realy like it! Sounds modern but the lyrics are very characteristics from James Blut and that is good because i like him lyrics. Missed songs with single to potential more commercial. But Mr. Blunt has a great talent for songwriter and as singer he has a big emotional voice. I realy like it!
Metascore
49

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 13
  2. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. Mojo
    Nov 22, 2013
    40
    More mopey ballads and ad-ready pop songs. [Dec 2013, p.92]
  2. Q Magazine
    Nov 22, 2013
    40
    There's no hint of an artistic left-turn here. [Dec 2013, p.103]
  3. Entertainment Weekly
    Nov 14, 2013
    67
    When he loosens up, you get charmers. [15 Nov 2013, p.79]