Tom Odell - Songs From Another Love EP Review

Brit's Critics Choice Winner Tom Odell has appeared on just about every kind of 'Next Big Thing for 2013' list, including BBC Sound of 2013 and MTV's Brand New for 2013. These were probably down to the release of his first EP, 'Songs From Another Love', released late last year and his much-discussed slot on 'Later with. Jools Holland'; the show that seems to tip a lot of artists over the cusp to stardom. 

The four tracks on this EP are enough to show why Tom Odell has had a successful year already, even though it's only January and he's yet to have a full-length album out. 'Long Way Down' is to be released in April. Each track on this EP is exciting. It's not as if they're all really mental and upbeat, they just retain a lot of passion and talent, like a musical sponge. 

'Lose myself in teenage lies, if I fell in love a thousand times would it all make sense?' questions Odell in 'Sense'. It's an incredibly tender song where the piano and backing compliment his voice and ending hums. The tone and tinkering keys accompanied by Odell's wavering vocal feel quite Adele-like. It may seem introverted at first but as it goes on, like other songs, it suddenly becomes a rather dramatic affair.

'Another Love' has a similar recipe in its soft-sounding verse: 'I want to cry and I want to love, but all my tears have been used up'. Suddenly, it gets all fired up giving it a grand atmosphere, where violent acoustic strums, heavy keys and solid beat align it with Mumford and Sons. 

The extent of the 22-year-old Chichester-born singer/songwriter's voice is really promoted in 'Can't Pretend.' It gets stronger and more persistent (in a good way) with drawn out lines and reiterated words. It's the type of catchy song that's advert-worthy. Demo 'Stay Tonight' exercises a much calmer approach at first before returning to the familiar loud strums and Odell's voice turned up a couple of notches on the volume. 

Tom Odell is not just another British male singer/songwriter. Well, he is, but not in a way that he sounds like he is copying someone else. He has managed to establish his own style within this very crowded sector, which is destined to allow him more success this year following the recent nominations and wins.