In the year 2015, James Bay made a breakthrough entry in the music industry with his album “Chaos and the Calm”. Since then, fans have been waiting to listen to more of James’ works. It seems that the period of waiting is over.
Wild Love – Musicality and Narrative
Today, the “Hold Back the River” and “Let It Go” hitmaker released his new single “Wild Love” and the track has definitely surprised his fans. Breaking away from his persona of an acoustic artist, Bay has experimented with synth pop, combining music with layered vocals. The song has the vibes of 80s music but at the same time it suits the taste of modern music listeners.
As the title suggests, the song is about a lover’s desperation to be with his beloved. He is on quest to find a space that would only accommodate him and his beloved, a space where Bay’s protagonist will get a chance to showcase his “wild love”. Considering that Valentine’s Day is coming, Bay has dropped the song at the right moment.
Reception
As soon as the song was released, fans started sharing their opinions. “Wild Love” has been getting a mixed reaction as the new sound turned out to be a huge surprise for the listeners. While some shared their wish to listen to more acoustic songs by the singer, others applauded Bay for moving out of his comfort zone.
James’ Take on the Single
As shared by Rolling Stone, Bay explained the reason behind his move. He said,
“I know some of this new sound was not apparent on my first album – there were hints, perhaps – but I think my new music helps to paint a fuller picture of who I am,” Bay said of his new musical direction. “As soon as I recognized I was being pinned down as ‘the intimate acoustic guitar guy’ I realized I knew I had to push myself musically. I want it as part of my arsenal, but I don’t want that solely to define me. I’m not there yet, but hope that this new music can do for singer-songwriter, loosely, what Drake and Chance The Rapper are doing for their genre: tearing up the rule book.”
Tour Dates
Bay took to Twitter to announce the first tour dates of 2018. The dates have been announced for the month of March and April and the pre-sale for tickets will start 14th Feb onwards.
To celebrate #WildLove I’m so happy to be announcing my first tour dates of the year in March & April! Pre-sale starts Wed 14th Feb. Sign up here to get first access: https://t.co/w4VTy1ABIW pic.twitter.com/XYdKzt7V00
— James Bay (@JamesBayMusic) February 8, 2018
March 25th – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
March 27th – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
March 28th – Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater
March 31st – Chicago, IL @ Metro
April 2nd – Washington, D.C. @ Lincoln Theatre
April 3rd – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
April 5th – Boston, MA @ Royale NightClub
April 6th – Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
April 8th – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Bay’s album “Chaos and the Calm” defined modern rock for contemporary listeners but restricting himself to one genre seemed like a block to Bay’s creative soul. The new single might not please everyone but it will definitely help the artist find his sound. After all, iterations and reiterations bring out the best work.
What do you think about “Wild Love”? Share your thoughts via tweet @CelebMix.