James Arthur Essentials

There's a world of pain in James Arthur's voice, a grain of hard-won experience that casts a dark shadow over the soul of his aspirational ‘10s pop. Singles “Say You Won't Let Go” and “Impossible” present heartbreak as a battle for validation, pitting his feral howl against churning strings and deep, brooding bass. His woebegone presence adds a bitter edge to the summery “Sun Comes Up” and a note of desperation to the gospel chant and vaudeville shuffle of “Back from the Edge”. The warm and welcoming “Can I Be Him” takes a conciliatory tone without losing any of the pleading intensity.