Thoughts on Staying at Tamara’s

Hello everybody! Today, I’m going to be talking about my thoughts on Staying at Tamara’s, the almost two week old second album by my joint favourite artist ever, George Ezra. Quick disclaimer that I’m not uber up on technical terms; these are just my feelings/opinions/thoughts on what these songs are about and what they are. Onto the post!

Pretty Shining People– this is a wonderful opener to an album largely about escapism. It’s so beautifully sang, and the lyrics are uplifting and wonderful. The chorus is especially lovely and makes me feel likeI can take on whatever rubbish thing lies ahead that I’m worried about.

Don’t Matter Now- I initially wasn’t sure if I liked this or not, but after testing it 100 times since it was released last July I’m fairly sure I do. It’s about escapism (every song is, in some way, I think) and it’s so catchy. I can’t believe it didn’t get more radio play, as it’s exactly the sort of thing that’s fun to sing along to, and will get stuckin your head for DAYS (and only ever be mildly infuriating, which is a bonus. ) .

Get Away- the introductory instrumentals to this are just 😍, to begin with. I like it’s message, again one of escaping, and another of my favourite things about it is the brass band section. The new section of George’s band is one of my favourite things about the album in general actually.

Shotgun– this very quickly became my favourite song of the album. I listened to it at least 50 times on the first day it was out, and at least 50 more in the following week. It’s sunshine and joy in audio form, and I love the fun lyrics and the way it captures a lovely summery feeling. The pre-chorus and chorus itself are unbelievably catchy, the little bit where George almost speaks (‘I could get USED to this’) makes me grin and it’s just infectious in its joy. It’s also George’s favourite, which makes me even happier I fell so head over heels for it.

Paradise– this was the first official single of the album, and I played it so much the day it was released. It got completely stuck in my head, I think it’s just LOVELY and it makes me very happy that it pops up on the radio quite a bit to brighten my day. Also, the key change heading into the pre-chrous and that line (‘I know you’ve heard it from those other boys’) is one of my top moments of the album.

All my Love– despite it being about something quite different, this feels like this album’s version of Blind Man in Amsterdam. It’s short, sweet, and about always being there for someone. There are some fab lyrics and I love George’s voice on it, but it’s not one of my favourites.

Sugarcoat– this one was very unexpected for me in becoming a top 3 favourite. I’d actually almost been dreading getting to it as I didn’t like the title much, but my god it’s good. It’s about a romantic trip to South Africa and taking the next step in a relationship I think, and it’s dreamy and swoony and I adore it. I also really like the way George kind of talks to himself at one point, and the way it’s quite a self contained story, which is something I’ve always loved about George’s songs. The instrumentals are amazing too. So unexpected, but so good.

Hold My Girl- this is my 2nd favourite song of the album. It’s a beautiful ballad that makes me cry basically every time I hear it, and I love it so much. I sneakily found it on YouTube last summer well before it got released, and I’ve been listening ever since. It’s stunning.

Saviour (feat First Aid Kit)- this one has quite a dark sound to it, remniscent of Wanted On Voyage in a lot of ways (particularly Did You Hear the Rain?), and I must admit I still have no idea what it’s about. I think it’s fantastic though!

Only a Human– this is another amazing ballad, and it came very close to being in my top three favourites list. It’s about not blaming yourself when you make a mistake and put too much pressure on yourself, and it’s so poignant. The message feels very universal; something everyone needsto hear sometimes, and it makes me happy and sad at the same time.

The Beautiful Dream- there are parts of this which remind me of Breakaway (by far George’s most underrated song ever, in my opinion) so I obviously love it. It’s stunning, we see a few glimpses of falsetto in and it’s a perfect ending to a great album. Can I have George Ezra 3 now, please?

Are you a fellow fan of George Ezra? What’s your favourite song from this album? If you’ve not heard it, have I convinced you to give it a go? Would anyone be interested in a post like this for Wanted on Voyage? (I only ask as it’s a bit older, I’m planning to do one for other artists I love’s new stuff as and when it’s released). I’d absolutely LOVE to chat about this album with you, so let me know the answers to these in the comments or on Twitter @GoldenBooksGirl!

Amy xxx