Gary Barlow, the British singer and songwriter, has released his fourth solo album, titled Since I Saw You Last. This is the first full length solo album that Barlow has produced in 14 years. His last, called Twelve Months, Eleven Days, came out back in 1999. The new album features a wide range of styles and influences. Barlow himself says that it is a mix of pop, alternative, and folk pop.
After the 1999 release of his studio album, Twelve Months, Eleven Days, Barlow decided to stop singing. He said that he wanted to get away from the limelight, and that he didn’t feel the need to be a performing artist anymore. He no longer even sang in his own studio.
When Barlow decided that it was time to get back in the game, he said that he wanted to do some things differently on this new album than he did on the last. He said that the Twelve Months album was strained by the pressures of other people telling him how he should sound. He said he barely recognizes himself when he hears it.
After some success with a number of solo concerts, Barlow announced his next solo studio album. His new album, Since I Saw You Last, is very different from the last one. Barlow says that there is a lot of himself and his life in the music on this one. This album showcases not just Barlow’s performances, but his songwriting ability. He is a capable writer, who can turn out some memorable tunes, with lyrics to match. In a few of the songs on this album, his music touches on a period when Barlow was suffering from clinical depression.
Barlow enjoyed playing on the lead single, “Let Me Go.” He said it was based in folky, acoustic music, which he had always enjoyed but never really explored. After listening to some Johnny Cash, and early songs from the great Elton John, he wrote this enjoyable song. Elton John also appears on the album, singing a duet with Barlow on “Face to Face”, a fun and exuberant piece.
Since I Saw You Last was released in November 2013, with a concert tour scheduled for 2014. The lead single, called “Let Me Go,” came out one week before the album release. The single hit number 3 on the UK charts, making it the 21st of Barlow’s singles to hit the top three. It then rose to number 2, and went silver in two weeks. The album debuted in the number two position on the UK Albums Chart, behind the boy band One Direction. By early 2014, the album was certified double platinum in the UK, and also hit the top ten on the German charts.
