Album Review: Sam Tompkins – hi my name is insecure
2 min read
After several sell-out tours and successful eps, Sam Tompkins has finally released his debut album. A self-confessed long time in the making, this is the result of years of work from the indie-pop star. A truly earnest and honest album hi my name is insecure explores men’s mental health and recovery.
The title track hi my name is insecure opens the album on a powerful note, with whisper singing and pared-back guitar accompaniment drawing attention to the lyrics. Throughout the album, Tompkins’s focus on exploring emotions is clear, in lose it all he sings “They say men can’t cry” and explains the taboo around discussions of men’s mental health. This is a topic he tackles again and again throughout the tracks in the album using his own experiences and almost autobiographical lyrical style to break down barriers and explore underrepresented topics.
Dead to Me continues the theme of raw and honest emotion but transitions to a more overwrought catchy and powerful sound in the chorus. It’s easy to tell from Tompkins’s powerful vocals, how he managed to make a name for himself busking in his home town of Brighton. His voice also impresses in numb where he uses a gravelly tone and the very end of his register as he explores themes of emotional struggles and preferring to be ‘numb” rather than feel.
His lyrical style is impressive and at times heartbreaking, such as in the wrenching Phones in Heaven which explores loss. The repeated refrain of “call me back” at its close a desperate plea made all the more powerful by his masterfully strained vocals. It’s contrasted by Nearly Killed Me, which combines its darker lyrics with an upbeat country music style sound. The two songs usually work well in tandem both highly moving and showing the width of Tompkins range.
The album becomes more positive at its close with the hopeful thank god you talked to me, a love song full of gratitude and joy. The final track of the album Alone At the Party embraces the contradictions of recovery. As Tompkins discusses the struggles with going out despite feeling depressed and afraid of what will happen. It’s gently encouraging and hopeful reminding the listener that even if “you’re alone at the party… at least you left the house”. The track encapsulates the themes of the album taking a genuine and considerate look at concerns, but encouraging action. The catchy guitar backing and soft vocals make it perhaps the album’s stand-out track.
With this debut, Tompkins makes it well worth the wait. Astonishingly confident and well-written for a debut, Tompkins’s personality and style shine through in every track. Both catchy and moving hi my name is insecure was well worth the wait, and is hopefully an indication of much more to come.
