TOM ODELL WOWS THE CROWD

Columbia-signed British star Tom Odell played his new material during a sold-out show at the 800-capacity Islington Assembly Hall in London Wednesday night, and we were lucky enough to be seated amongst the packed audience. Odell's second album, Wrong Crowd, is out on 6/10, and, from what we’ve heard so far, is a very worthy follow-up to his hugely successful, million-selling debut.

Odell was backed by an excellent band and smashed the hell out of a piano while belting out his signature vocals. “I’ve been working on this album for a long time, and it feels fucking good to be back tonight,” he told the London audience.

Alongside title single "Wrong Crowd," Odell also played past tracks “Another Love” and encored with “Grow Old With Me,” closing with the last song from Wrong Crowd, the downtempo “Somehow.”

Odell’s debut, Long Way Down, hit #1 in the U.K. in June 2013, after the Brit had won BRITs Critics’ Choice. He was named Songwriter of the Year at 2014’s Ivor Novello Awards—a gong Adele is likely to take home this year.

Co-produced by Odell and Jim Abbiss, the new music has a heavier feel to the ballads that largely make up Long Way Down. Latest release “Magnetised” is a Hot Song on Apple Music, and sits at #43 on Spotify’s United Kingdom Viral Top 50, and #72 on the iTunes Singles Chart. The project is being helmed at Sony U.K. by A&R Manager George Tyekiff and Marketing Manager Bec Adams. Sam Eldridge of UROK is Odell’s Manager.

Photos: Rhian Jones