It'll All Make Sense in the End

After a period of self-reflection during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Arthur was inspired to begin work on new material and set up a home studio. Before beginning work, he knew he "wanted to make a record that was guitar-driven. [...] I knew that I wanted to make a coherent album, one that felt like a body of work that was all made in the same place." After working on several songs, he realised that he was writing about experiences that he had "never really addressed or spoken about before" and was motivated to complete a full body of work.

Arthur emphasised the difference in energy as compared to his previous work, calling his vocals "so intense on the record, and it made sense to match that intensity with heavy guitars and the trap drums". Although his label was initially unsure about the loudness of the guitars in the mix for an otherwise pop record, Arthur felt that when he had previously "dilute[d] the rock elements", he "lost" himself and wanted them to be more prominent on the album. The BBC also called it a "grittier, guitar-driven sound" as compared to Arthur's first three albums.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59125764|title=James Arthur: 'I want to be one of the greats'|publisher=BBC|last=Savage|first=Mark|date=3 November 2021|access-date=7 November 2021}}

Arthur titled the record It'll All Make Sense in the End because "it's what I'd say to my younger self", which also inspired the cover art, which is meant to depict a "post-apocalyptic world where absolutely nothing makes sense".{{cite web|url=https://flaunt.com/content/-james-arthur-itll-all-make-sense-in-the-end|title=Flaunt Premiere {{!}} James Arthur's New Album 'It'll All Make Sense In The End'|work=Flaunt|last=Ju|first=Shirley|date=5 November 2021|access-date=7 November 2021}} Explaining the "it" in the title, he declared "'it' is anything one would like it to be. Who knows? Just who knows? I guess the message is not to worry about it – not to try and control the outcome."{{Cite web |last=Gan |first=Shanne |date=2021-11-10 |title=James Arthur talks about his new album 'It'll All Make Sense In The End', playing at the Royal Albert Hall, and the story behind 'Emily' |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/james-arthur-new-album-itll-all-make-sense-in-the-end-emily-say-you-wont-let-go-interview-sony-music-november-2021 |access-date=2023-07-10 |language=en}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = i

| rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/music/album-reviews-diana-ross-thank-you-snail-mail-valentine-james-arthur-itll-all-make-sense-in-the-end-1284942|title=Album reviews: Diana Ross 'Thank You', Snail Mail 'Valentine', James Arthur 'It'll All Make Sense in the End'|work=i|last=Solomon|first=Kate|date=4 November 2021|access-date=7 November 2021}}

| rev2 = GSGM

| rev2score = 4/5{{Cite web |title=James Arthur, ‘It’ll All Make Sense In The End’ – Album Review ★★★★☆ |url=https://www.gsgmedia.co/james-arthur-2 |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=www.gsgmedia.co}}

| rev3 = OutLoud! Culture

| rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{Cite web |last=Frazer |first=Neill |date=2022-03-12 |title=Review: James Arthur's Honest, Vulnerable and Perfectly Crafted Album 'It'll All Make Sense In The End' |url=https://outloudculture.com/2022/03/12/review-james-arthurs-honest-vulnerable-and-perfectly-crafted-album-itll-all-make-sense-in-the-end/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=OutLoud! Culture |language=en-US}}

| rev4 = Riff Magazine

| rev4score = 7/10{{Cite web |date=2021-11-01 |title=ALBUM REVIEW: James Arthur learns 'It'll All Make Sense In The End' |url=https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/james-arthur-itll-all-make-sense-in-the-end/ |access-date=2023-07-10 |website=RIFF Magazine |language=en-US}}

}}

i writer Kate Solomon rated the album two out of five stars, describing Arthur's voice as "still very strong with the same slight husk to it, but he is let down by forgettable music and frankly terrible lyrics", ultimately concluding that "[t]here is no passion in his voice and no drama in the music. It's all about as anonymous as a stranger walking past you in the street."

Domenic Strazzabosco of Riff Magazine rated the album 7 out of 10, writing that "though some tracks are indistinguishable from the previous or following, he pours his heart into the lyrics and gives them enough personal touches to make it worth a listen." GSGM and OutLoud! Culture also gave the record a positive review, with the latter defining it an "honest, vulnerable and perfectly crafted album."

{{Track listing

| headline = It'll All Make Sense in the End track listing

| total_length = 48:50

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title_width = 20%

| writing_width = 55%

| extra_width = 25%

| title1 = Running Away

| writer1 = {{hlist|James Arthur|Wayne Hector|George Tizzard|Richard Parkhouse}}

| extra1 = Red Triangle

| length1 = 4:09

| title2 = Wolves

| writer2 = {{hlist|Arthur|Max Wolfgang|Christopher Crowhurst}}

| extra2 = Chris Loco

| length2 = 3:21

| title3 = Medicine

| writer3 = {{hlist|Arthur|James Yami Bell|Tizzard|Parkhouse}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Red Triangle|Matt Rad}}

| length3 = 3:30

| title4 = September

| writer4 = {{hlist|Arthur|Hector|Tizzard|Parkhouse}}

| extra4 = Red Triangle

| length4 = 3:42

| title5 = Always

| writer5 = {{hlist|Arthur|Corey Sanders|Mark Ralph}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Ralph|Bradley Spence|Alex Beitzke}}

| length5 = 2:48

| title6 = Emily

| writer6 = {{hlist|Arthur|Bell|Tizzard|Parkhouse}}

| extra6 = Red Triangle

| length6 = 3:23

| title7 = Last of the Whiskey

| writer7 = {{hlist|Arthur|Bell|Mark Crew|Daniel Priddy|Jack Duxbury}}

| extra7 = {{hlist|Crew|Priddy|Duxbury}}

| length7 = 3:31

| title8 = Never Let You Go

| writer8 = {{hlist|Arthur|Sanders|Thomas Barnes|Peter Kelleher|Benjamin Kohn}}

| extra8 = TMS

| length8 = 3:45

| title9 = 4000 Miles

| writer9 = {{hlist|Arthur|Bell|Tizzard|Parkhouse}}

| extra9 = Red Triangle

| length9 = 3:09

| title10 = Deja Vu

| writer10 = {{hlist|Andrew Jackson|Crew|Priddy}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Crew|Priddy}}

| length10 = 3:04

| title11 = Ride

| writer11 = {{hlist|Arthur|Wolfgang|Crowhurst}}

| extra11 = Loco

| length11 = 3:49

| title12 = Avalanche

| writer12 = {{hlist|Arthur|Jackson|Duck Blackwell}}

| extra12 = Blackwell

| length12 = 3:49

| title13 = SOS

| writer13 = {{hlist|Arthur|Bell|Tizzard|Parkhouse}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Red Triangle|Rad}}

| length13 = 3:42

| title14 = Take It or Leave It

| writer14 = {{hlist|Arthur|Joe Housley|Charlie Martin|Richard Boardman|Pablo Bowman|Ralph}}

| extra14 = {{hlist|Ralph|Spence|Beitzke}}

| length14 = 3:08

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition bonus tracks{{cite web|url=https://store.jamesarthurofficial.com/products/itll-all-make-sense-in-the-end-deluxe-cd|title=It'll All Make Sense in the End (Deluxe Edition) by James Arthur|website=jamesarthurofficial.com}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length =

| title15 = Losing You

| writer15 = {{hlist|Arthur|Jackson|Blackwell}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Blackwell|Rad}}

| length15 = 3:46

| title16 = Lose My Mind

| note16 = featuring Josh Franceschi

| writer16 = {{hlist|Arthur|Sanders|Lowe}}

| extra16 = Cass Lowe

| length16 = 3:20

| title17 = Nothing in the Way of Us

| writer17 = {{hlist|Arthur|Justin Parker|Jon Green}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Parker|Rad}}

| length17 = 3:12

| title18 = Religion

| writer18 = {{hlist|Arthur|Bell|Tizzard|Parkhouse}}

| extra18 = Red Triangle

| length18 = 3:29

| title19 = Be the One

| writer19 =

{{hlist|Arthur|Jamie Graham|Will Vaughan|Anders Hojer}}

| extra19 = Hojer

| length19 = 2:43

| title20 = New Blood

| writer20 =

{{hlist|Arthur|Steve McEwan|Pete "Boxsta" Martin}}

| extra20 = Martin

| length20 = 5:07

}}

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom |type=album|award=Silver|relyear=2021|certyear=2024|artist=James Arthur|title=It'll All Make Sense In The End|id=20113-2447-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{James Arthur}}

Category:2021 albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:James Arthur albums

Category:Albums produced by Matt Rad

Category:Albums produced by TMS (production team)