‘Forget Me’ Review: A Fine But Forgettable Return for Lewis Capaldi

After more than two years of waiting, Lewis Capaldi’s highly anticipated return to music has arrived following the meteoric success of the artist’s 2019 debut album “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent.” The striking album title came from a discarded lyric that Capaldi says captured how he felt while making the project. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for Capaldi’s latest single “Forget Me,” a pleasant but forgettable return where that divine lack of inspiration seems to truly set in.

“Forget Me” revisits well-trodden ground for Capaldi, who has built an audience through an impressive collection of heartbreak anthems including “Someone You Loved,” “Bruises,” and “Before You Go.” Adding to this repertoire with his newest exploration of heartbreak, Capaldi explores the complicated feelings he has toward an ex.

The song takes place two years after a breakup as Capldi laments, “I hate to know I made you cry / But love to know I cross your mind.” It's a struggle between guilt and relief, knowing an ex can’t quite move on even while Capaldi struggles to do the same. He repeats throughout, “I'm not ready / To find out you know how to forget me.”

The single familiar territory for the artist, but in doing so fails to bring a unique perspective or make the concept feel new. Capaldi attempts to switch up the sadness which has characterized his past releases with jealousy, but doesn’t deliver any real substance or bite.

Of course, the song isn’t all bad. Capaldi’s vocals continue to stun and surprise listeners — particularly those who have been exposed to the dissonance between his charismatic crooning and notoriously chaotic interviews. “Forget Me”’s upbeat tempo stands out as the song’s most unexpected aspect, separating the track from Capaldi’s existing collection of sad ballads. However, the upbeat tempo also serves as the track's greatest downfall. Without Capaldi’s soaring vocals or gritty melodies, the song is left devoid of all the things audiences have come to love about his music.

There’s nothing exceptionally bad about “Forget Me,” but when you’ve set the bar as high as Capaldi has, audiences have come to expect the best. In that respect, Capaldi’s long-awaited comeback failed to deliver. True to its name, “Forget Me” fails to make a lasting impression and won’t be remembered for any longer than its three minute and twenty-four second duration.

—Staff writer Jen A. Hughes can be reached at jen.hughes@thecrimson.com.