Shawn Mendes's latest effort blends several genres, but is mostly bouncy pop and addictive beats. "Lost In Japan" has emerged as far and away my favorite song on this album, but there are many excellent tracks with lots of fun influences that shine through Mendes's own irresistible honesty and charm. Several songs serve up strong Robin Thicke vibes: "Nervous", "Particular Taste", and "Lost In Japan". Mendes delivers all the exuberant R&B rhythms and flawless falsetto of Blurred Lines without the creepiness-factor that has come to haunt Robin Thicke. There are also some nods to JC Chasez ("Why" is very "Build My World"), Justin Timberlake ("Particular Taste" again), and Ed Sheeran (who actually co-wrote "Fallin' All In You"). It's a bit concerning that someone 15 years younger than me can so skillfully conjure music that was first meaningful to me five, 12, or 14 years ago, but if I don't think about the fact that Shawn Mendes is practically a baby and wonder about how he could have possibly had the experiences necessary to write these songs, then I am happy to be carried away by his sweet, sweet voice.
Music for Robots is an utterly fantastic album! It fuses jazz, rock, R&B, soul, and funk to wonderful effect. The album is a perfectly sequenced masterpiece that deserves to be listened to all the way through from beginning to end. However, to give a flavor of what to expect, highlights include "Whatcha Sayin'", "The Night Is Calling" (wonderfully reminiscent of "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"), "Believe in Love", "Talk", and "OTM (One Thing Missing)".
Beautiful Life is an excellent natural continuation of Rick Astley's work. It has some similarities to Keep It Turned On ("Beautiful Life", with some influence from Sting circa Brand New Day thrown in there as well) and 50 ("Rise Up", "Try"), while also introducing new sonic twists. The expansive narrative quality of most of the songs on this album makes it easy to imagine each track being used in a movie or even a contemporary stage musical. "Empty Heart" is the track I return to most often, though other favorite tracks are the rhythm-driven "Shivers" and the funky, soulful "Better Together" (which wouldn't be out of place on the Body & Soul album). The twelve tracks on Beautiful Life are a great showcase for Rick's influences, his songwriting, his musicianship, and of course his voice. Every song sounds fresh, while also sounding unmistakably like Rick Astley.
Like Be As You Are: Songs From An Old Blue Chair, Songs for the Saints is a collection of carefully crafted, Jimmy Buffett-esque love letters to the magic, romance, and resilience of the Caribbean islands. Nearly every song on this album is a keeper, with the exception of "Get Along", which feels out of place as a song meant to appeal to Chesney's usual audience and act as a radio-friendly single. "Song for the Saints", "Every Heart", "Pirate Song", and "Gulf Moon" are especially strong tracks. An enjoyable duet with Jimmy Buffett himself on "Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season" is followed by "We're All Here", whose lyrics are vaguely reminiscent of another Buffett classic, "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes". Even though he didn't have a hand in writing all the tracks on the album, the stripped-back production and relaxed, introspective vibes of Songs for the Saints allow Chesney's genuine love for the Caribbean – particularly the Virgin Islands – shine through.
I had previously dismissed 5 Seconds of Summer as a Boy Band of the One Direction ilk. However, I was so taken by the album cover for Youngblood that I just had to see what music was being represented by the brash 80s-style graphics. I was pleasantly surprised to find a rock album whose influences span four decades and that is full of fun, anthemic tunes. "Want You Back" is a fantastic 80s pop-rock track that actually has a similar vibe to the HAIM song of the same name, and "Talk Fast" is another 80s-influenced track that is truly a bop. However, there are also influences from late-90s / early-00s rock bands like Sugar Ray, Lit, and Good Charlotte, as evidenced by tracks like "Moving Along". "If These Walls Could Talk" is reminiscent of The Wanted's 2011 album, Battleground, while "Woke Up in Japan", "Best Friend", and "Better Man" offer more contemporary brooding, crunchy rock. Overall, Youngblood is an fun and enjoyable rock album that molds a variety of influences into a cohesive collection of tracks.
I am quite partial to the first half of this album, which focuses on Jackson Maine's / Bradley Cooper's songs. These songs are excellent Country Rock / Southern Rock jams that sound like the Stillwater album I always wanted after Almost Famous. Literally every song that has Bradley Cooper listed as the performer is great, but my faves are "Black Eyes", "Out of Time" (a killer instrumental with serious Almost Famous vibes), and "Diggin' My Grave". I've never been the biggest Lady Gaga fan, but she does have a great voice, and I enjoy the range of genres she experiments with on this soundtrack; "Look What I Found", "Heal Me", and "Always Remember Us This Way" are especially good. The only dud among Gaga's tracks is "Why Did You Do That?", which I believe was meant to be a purposefully bad song (it reminds me of 2Gether's "The Way You Do Me") to provide a plot point in the movie. This is an excellent soundtrack album that is in fact better than the movie itself.
I have long enjoyed Jeff Goldblum as an actor for the quirkiness that he brings to roles and his unique diction, but I wasn't sure what to think when I saw that he had made a jazz album. I have been pleasantly surprised by this wonderful live recording. Listening to this album is like being at a fantastic jazz show while sitting in my living room rather than having to deal with the hassle of a club and annoying crowds. Goldblum takes charge of piano and emcee duties while backed by a terrific band (Till Brönner on trumpet is especially wonderful) and joined by Haley Reinhart and Imelda May on vocals for a handful of tracks. Goldblum's takes on "It Never Entered My Mind", "Caravan", and "Cantaloupe Island" are highlights, but the joy of this album is the way it successfully captures the energy and vibes of a live jazz show and bottles it up for infinite consumption.
Peace in the Valley is a collection of folk songs with beautifully arranged instrumentations that remind me of Chris Bathgate, Brian Wilson circa Surf's Up, and Bob Dylan (whose "The Death of Emmett Till" is covered here). Standout track "Throw Down Your Heart" is strongly reminiscent of Jeff Buckley at his most transcendent. Other noteworthy tracks include "We're Not Leaving", "Ring Your Bell", and "Don't Paint Me Blue". This album recalls simpler times through the beautiful, mellow vibe it exudes.
Some Kylie albums really connect with me and others don't. However, I had high hopes for this album based on the catchy cleverness of the lead single "Dancing". The rest of the album is just as upbeat and delightful, with songs like "Golden", "Raining Glitter", and "Love" reminiscent of material from Aphrodite (one of my favorite Kylie albums). Other highlights include "Stop Me from Falling" and "Live A Little", which successfully fuse Kylie's signature disco sound with a bit of Country twang.
It took seeing the musical three times and living with the OBCR for a couple months, but the songs from this show have finally lodged themselves in my brain. The songs in Pretty Woman are so effectively catchy because they combine Broadway bombasity with perfectly executed Pop hooks, thanks to the writing team of Bryan Adams (he of "Summer of '69" and "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You") and Jim Vallance. It doesn't hurt that for most of his songs – but especially "Freedom" and "Something About Her" – Andy Karl does his best Bryan Adams impression, which, in combination with unmistakably Adams-penned guitar parts, makes for earwormy Pop-Rock gloriousness. With time, even some of Samantha Barks's songs have grown on me, particularly "Anywhere But Here" and "I Can't Go Back". Other noteworthy tracks include "You're Beautiful", "Rodeo Drive", "Never Give Up on a Dream", and "Long Way Home". This album's strength is that the pop sensibilities of Pretty Woman's songs allows them to fit into diverse playlists and wider ranges of listening occasions than traditional show tunes.
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