Carly Rae Jepsen’s “The Loneliest Time” (released on Oct. 21)
Carly Rae Jepsen has assumed power as a pop queen. Her army? A group of people who are fanatic about every single thing she does.
While many people think that she became irrelevant after her 2012 single “Call Me Maybe,” her foot soldiers were willing to fight naysayers with every single album release.
Her latest album “The Loneliest Time,” released on Friday, once again proves her pop prowess.
Everything about this album screams Carly Rae Jepsen. While the sound on "The Loneliest Time" may be predictable, her fans love her for her sincere lyrics and consistent sound. She is someone you can count on.
The album features her danceable production with a little bit more funk. But the biggest message of the album is that you are not alone in your solace.
Jepsen is adept at making it feel like we are all dancing in our own rooms alone, but still together. It’s a very specific feeling that many fans of Jepsen understand.
Her reign is transcendent and at this point, it might be worthwhile to just give her a crown and throne.
Sam Fender’s “Wild Grey Ocean” (released on Oct. 25)
"Wild Grey Ocean,” released on Tuesday, is an homage to the “let’s get out of this town” rock music, the type of music that makes you want to get in your car and run away from home.
The British singer-songwriter Sam Fender feels like he was born in the wrong decade. His lyrical approach to rock music is reminiscent of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, who is a direct influence on Fender.
The song is a bonus track for the deluxe version of his Oct. 8, 2021 album “Seventeen Going Under,” which takes listeners through his life as a young boy from the North Eastern England town of North Shields.
His Geordie dialect, which is also a nickname for people from the Tyneside area of North East England, comes through as he sings “Tore apart your heart, running around this town.”
It is heart wrenching as he reflects on his complex past.
Fender is most potent when he is personal and this song addresses the deep-seated loneliness of his town. He has left but for some reason, he cannot get the “wild grey ocean” out of his head.
He can physically run away from his town but not emotionally. It will always be there to haunt him.
Saumya’s album of the week: Adam Melchor’s “Here Goes Nothing!” (released on Oct. 21).
On his latest album “Here Goes Nothing!” released Friday, Adam Melchor sings about toxic masculinity and the importance of expressing vulnerability.
Society often pays attention to the loudest voices especially with social media. Singer-songwriter Melchor, however, revels it in quietness.
The Persian poet Rumi once wrote, “Raise your words, not voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.”
There is a deep history of men feeling the need to hide their emotions. It's a stereotype that has continued despite a 2021 scientific report that found men are as likely to have volatile emotions as women according to a Nov. 12, 2021 Forbes article.
Melchor casts off that stereotype. His voice feels like velvet, soft and incredibly smooth.
He sings “But truth is, I'm not really much of a tough guy / You probably already knew,” on the song “Cry,” as he figures out the reasoning behind why he feels the need to hold back tears.
The beginning of the album sees Melchor at odds with his sensitivity. But as the album progresses, he begins to see the value in breaking down his walls.
Following the song “Cry,” Melchor sings “And I know it's a miracle / To let the tears run with a smile” on “Touch and Go.”
Crying is synonymous with weakness no matter your gender but Melchor’s album paints emotional vulnerability as a superpower. Because softness and finding solace in your tears is truly what grows flowers.
