By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Welcome to the latest edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews! We have a lot of music to unpack, so let’s get this party started!
Changes by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber has come a long way since “Somebody to Love” and “Sorry.” His fifth studio album marks a turning point in his career. The “Love Yourself” singer-songwriter dived into the world of R&B. He tasked Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd to produce this new sound. In all honesty, I think that Changes is not his best album. He lost a lot of the songwriters that helped him find track success, such as Benny Blanco, Darkchild, Diplo, Julia Michaels, and Justin Tranter. I think discarding them and bring in unproven talents such as the Audibles and Kid Culture was the wrong move. While the Beliebers might be happy with this new record, many music aficionados might download anywhere between one to four tracks. Luckily, the only saving grace is the guest collaborators: Kehlani, Post Malone, Quavo, and Summer Walker. D+
Tracks to Download: “Intentions,” “Forever,” & “Get Me.”
ALL ABOUT LUV by Monsta X
For the first time in their career, K-pop group Monsta X released their first English language album. The album features impeccable pieces of ear candy. Almost all of the tracks are radio-ready and could dominate the charts. Also, keep an ear out for both French Montana and Pitbull, who make cameos throughout the album I have to say that Monsta X is producing music that is leagues above some of today’s top artists. I believe that ALL ABOUT LUV will open up more opportunities in the future. A
Tracks to Download: “WHO DO U LOVE?”, “LOVE U,” “SOMEONE’s SOMEONE,” “MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,” & “BESIDE U.”
Ordinary Man by Ozzy Osbourne
The legendary Prince of Darkness released his first studio album in a decade. Ozzy Osbourne recruited some of rock music’s greatest musicians (Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Chad Smith, Gun N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan, and Slash) along with this generation’s rising stars Andrew Watt, Ali Tamposi, and Post Malone to create a spectacular album. Ordinary Man is Mr. Osbourne’s personal (and self-reflective) album to date. I hope that today’s metal and rock artists keenly listen to this album. Way to go, Mr. Osbourne! B+
Tracks to Download: “Ordinary Man,” “Under the Graveyard,” “Straight to Hell,” & “It’s A Raid”
“Best Day of My Life” by Angel City Chorale
My favorite choir, Angel City Chorale, just covered American Authors’ “Best Day of My Life.” I loved Nita Sinaga and Sue Fink’s rearrangement of the 2013 hit song. I genuinely believe that music lovers would be put in a good mood when listening to this song. I hope that the performance catches the AGT Champions producers’ attention because they should be brought back for the next season. A+
“Oxygen” by Hans
Everyone’s favorite international superstar Hans released his debut single! The America’s Got Talent: The Champions-Season Two finalist’s first single is an impeccable dance track. “Oxygen” plays to Hans’ strength and has the potential to capture the hearts of dance-pop music lovers. Bravo, Hans! A-
“To Die For” by Sam Smith
Grammy and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Sam Smith is about to release their third studio album: To Die For. The “Stay with Me” singer-songwriter released their latest single, the title track, on Valentine’s Day. They co-wrote the track with a longtime time collaborator, James Napier, and “Dancing with a Stranger” collaborators Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen (Stargate). I loved the track from start to finish and it definitely tugs at listeners’ heartstrings. B+
Artists to Watch
Jake’s Take’s Artists to Watch is back! Here are two artists that could shake up the music industry.
“6 Months” by John K.
Epic Records recording artist John K. released his latest single: “6 Months.” This track showcases John K.’s powerful falsetto as it blends the pop and soul genres spectacularly. “6 Months” along with a previous single: “if we never met,” a collaboration with country music superstar Kelsea Ballerini, showcases John K’s bright future in the music industry. A-
“Holy Ghost (where did my life go?)” by William Wild
William Wild rounds out this edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews. This single is from his upcoming album: Push Ups, which marks his debut on the Sony Masterworks label. “Holy Ghost (where did my life go?)” has a psychedelic rock twist that would satisfy music lovers looking to teleport themselves to the past. I think this is a solid start from William Wild, and I look forward to hearing the rest of the album. B+
