By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Welcome to the first Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews of February 2021! We got a lot of music to get to unpack, so let’s get this party started.
OK Human by Weezer
It has been well documented on Jake’s Take my love for mixing pop, rock, and soul music with an orchestra. Grammy-winning rock band Weezer recruited a 38-piece orchestra for their fourteenth studio album: OK Human. While Rivers Cuomo delivered several superb lyrics to songs such as “All My Favorite Songs” and “Bird With a Broken Wing,” I felt bored while listening to the album. I wished that there were more quality songs such as “All My Favorite Songs,” “Bird with a Broken Wing,” and “Grapes of Wrath” because this album had so much potential to be excellent. C-
Tracks to Download: “All My Favorite Songs,” “Grapes of Wrath,” & “Bird With a Broken Wing.”
“Hate You + Love You” by AJ Mitchell & Cheat Codes
I love when two of my favorite acts come together. Jake’s Take friend AJ Mitchell collaborated with LA-based DJ trio Cheat Codes (KEVI, Trevor Dahl, and Matthew Russell) on a hit single. “Hate You + Love You” perfectly showcases the mixed emotions that partners and spouses deal with daily. AJ’s vocals perfectly blend well with the group’s EDM-pop sounds. “Hate You + Love You” was a great song overall! B+/A-
“Cherry on Top” by Jasmine Ortiz
Recent Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast guest Jasmine Ortiz dropped her latest single: “Cherry on Top.” I love the guitar riffs that appeared across the song, and the track might give Ariana Grande’s “Positions” and “Thank u, next” a run for their money. Between the catchy chorus and Jasmine’s superb vocals, “Cherry on Top” is a fantastic song with breakout potential via streaming and social media. B+
“Be My Eyes” by Pentatonix
We are one week away from Pentatonix’s latest studio album: The Lucky Ones. This album celebrates Pentatonix (Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin K.O. Olusola, and Matt Sallee)’s tenth anniversary. I believe that “Be My Eyes” will be a highlight on The Lucky Ones. This song is sublimely fantastic! A
“Take Me Higher” by Robin Thicke
It has been seven years since Robin Thicke released a studio album. Next week, The Masked Singer panelist will drop his eighth record: On Earth and in Heaven. Billboard reported that this record would be his first under his new partnership between Lucky Music and Empire. “Take Me Higher” would take fans back to the “Blurred Lines” and “Give It 2 U” era. I hope that this song is a beginning of a brighter chapter in Mr. Thicke’s recording career. B
“Baila Conmigo” by Selena Gomez & Rauw Alejandro
The “Lose You to Love Me” singer-songwriter recently dropped another single off her upcoming Spanish language extended play. “Baila Conmigo” (translated to English as “Dance with Me”) is a collaboration between Selena Gomez and Puerto Rico rapper Rauw Alejandro. While there might be small shades of Enrique Iglesias and Sean Paul’s 2014 hit “Bailando” in the song’s production, “Baila Conmigo” showcases Rauw Alejandro’s superstar potential and a superb vocal performance from Selena Gomez. A-
Head to Page Two to check out this edition of Jake’s Take’s Artists to Watch.
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