Artists to Watch:
Jake’s Take’s Artists to Watch is back! Here are some of the musicians and recording artists that you should keep your eyes on.
Dangerous: The Double Album by Morgan Wallen
It is hard to believe that Morgan Wallen has gone from The Voice alum to conquering the country music world in seven years. Recently, he dropped his sophomore album- Dangerous: The Double Album. As a music reviewer, I get nervous when I see the phrase: “double album.” Instead of 11 to 12 tracks, both the reviewers and listeners have to listen to two dozen tracks, which is either an easy or Herculean task. Morgan Wallen and his team selected 30 songs for fans to consume. Some country music artists do not even write their songs, but I have to give Morgan credit as he co-wrote 53% of the project. Team Wallen collected a plethora of all-star songwriters to help him pen tunes, including Ashley Gorley, Eric Church, Luke Laird, Rhett Atkins, Shane McNally, and Thomas Rhett. Also, keep an ear out for Ben Burgess and Chris Stapleton, who are the only two guest artists featured on this album. Dangerous: The Double Album has sent the standard for recording “double albums” for this era of artists. I fully expect that Morgan Wallen will have a seat at the table when it comes to “Best of 2021” lists. A+
Tracks to Download (Side A): “More Surprised Than Me,” “Warning,” “Outlaw,” “Only Thing That’s Gone,” & “More Than My Hometown.”
Tracks to Download (Side B): “Still Goin Down,” “Dangerous,” “Blame It on Me,” “This Bar,” & “Whatcha Think of Country Now.”
“F—Being Sober” by Annika Wells
After writing hits for BTS, the Jonas Brothers, and Steve Aoki, songwriter Annika Wells steps into the spotlight with her new single: “F—Being Sober.” As I listened to this track, it reminded me of listening to Avril Lavigne’s timeless hits: “Complicated” and “I’m with You.” Annika has a strong voice, and “F— Being Sober” superbly showcases her songwriting abilities. B+
“Follow My Echo” by Dylan Dunlap
Singer-songwriter Dylan Dunlap recently came on my radar. His recent release, “Follow My Echo,” combines alt-pop production with dream pop vocals. “Follow My Echo” can also raise the spirits of anyone struggling during this trying time in our society. I am looking forward to hearing more inspirational music from Dylan in the future. B
“Contigo” by Lachi The Real Melody
Cuban-born turned United States-transplant Lachi the Real Melody teamed up with rising producer David Sinclair-Black for a Reggaeton track: “Contigo.” It is a fantastic song from start to finish. Between Lachi the Real Melody’s vocals and David Sinclair-Black’s superb production, “Contigo” has the potential to be a top streaming and radio hit. A-
“Out with the Old” by MONOWHALES
Rock band MONOWHALES rounds out this edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews. MONOWHALES’ line-up consists of singer Sally Shaar, drummer Jordan Circosta, and guitarist Zach Zanardo. This pop-rock trio’s single: “Out with the Old,” immediately caught my attention with the impressive combination of Sally’s vocals and Zach’s guitar riffs. As I listened to “Out with the Old,” the track reminded me so much of the first time I listened to Green Day’s “American Idiot.” I cannot wait to hear more of MONOWHALES in the future because this band has the potential to become household names. A
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