By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Welcome to the latest edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews. We got a lot of new music to unpack, so let’s get this party started.
Not in Chronological Order by Julia Michaels
Singer-songwriter Julia Michaels FINALLY released her debut album. Not in Chronological Order begins with the pop-rock anthem “All Your Exes,” and the emotional roller coaster does not let up. Not in Chronological Order also marks a massive shift in Ms. Michaels’ production team. Original superstar collaborators such as Benny Blanco, Ian Kirkpatrick, Justin Tranter, and Louis Bell are gone as John Ryan, JP Saxe, and The Monsterz and Strangers helped Julia craft this debut record. Not in Chronological Order is a strong debut by Julia Michaels and cements her status as a credible blockbuster artist. A-
Tracks to Download: “All Your Exes,” “Love is Weird,” “Pessimist,” & “Lie Like This.”
From Tha Streets 2 Tha Suites by Snoop Dogg
Rap icon Snoop Dogg dropped his eighteenth studio album: From Tha Streets 2 Tha Suites. His last outing featured a plethora of superstar R&B and Rap performers, including Chris Brown, Jermaine Dupri, Mustard, Swizz Beatz, Trey Songz, and Wiz Khalifa. However, From Tha Streets 2 Tha Suites features relative unknowns such as J Black, Mozzy, and Prohoezak. While it has slick beats from the “Gin & Juice” rapper, I could not connect with his latest musical styling. C-
Tracks to Download: “CEO” & “Talk Dat S—To Me.”
Country Again (Side A) by Thomas Rhett
Thomas Rhett is one of my favorite country music recording artists. I fell in love with his music thanks to his superb collaborations with Jordin Sparks (“Playing with Fire”), Little Big Town (“Don’t Threaten Me with a Good Time”), and Maren Morris (“Craving You”). Now, the “Look What God Gave Her” singer-songwriter is returning to his country music roots. Thomas Rhett continues to center himself as one of the country music’s reliable artists of his generation. He has not disappointed his fans yet. I cannot wait to see what he does next. B+
Tracks to Download: “Growing Up,” “What’s Your Country Song,” & “Country Again.”
“Cheap Thrills” by Bernadette Peters
Golden Globe and Tony-winning actress Bernadette Peters recently visited NBC’s hit series: Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. While on the show, the Broadway legend covered Sia’s “Cheap Thrills.” Bernadette Peters took Sia’s 2016 hit and breathed new life into it that would make everyone listening dance. A+
“Bible Verses” by Blake Shelton
The Voice stalwart is preparing to drop his twelfth studio album! His latest single, “Bible Verses,” is Blake’s first foray into Christian and Gospel music. Rolling Stone reported that rising country music songwriters Joe Fox, Andrew Peebles, and Brett Sheroky co-penned the track. “Bible Verses” is one of Blake’s honest songs in years. While I do not have the same faith as the “God Gave Me You” singer, I genuinely believe that “Bible Verses” has the potential to dominate both country music streaming and radio charts. B+
“F*KN Around” by Darren Criss
Actor-singer Darren Criss dropped his first single of 2021. “F*KN Around” is a spicy track that puts the best pop rock elements together that would put smiles on listeners’ faces. I thoroughly enjoyed this song so much, and I hope it does well on streaming and radio plays. A-
Head over to the second page for this edition’s Jake’s Take’s Artists to Watch!
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