By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Welcome to the latest edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews! We have a lot of new music to unpack, so let’s get this party started.
Release Me 2 by Barbra Streisand
The legendary Barbra Streisand released a compilation album that features unreleased music from her vault. Release Me 2 features tracks sprinkled from the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s. The duets are true highlights of the record. Listeners would get chills as they hear 2014’s “I’d Want It To Be You” with Willie Nelson and the powerful “Rainbow Connection” with The Muppets creator and Kermit the Frog’s original voice: Jim Henson. Release Me 2 showcases Ms. Streisand’s most fabulous vocals, and hopefully, the record will introduce her to a new generation of fans. A
Tracks to Download: “You Light Up My Life,” “I’d Want It to Be You,” “Sweet Forgiveness,” “If You Were Only Mine,” & “The Rainbow Connection.”
Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish
After winning seven Grammys and two American Music Awards, Billie Eilish has become one of Generation Z’s top superstars. The “Everything I Wanted” singer-songwriter released her sophomore effort: Happier Than Ever. She reunited with her frequent collaborator, brother Finneas, as they unleashed 16 new tracks onto the Internet. The songs are incredibly produced, but there are tracks that I thought were unnecessary fillers, such as “GOLDWING” and “Overheated.” There is no question that both Billie Eilish and Finneas are a spectacular partnership, but sometimes less is more. C+/B-
Tracks to Download: “Oxytocin,” “Therefore I Am,” & “Happier Than Ever.”
Good Things by Dan + Shay
Dan + Shay is one of my favorite duos in the current music market. The duo released their latest album: Good Things. Instead of continuing down the country music road, Dan + Shay slowly veered into pop music territory. Jason Evigan, Julia Michaels, Justin Bieber, Ryan Lewis, and Shawn Mendes in the songwriting credits speak volumes. As I listened to Good Things, there are only a few strong standouts such as “Good Things,” “Lying,” and the Justin Bieber collaboration “10,000 Hours.” I hate to admit this, but Good Things is not their best album to date. C-
Tracks to Download: “Good Things,” “Lying,” & “10,000 Hours.”
“Hotel Suite” by Payson Lewis
Jake’s Take friend Payson Lewis released another exciting single. “Hotel Suite” has superb funk guitar licks and a hooky chorus. Payson’s vocals are excellent, and I think this song has to potential to go viral. B
“Skate” by Silk Sonic
Bruno Mars and Anderson. Paak released the second single off of their highly anticipated album: An Evening with Silk Sonic. The duo recruited songwriters James Fauntleroy, DOMi, JD Beck, and Dernst Emile II (who co-produced the track with the “24K Magic” entertainer. “Skate” feels like it comes from a lost track from the 1970s soul vault. This song put a smile on my face, and I cannot wait to see what Silk Sonic does next. B+/A-
“I Get a Kick Out of You” by Tony Bennett + Lady Gaga
The dynamic duo of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga are reuniting one more time to tackle the Great American Songbook. At 95, the legendary crooner does have his powerful vocals. “I Get a Kick Out of You” sets up the duo’s October 1 album – Love for Sale very nicely. Bravo! A+
“Take My Breath” by The Weeknd
One year after releasing After Hours, the Weeknd already has new music in store for his fans. For a disco-pop smash, the “Blinding Lights” singer-songwriter reunited with frequent collaborators Belly, Max Martin, and Oscar Holter. “Take My Breath” has the vibe of “Get Lucky” and Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” I love this song from start to finish, and I cannot wait to add this to my workout playlist. A-
Head to the second page to look for this edition of Jake’s Take’s Artists to Watch!
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