Welcome to the latest installment of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews! (Bitmoji property of Jake’s Take)
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!
Fall Out Boy’s ‘So Much (For) Stardust’ showcases the band in top form! (Album cover property of Fueled by Ramen & DCD2)
So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy finally released their eighth studio album: So Much (for) Stardust. The pop-punk band (lead vocalist Patrick Stump, bass guitarist Pete Wentz, drummer Andy Hurley, and lead guitarist and keyboardist Joe Trohman)’s latest offering is a breath of fresh air. So Much (for) Stardust is an electrifying piece of pop-punk music. It is on the same level of excellence as 2013’s Save Rock & Roll, which is turning 10 years old this year. A
Tracks to Download or Stream: “Love from the Other Side,” “Heartbreak Feels So Good,” “Hold Me Like a Grudge,” “Heaven, Iowa,” “So Good Right Now,” & “Flu Game.”
Lana Del Rey’s ‘Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’ continues to cement the singer-songwriter as one of the millennial generation’s top torch songstresses. (Album cover property of Interscope and Polydor)
Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey has become one of my generation’s top torch song performers, and Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd continues to cement that status. For the first time in her career, the “Summertime Sadness” singer-songwriter welcomed several featured artists to collaborate on the album. Grammy and Oscar-winning Jon Batiste, Father John Misty, Riopy, SYML, Tommy Genesis, and Bleachers (frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff) received invitations for this latest offering. Lana Del Rey and her team’s tracks enchant their listeners with beautiful arrangements and honest, witty lyrics. A-
Tracks to Download or Stream: “The Grants,” “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” “A&W,” “Candy Necklace,” & “Margaret.”
Miley Cyrus focused on dance pop music in her latest offering: ‘Endless Summer Vacation.’ (Album cover property of Columbia Records)
Endless Summer Vacation by Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is having an excellent decade career-wise! Plastic Hearts rejuvenated her career thanks to epic collaborations with Dua Lipa, Joan Jett, and Stevie Nicks. The “Wrecking Ball” singer-songwriter’s latest offering, Endless Summer Vacation, brings her back to the pop and dance-pop world. Several familiar collaborators such as Greg Kurstin, Kid Harpoon, and Mike Will Made It returned to help usher the former Voice coach into the latest era of her career. Songwriting sensations Ian Kirkpatrick, Jesse Shatkin, Justin Tranter, Michael Pollack, Sarah Aarons, and Tobias Jesso Jr. also joined in the creation process. While Plastic Hearts unleashed Miley Cyrus’ rock music goddess, Endless Summer Vacation alternates between dancehall madness (“Flowers” and “River”) and reflective pop (“Thousand Miles” featuring guest artist Brandi Carlile), which would satisfy both music lovers and longtime Miley fans. B+
Tracks to Download or Stream: “Flowers,” “Jaded,” “Thousand Miles,” “River,” & “Wildcard.”
“Eyes Closed” by Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran released the first single off his upcoming album: – (Subtract). The “Shape of You” singer-songwriter teamed up with longtime collaborator Fred Again and pop music superstar songwriters and producers Max Martin and Shellback to craft this latest single: “Eyes Closed.” The song allegedly pays homage to his friend, Jamal Edwards, who passed away in February 2022. “Eyes Closed” is a beautiful tribute to Mr. Edwards, and its hypnotic beat puts listeners in a trance. A
Artist to Watch:
“Toxic” by Onicks
Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Onicks transported one of Britney Spears’ iconic songs: “Toxic,” back to the 1980s. The sinister-synth pop jam sounds like it borrowed inspiration from Rick James’s “Party All the Time” and David A. Stewart’s “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” arrangements. Onicks brilliantly channels some 1980s drama makers such as Alexis Colby, Erica Kane, J.R. Erwig, and Luke Spencer in the song and soap opera-esque music video. B+
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