Review Summary: Carly's new album has a more mature sound by going soul/R&B and ditching the more obtrusive synth elements.
Carly Rae Jepsen sounds like she would be the archetype of what people despise in the pop genre. She had success on Canadian Idol and then got help from Justin Bieber to break out into the masses with the notorious “Call Me Maybe”. In 2012 she released “Kiss”: an electro pop album that seemed to want to capitalize on the genre with all sorts of funny electro sounds and bright textures. And yet, there was something to really like about Carly. Her first album “Tug of War” was an acoustic work that showed a lot of heart and even her “Curiosity” EP had a good mix of synth, traditional pop, and inspirational themes. There was a certain lightweight, fun, and carefree quality to her music that made it an enjoyable pop distraction. Of course, despite being a fun record, most of the subtlety went out the window on “Kiss”. Now on “Emotion” Carly, and her producers/co-writers, go for a relatively more serious tone.
The start of the album really kick things off nicely with three solid upbeat tracks. But already at this point, you can tell this is a different type of album for Carly, and it finds its place somewhere between her earliest work, and her previous: “Kiss”. It is darker sounding than anything she has done. Although that isn't saying much it certainly is palpable. Synth elements are present throughout the album but make sure to take a backseat to groovy beats and Carly's strong vocal performance. The electro feel is still the backbone of her sound (sorry fans of her earliest material!). The difference is that the most abrasive elements are gone and it does sound more natural here. They are part of the sound but no longer the only focus. The songs never (until a couple bonus tracks) go for a techno jam out section. Even in the upbeat songs the bridges in this album go for ambiance rather than electro freakouts at an attempt to build sentimentality before jumping right back to the chorus. The beats in this album are often more syncopated than straight disco beats and they sound fresher. Carly's cutesy vocal inflection is alive and well, but she seems to be playing it a bit more cool. Her slight blues inflections from the first album "Tug of War" still don't make more than the smallest cameo appearance on a couple songs. The popping bass work is back and makes an impression on tracks “All That” and “Boy Problems”: of which the former is a slow, slightly jazzy, soul song and the later which sounds like a typical Carly song vocally but is, in whole, a funk song a reminiscent of the Jackson 5. Lyrically the album is what you would expect from her: relationships (often her seeming a bit insecure) and some slight touches of inspirational ideals. "LA Hallucinations" is a departure from the norm lyrically and hints at heavy drinking and being chased by the paparazzi. There is an edge to this track.
It is undoubtedly still a Carly album but there is a clear move for a more serious style. "Making The Most Of The Night" relies on rather typical (and good) sounding verses but when the chorus kicks in it is a total Destiny's Child vibe. "Warm Blood" is a driving drone type of track complete with deep glitched out male vocals. This track is intent on merging the cute and the edgy. It is very simple but also cool and uneasy sounding. "Gimmie Love" sounds like it may be this album's "More Than a Memory" but the style change is no more clear than when "Gimmie Love's" chorus kicks in for something much slicker.
There are six bonus tracks including a remix of “I Really Like You”. On these the electro style is more prevalent than on the main album. “Black Heart” sounds instrumentally like, dare I say, like a Nine Inch Nails song!? It is without a doubt the darkest song she has ever done and an album highlight. “Love Again” is great but sounds so much like another song that I thought it was a cover but can't seem to find the other song. “Favorite Color” has nice use of the vocoder and reminds me of her song “Picture”.
It isn't completely a step up. Like most pop, the album relies on functional verses, ultra catchy choruses, and very short bridges. And like most pop it feels rather ephemeral. It could be argued that the music relies too much on repetition. Tracks tend to fly by, and I guess that is why with the bonus tracks there are 18 of them! Songs like “Your Type”, and “Never Get to Hold You” are melodramatic and just boring. Some others don't really pay off unless you let them. Not having more purely jubilantly happy tracks may disappointment some who came to know her for that.
But the pros do outweigh the cons for what you could expect from Carly. “Let's Get Lost” is one of the most fun songs on the album and is an expert blend of her "Kiss" style and her new vintage funk focus. Album opener “Run Away With Me” and closer “When I Needed You” both show strong 80s influence with some gang vocals and are great upbeat fun, the last of which is a refreshingly bright textured song compared with most of the other tracks. The album has more variety than “Kiss” but this also means it could be more hit and miss depending on the style you are hoping for. The middle section on this album is a bit bland but when including the bonus tracks there is a good amount of her different types of songs and fun to be had. If you want a couple more uptempo songs, throw out a couple of the weaker tracks on the album and put in "Black Heart" and "I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance" from the bonus section. While you're at it swap out "Your Type" for "Favourite Colour": a much more unique and satisfying ballad. The album should be less cringe worthy to those who couldn't accept "Kiss". The music is still just as cutesy as ever, but if you were looking for a step up, here it is. It's hard to argue with the material presented here, and it isn't trying to be something it's not. Carly Rae Jepsen's album “Emotion” is quality pop that manages to maintain its lightweight nature while being a bit moodier and groovier.
Recommened Tracks:
“Emotion”
“I Really Like You”
“Let's Get Lost”
“When I Needed You”
“Black Heart”
"I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance"
"Favourite Colour"
