Album, 2022
“Surrender My Heart” instantly took me from ambivalence to exhilaration with the end-of-chorus “I wanna be honest with you.” It’s the melodic turn that makes the rest of the song come together in anticipation of it.
I dream about the alternate universe Carly Rae Jepsen album where “Western Wind” is the second track, and it only gets airier and more contemplative from there.
“Bad Thing Twice” reminds me of E•MO•TION Side B. The rhythmic pairing of “skipper”, “hiccup”, and “give it up” is a lyrical treat. The rising two-note “yeah” in the background vocals leading into the chorus is delightful.
“Shooting Star” is an immediate hit that also reveals itself to be a massive grower. The song’s magic is in the funky electric guitar and layered vocals (sadly both missing from live renditions). The lyrics in the chorus rhythmically flash by as a series of loosely connected images. The last twenty seconds are tantalizing; I wonder if the song would have worked with a 70s-style fade-out. My favorite moment on the album is when the drums and guitar strums first kick in at 0:16.