At 18 it is no surprise that Shawn Mendes is growing as an artist. While, "Handwritten" was a great album, it is with "Illuminate" that he has truly found something very special.
Shawn's voice really is exceptional, he has such great tone when he sings, and he emotes so beautifully. He is a natural storyteller, both with his voice and his great lyrics. Current trends in music love singer/songwriters and Shawn is right on top of the pack.
These are simple songs, and that is not a bad thing. There is a truth to the work that can't be faked - Shawn is having the time of his life making this music and we benefit from his realness and rawness. And these songs are raw, they talk of love and heartache. His approach to lyrics seems a lot more mature than his 18 years. He has opened his heart to us and the result is stunning.
First single is, "Treat You Better" is one of the strongest singles of the year. The melody is great and the build during the song keeps us hooked. The chorus is strong and the vocals are passionate and flawless. For me, the best song on the album is, "Ruin". Released as a promo single, this song has my heart. A good song speaks to you, makes you feel real emotions and that's what "Ruin" does for me. I have been using the word passionate a lot, and here it is so accurate. The passion elicited during this song is heartbreaking, and then when he begins to beg, "Do I ever cross your mind?", the song reaches its brilliant peak. This is one of my favourite songs of the year!
New single, "Mercy" is also great, a cross between "Stitches" and James Blake's "Retrograde", the song is catchy and the chorus is a winner. As for the rest of the tracks, they are all great - not an average song in the bunch. Stand out tracks include, "Three Empty Words", "Patience", "Bad Reputation" and "Roses". I look forward to getting to know each of these songs so much better!
Shawn Mendes really has released something special here, a truly great album with some awesome tunes and brilliant singles. He is an artist who will continue to grow and this is exciting indeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment