Jake’s Take’s Music Reviews: Week of May 6, 2016

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

Welcome to the second edition of Jake’s Take’s Music Reviews!

This week, several of our favorite artists returned with new material. Plus, for the first time in 2016…Two albums will receive Jake’s Take’s coveted Album of the Week award.  

We got a lot of ground to cover…so let’s get this party started!

 

Detour by Cyndi Lauper

I have been waiting for this album to drop for quite some time. For the first time in her legendary four-decade career, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony-winning Cyndi Lauper took a Detour to Nashville as she unearthed 12 vintage country tracks from the 1940s to 1960s.  In her interview with Jake’s Take, Ms. Lauper stated that she loved this particular era of music. Everything between the fantastic arrangements and her A-list collaborations with music heavy hitters including Willie Nelson (“Night Life”), Vince Gill (“You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly”), Emmylou Harris (the title track), Jewel (“I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart”) and Allison Krauss (“Hard Candy Christmas”) will satisfy country lovers of all types and will make the listener feel like they were instantly transported to a Nashville 1950s honky-tonk. A-

Tracks to Download: “Funnel of Love,” “Heartaches by the Numbers,” “Misty Blue” & “Night Life.”

 

The Shadow Side by Andy Black

The Black Veil Brides frontman takes the spotlight by himself in his first solo project: The Shadow Side. By combining elements of glam metal and hard rock, Mr. Black creates an album that captures the attention of rock warriors everywhere. Also, an all-star group of rockers such as Good Charlotte’s Joel & Benji Madden, Blink-182’s Mark Skiba and 5 Seconds of Summer’s Ashton “Ash” Irwin assisted Mr. Black in the creative process. One of the numerous highlights on this album is “Put the Gun Down.” It will be a bright light for anyone who suffers from depression, and I beg to any anti-suicide organization to contact Mr. Black to use this hauntingly honest track in a campaign. The Shadow Side will instantly connect with rock fans across the spectrum, and I firmly believe that Mr. Black created one of 2016’s epic rock albums. Congrats, Andy Black! The Shadow Side is one of my Albums of the Week! A

Tracks to Download: “Ribcage,” “Stay Alive,” “Put the Gun Down,” “We Don’t Have to Dance” & “Paint it Black.”

 

Constellation by Chris Mann

I always love when friends to the blog release new music! One of our favorite vocalists, Chris Mann, dropped his sophomore studio album: Constellation. The former Team Xtina Voice alum and current Phantom of the Opera continues to showcase the spectacular colors of his instrument voice all throughout the album. From a fiery, seductive orange that is showcased on “Slow” to the pitch black of outer space in the acoustic “To the Moon and Back,” Chris Mann never disappoints his fans and listeners. Also, for those of you who could not see Chris’s portrayal of Erik, not to worry! Chris recorded an eerie and lovely cover of “The Music of the Night” that would make Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart extremely proud.  Congrats, Chris! Constellation is also my Album of the Week! A

Tracks to Download: “Slow,” “North Star,” “To the Moon & Back,” “Comeback” & “The Music of the Night”

“In Common” by Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys dropped her first single in three years in the form of “In Common.” The future Voice coach blended R&B, techno, and salsa music into a sexy track about how two messed up people fell in love with each other. As always, Ms. Keys continues to entertain the listener with her impressive musicianship and innate ability to create quality tracks. I hope that she continues to produce quality material for her sixth studio album. B+

 

“CAN’T STOP THIS FEELING!” by Justin Timberlake

For the first time since The 20/20 Experience, Justin Timberlake dropped new music! “CAN’T STOP THIS FEELING!” is the first track off of the highly anticipated soundtrack of the upcoming November 2016 3-D animated film Trolls.  This single is also marks the first time in 16 years that JT has collaborated with former *NSYNC collaborator and now songwriter-producer heavyweight Max Martin! Between its massive Disco influence and snappy riffs, I have a strong impression that “CAN’T STOP THIS FEELING!” is going to be one of 2016’s songs of summer. It is also my Song of the Week! A+

“Road Trippin’” by Dan + Shay

Our party concludes with Dan + Shay’s “Road Trippin’.” For the latest single that dropped from their sophomore album, Obsessed, the country duo invited all of their friends and fans on an epic summer road trip.  This song is perfect for any college or high school student who is ready to leave their school behind them and for anyone who wants to break free from their office space. The Dan + Shay’s guitar-laced anthem might not only be country music’s breakout summer hit but also, could find its way to Top 40 radio playlists very soon. B

I do not own any of the clips that are featured in this article. They belong to the artists and their respective record labels.