By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Welcome to the latest edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews! We got a lot of music to unpack, so let’s get this party started.
Starting Over by Chris Stapleton
Country music superstar Chris Stapleton kicks off this edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews. The “Tennessee Whiskey” singer-songwriter released his fourth studio album in three years. Starting Over marks a new chapter for the five-time Grammy-winning recording artist. Country rock remains his top strength as he showcases his love for the sub-genre in “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice” and “Arkansas.” Fans who love his ballads would be satisfied with tracks such as the title track and “Cold.” Starting Over is a sturdy record that could play a massive role in the 2021 country music awards race. B
Tracks to Download: “Starting Over,” “Cold,” “Arkansas,” & “You Should Probably Leave.”
Disco by Kylie Minogue
For her fifteenth studio album, Kylie Minogue decided to take music lovers back to the 1970s, home to disco music. Disco marks Kylie Minogue’s return to the dance-pop genre since 2014’s Kiss Me Once. The “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” singer-songwriter recruited a plethora of top songwriters and producers, including Brighton, England-based Biffco, Daniel Davidsen, Sky Adams, and Maegan Cottone to craft these delicious pieces of ear candy. Disco cements Kylie Minogue’s legacy as one of the top dance-pop artists of all-time and could help her score some significant music awards in the future. A-
Tracks to Download: “Magic,” “Real Groove,” “Supernova,” “Say Something,” & “Where Does the DJ Go?”
We Need A Little Christmas by Pentatonix
Grammy-winning A cappella group, Pentatonix, dropped their fourth Christmas album. As the group inches closer to their tenth anniversary, Scott, Mitch, Kirstin, Kevin, and Matt continue to showcase why they are the gold standard for A cappella music. We Need A Little Christmas showcases the group’s stellar interpretations of holiday tunes and several beloved tracks from Broadway (“Seasons of Love”), Disney (“When You Wish Upon a Star”), and even Christian music (“Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)”). The group also released an intriguing cover of “White Christmas” that featured the late Bing Cosby and the London Symphony Orchestra. Well done, Pentatonix! B+
Tracks to Download: “My Favorite Things,” “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone),” “White Christmas,”& “Seasons of Love.”
Mosaic by Sons of Serendip
Ever since they first auditioned for America’s Got Talent: Season Nine, Sons of Serendip have made an impact with their spectacular music. Recently, the quartet (singer Micah Christian, cellist Kendall Ramseur, pianist Cordaro Rodriguez, and harpist Mason Morton) released their fourth studio album: Mosaic. The album is a brilliant combination of original tunes and cover songs. Sons of Serendip’s Mosaic is a fantastic listening experience that would enrich not only fans, but music lovers of all ages. A+
Tracks to Download: “Butterflies Fly Away,” “Fields of Gold,” “First Steps,” “Love You Still,” “Lean on Me,” & “High Hopes.”
“Highs and Lows” by Alexander Jean
Alexander Jean is one of my favorite duos in today’s music industry! Since they released their first single, “Roses and Violets,” in 2016, Mark Ballas and BC Jean Ballas have become influencers in the singer-songwriter genre. Their latest single, “Highs and Lows,” is a fantastic song that perfectly showcases their vocal harmony and Mark’s superb guitar arrangement. A-
“Christmas Is Here” by Collabro
For many years, I have always look forward to new music from Collabro (Michael, Matt, Jamie, and Thomas). Earlier this month, the group dropped the title track to their first Christmas album. “Christmas is Here” is a beautifully arranged song from start to finish and the song will warm listeners’ hearts. Bravo, gentlemen! A+
Head to the bottom of the page to check out this edition’s Artists to Watch!
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