Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews: Week of October 30, 2026

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com  

Happy Halloween & New Music Friday, family! We’ve got a lot of new music to unpack and add to your Trick-or-Treat playlists! Let’s start this party!

 

Big Stupid Heart by Andy Grammer

Dancing with the Stars alum and The Masked Singer: Season 13 runner-up Andy Grammer dropped his sixth solo studio album, Big Stupid Heart. The “Honey, I’m Good” hitmaker gave us his most vulnerable record yet.  As he constructed these beautiful instrumental rock-meets-bubblegum-pop arrangements, the personal lyrics hit listeners in the gut. Big Stupid Heart is one of Andy Grammer’s strongest records to date and will light a fire under listeners to embrace their best lives. A-

Tracks to Download or Stream: “Big Stupid Heart,” “Best Hearts,” “Love Showed Up,” “Don’t Want to Fall in Love with Me,” & “All I Want is You.”

 

Muse by John Legend

Millennial EGOT icon John Legend dropped his eleventh studio album, Muse. U Discover Music reported that fellow The Voice USA coach (and alum) Pharrell Williams produced the record after the two men worked on Clipse’s Let God Sort ‘Em Out. The “Get Lucky” collaborator was so impressed with John’s performance that he made an album focused on John Legend. While I admire the Bossa Nova style the music industry veterans brought to Muse, part of me felt like I was going to sleep. C-

 Tracks to Download or Stream: “Muse,” “Daylight,” & “Next Time.”

 

PRESS PLAY – EP by LISA

One year after K-Pop superstar LISA dropped her debut solo project, Alter Ego, the Blackpink member released her first solo extended play, PRESS PLAY.  The singer-rapper recruited an all-star group of creators for this EP. While Kuk Harrell executive produced, 8AE, Claudia Valentina, Dan Farber, Dem Jointz, Mark Williams, Raul Cubina, and Thom Bridges co-crafted or co-produced PRESS PLAY.  I admire LISA and her team for using only one sample, Missy Elliott’s “Bomb Intro/Pass that Dutch, throughout the EP. PRESS PLAY – EP showcases why LISA remains a force of nature and will shake up the music industry throughout the late 2020s. A

Tracks to Download or Stream: “Sawadika,” “V12,” “Tarantino,” “Sweat,”  & “Cut It Off.”

 

“Tom & Jerry” by John Mayer

Singer and guitarist John Mayer gave fans an early Halloween present by dropping his first solo single in five years, “Tom & Jerry.”  This song is pure and classic John Mayer. It reminds me of when I first heard both “Your Body is a Wonderland” and “Waiting on the World to Change” growing up in the 2000s. B+

 

“Weekend in Texas” by Kacey Musgraves

Country music superstar Kacey Musgraves will release a sequel album for the first time in her career. Tex Mex Tapes, or Middle of Nowhere, Vol. 2 is expected to drop on January 15, 2027. “Weekend in Texas” is one of the album’s first singles. The “Rainbow” songstress co-wrote this tune with Ilsey Juber and Drama Desk Award winner Shane McNally.  While “Weekend in Texas” has shades of “Feliz Navidad,” it brings Tejano flavor and perfectly transports listeners to the Lone Star State. A-

 

“Before You Know It” by Kygo & Ava Max

Throughout the 2020s, Kygo has done an impeccable job creating superb music that makes listeners dance. Recently, he released “Before You Know It,” a new collaboration with Ava Max (who previously worked with him in 2024’s “Whatever”). The pair co-wrote the tune with ASIDS, Jenson Vaughn, Simon Klose, Ina Christina Wroldsen, Jess Glynne, Janee Millicent Lucy Bennett, and Jack Robert Patterson. Kygo’s superb production (a hybrid of EDM and country music), along with Ava Max’s splendid vocals, makes this one of 2026’s closing club anthems. A+

 

“Perfect Man” by Teddy Swims

Singer-songwriter Teddy Swims released his third single, “Perfect Man,” which will be a part of his highly anticipated sophomore studio album, Ugly. This autobiographical tune might focus on his breakup with the mother of his child, Raiche Wright. While Teddy’s vocals will give listeners chills, this song could have been a perfect little brother to Bruno Mars’s “When I Was Your Man” and a son to any song from Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man. B+

 

Don’t miss my Halloween special with my friend Marcus J. Anthony, releasing October 31 at 10 AM EST/9 AM CST!