By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Welcome to the latest edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews! We got a lot of new music to unpack, so let’s get this party started.
Father of All… by Green Day
Legendary rockers Green Day dropped their thirteenth studio album: Father of All. I genuinely love Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool. However, Father of All… seems repetitive. A significant amount of the tracks sound the same. It is also the group’s shortest album yet, which only contains several memorable tracks. Father of All is missing its “American Idiot,” “Holiday,” and “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” these tracks defined the album and made music lovers everywhere think. This marks the first time that I have been disappointed with listening to a Green Day album. D+
Tracks to Download: “Father of All…” “Fire, Ready, Aim,” & “Meet Me on the Roof.”
High Road by Kesha
It has been two years since Kesha dropped new music. Free of Dr. Luke’s influence, the “Praying” singer-songwriter began to peel back the techno-pop aspect of her music and added more meaningful substance to her material. High Road follows the same formula of 2017’s Rainbow, but it showcases more of Kesha’s soul. While Imagine Dragons’ Daniel Reynolds, Jeff Bhasker, Chelcee Grimes, Justin Tranter, and Kesha’s mother, Pebe Sebert co-wrote several tracks with the singer, there was one guiding force. Singer-songwriter Wrabel helped Kesha craft a majority of the tracks and solidified her place in the music market. A-
Tracks to Download: “My Own Dance,” “Raising Hell,” “High Road,” “Shadow,” & “Resentment.”
Walls by Louis Tomlinson
The former X Factor UK judge is the final member of the Britpop group One Direction to release new music. While several of his former colleagues embraced different musical genres such as R&B (Zayn), rock (Harry), and singer-songwriter (Niall), Louis decided to dive into the pop world. Walls has shades of various pop music genres such as pop-punk (“Kill My Mind”) and Britpop (“We Made It”). The “Just Hold On” recording artist recruited a plethora of songwriters for this venture. They ranged from old One Direction collaborators (Wayne Hector and Ali Tamposi) to British music royalty (Noel Gallagher and Stuart Crichton). Walls showcases Louis’ bright future as a solo artist and he could definitely take the music world by storm once again. B+
Tracks to Download: “Kill My Mind,” “Don’t Let It Break Your Heart,” “We Made It,” & “Habit.”
TREAT MYSELF by Meghan Trainor
Last week, Meghan Trainor released her highly anticipated third studio album: TREAT MYSELF. The former The Four: Battle for Stardom judge turned The Voice UK coach’s fans have been waiting three years for the “All About That Bass” singer-songwriter to release the record. The hit songwriter made it a family affair as her brothers, Ryan and Justin Trainor, co-wrote several tracks with her. Meghan Trainor also recruited a plethora of musicians who appeared on TREAT MYSELF. Keep your ears open for The Pussycat Dolls, Nicki Minaj, and Meghan’s fellow Epic Records labelmate and Jake’s Take friend AJ Mitchell, who made cameos throughout the album. B+/A-
Tracks to Download: “Nice to Meet Ya,” “Genetics,” “After You,” & “Wave.”
“ROSES” by Adam Lambert & Nile Rodgers
Two of my all-time favorites came together for an epic song that would transport listeners to Saturday Night Fever. Adam Lambert recruited legendary guitarist Nile Rodgers for his latest single: “ROSES.” This track is pure music nirvana! Between Adam’s impeccable vocals and Nile’s “Get Lucky”-esque guitar licks, “ROSES” could be a shoo-in for the 2021 Grammy Awards. A+
“Intentions” by Justin Bieber featuring Quavo
“Intentions” is 100 times better than “Yummy.” Justin Bieber’s latest single off of his upcoming comeback album, Changes, features lyrics from Quavo, Poo Bear, and the Audibles. “Intentions” does have an impeccable production value and I think music lovers would connect with the “Sorry” singer-songwriter on this track. B
“No Shame” by 5 Seconds of Summer
One of Jake’s Take’s favorite pop-rock bands, 5 Seconds of Summer, dropped their latest single: “No Shame.” This tune will be a part of the group’s fourth studio album: Calm. The guys (lead singer Luke Hemmings, lead guitarist Michael Clifford, bassist Calum Hood, and drummer Ashton Irwin) teamed up with songwriters Ali Tamposi, Andrew Wotman, Donna Lewis, and Nathan Perez to write this music. I loved the lyrics from start to finish. Also, kudos should be given to co-producers Mr. Perez and Andrew Watt, who brilliantly arranged this track. “No Shame” is a brilliant piece of ear candy, and 5S0S fans would eagerly devour it. B+
Artists to Watch:
Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews is back with several artists that you need to check out!
Downward Spiral by Cody Vaughn
South Carolina-based rapper Cody Vaughn recently released his debut album: Downward Spiral. This album is probably one of the most influential independent rap albums that I have heard in years. I think Cody’s in-your-face raps would impress rap music lovers. I see a bright future for him in the music industry. I hope that several labels look at this album and offer him a recording contract. B+
Tracks to Download: “Winning Streak,” “Through It All,” “Undercover,” & “How Far?”
Invincible by Elise Lieberth
YouTube sensation Elise Lieberth released her third studio album: Invincible. A significant amount of the collection features original material that Elise co-wrote with collaborator Rachel James. The bulk of this material is full of quality vocals and superb arrangements. If Elise’s record falls into the right hands, hopefully, a significant music record label would sign her to a contract. Elise Lieberth is a breath of fresh air in a crowded music industry full of pop-punks and autotuned singers. A+
Tracks to Download: “Forgive,” “Not Sure of Anything,” “Final Surrender,” “Somebody,” & “Beautiful.”
“What Does It Take?” by Brother Moses
Indie rock band Brother Moses closes out this edition of Jake’s Take’s New Music Reviews. The group dropped their music video for their latest single: “What Does It Take?” I generally believe that Brother Moses has a unique sound that blends both elements of jam bands and jazz music together. That combination would entice several music aficionados to try out their music. Good job, guys! B+
