Canadian superstar Shawn Mendes has returned with his third studio album. The new self-titled release is a collection of his most personal songs to date and is an outstanding body of work that sets the young star apart from the rest.
His vocal prowess, lyrical maturity and all round musicianship is evident throughout the whole record and particularity on the poignant ‘Youth’ which features Khalid, and the instantly thought provoking and relatable ‘In My Blood’.
Fans have never witnessed Shawn Mendes laying his soul out like this before for the world to see. The new tracks on the album such as ‘Nervous’, and ‘Like To Be You’ featuring Julia Michaels, allow us to see the vulnerable and real side of the teenager rather than the always confident stage version.
That’s not to say that the “real” Shawn Mendes isn’t a happy and super confident guy but songs such as ‘In My Blood’ reveal that he suffers from every day problems such as anxiety and worries about fitting in just like any body else. He has opened a window into how he lives his private life and it’s eye opening in the fact that he is allowing the world to see that he isn’t always feeling on top of the world.
While sonically the record is Mendes’ most accomplished body of work to date. There’s a real no holds barred feel to it as he proves he is not afraid to mix it up as he experiments with a number of genres such as folk, pop, RnB and soft rock.
The folk infused pop number ‘Fallin’ All In You’ has shades of Ed Sheeran and the 19-year-old has proved once and for all that he is without doubt one of our generations best songwriters, vocalists and all round musicians.
‘Shawn Mendes: The Album‘ is an outstanding LP and one that truly deserves a Grammy. It is so much more than a pop record for teen fans. It is lyrically perfect and the subjects he touches on will touch the hearts of music fans of all genres across the globe.
RATING: 5/5
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