Carly Rae Jepsen can be described as an artist’s artist, a singer/songwriter often named by her contemporaries as an influence, a darling of critics, and adored by more than a few pop music nerds. But major chart success has largely been elusive save for one massive hit record.
Ms. Jepsen first burst onto the scene in 2012 with her hit single “Call Me Maybe.” The song quickly became an international sensation, dominating the airwaves and topping the charts in numerous countries. It was impossible to escape the catchy chorus and Jepsen’s undeniable charm. Yet, that was just the tip of her hitmaking potential. 2013’s ‘Tonight I’m Getting Over You (featuring Nicki Minaj)’ and the irresistible ‘I Really Like’ continued where ‘Maybe’ left off, but both failed to make much of a mark on the US singles charts.
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So, despite the massive success of her breakthrough hit, Carly has often been overlooked and labeled as a one-hit-wonder. Many need to realize that she has continued to produce high-quality music that showcases her versatility as an artist.
Case in point: The third installment of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Side B” series, The Loveliest Time. Her new collection complements the more mellow The Loneliest Time. Songs from that album, such as “Far Away,” “Bends,” and “Go Find Yourself or Whatever,” conveyed a more somber, tentative feel to her catalog. The Loveliest Time’s more uplifting, dynamic tracks provide an aural and emotional contrast.
As an artist, Jepsen excels at making pop music that’s direct without being too trite. She isn’t afraid to show her feelings or even sound geeky because she doesn’t believe art must be gloomy or complex to be powerful. Although Jepsen’s lyrics aren’t always based on moments in her life, they have a certain authenticity that feels real. Her delicate soprano voice, sometimes raspy and others almost cracking, reflects and adds to that aura of vulnerability, and she uses it to great effect on the standout track ‘Kollage.’
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There is less cohesiveness on this album than on 2020’s Dedicated Side B, where influences range from reggae (‘Anything to be With You’) to early 80s funk (lead single ‘Shy Boy’). The latter track samples Midnight Star‘s 1986 R&B hit ‘Midas Touch’ (WOW!), while ‘Psychedelic Switch’ is more like Jepsen’s trademarked pop sound. ‘Stadium Love,’ despite an oddly placed electric guitar solo, feels more modern.
Songs like ‘So Right’ and ‘Come Over’ are consistent with the welcomed resurgence of disco, the former being the more danceable. It’s the songs that introduce surprising melodic, conceptual aspects that make The Loveliest Time most compelling. Examples include ‘Weekend Love,’ a slower, more R&B-infused track with an anthemic chorus, and ‘After Last Night,’ featuring drum & bass R&B that rivals the sounds of any of the young pop starlets dominating the charts.
This album revels in how self-aware and unashamedly pop it is: dancing to almost every song, swaying with the person who will break you later. It’s high school stuff packaged as adulting. With sincere apologies to the beloved Taylor Swift, Jepsen’s pop-geekiness works better for her. Let’s hope it continues. She can take the dark and make it light to infuse her music with optimism that is hard to find elsewhere.
