Best known for her annoyingly catchy single "Call Me Maybe", Carly Rae Jepsen's "Emotion" is a flashback to the glory days where Madonna reigned supreme and the 80's were in full swing. "Emotion" offers a crisply edited album that is jam packed with home run moments; yet you can't help but feel something is missing in the equation. Carly Rae's effort to move on from "Call Me Maybe" was felt in bunches on this album as we're given nearly perfect pop songs; absent of much identity.
"Emotion" opens up really strong. "Run Away With Me" will get you pumped up as it serves as the spark that kindles the album brightly. The title song is also extremely catchy as it keeps the momentum of the album on course. Song like "Boy Problems" and "I Really Like You" unfortunately steer away from the strong 80's synth-pop vibe; taking a more cringe-worthy direction a la "Call Me Maybe". The songs are too sweet and powdery for my taste as the subject matter sways into a more pre-teen direction.
"Your Type" stands out in a strong way as it blends the 80's style with a more modern radio-friendly style flawlessly; as "All That" has an impressively produced retro vibe that provides "Emotion" with a mature, concise ballad. The remainder of the album features a couple of out of place songs that I feel could've been left out. "LA Hallucinations" strays away from her girl next door vibe into as she transitions into a more edgy party girl; taking away from her image leaving me still guessing who Carly Rae really is. "Warm Blood" is a bold effort that falls flat as again, it doesn't feel like it fits at all on an album like this. I will say "Making The Most Of The Night" has an indulging quality to it. Even the repetitive nature won't sway you away from falling in love with the hook.
Final Summary:
"Emotion" really has some special qualities to it; truly delivering on the pop scale. The carefully crafted production value is spot on as its complimented by some excellent writing by Jepsen and her collaborators. The out of place songs and ever changing personality of Jepsen leave me a bit confused as I felt the album took some unnecessary risks. But overall, The good outweighs the bad as this retro effort from Jepsen delivers on many fronts; though a more mature album is due in the near future.
Rating: 8.0/10
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