Nothing could've prepared Carly Rae Jepsen for "Call Me Maybe". It was hard for anyone to imagine how such a light and frivolous song could sell over 15 million copies and completely engross the globe within a few months. The problem with that level of success is that its not only impossible to follow, but it completely overshadows the person who made the record so appealing in the first place. Jepsen tried to continue her sudden success, first with the excellent "Good Time" and then the pretty good "This Kiss", but it was readily apparent that no one was really interested in Carly Rae, the artist. The mainstream audience was ready to toss her aside the second that "Call Me Maybe" was squeezed dry of airplay. By the time her sophomore album "Kiss" entered stores, it was too late to dissuade the legions of critics who thought of her as an anonymous, annoying pop-tart. Reviews were mixed (some downright cruel), sales were poor, and Jepsen's big hit departed the pop charts, leaving no successful singles in its wake. The fact that Carly Rae Jepsen made it to album number three is a feat in and of itself. It was lead by the great (though reductive) single"I Really Like You", and its two-year gestation period--as opposed to the two months that Jepsen was given to complete "Kiss"-- certainly signals a carefully thought-out career move. Since her last album set such low expectations, it was crucial to appeal to the critics this time out, to show that Carly Rae Jepsen is a true pop artist capable of making a solid front-to-back album. That, and not replicating "Call Me Maybe"'s success, is the principal goal of "Emotion".
So, it's no surprise to hear that much of "Emotion" is fun only in the critical sense: technically proficient but utterly devoid of true joy. Jepsen isn't really covering any new ground here; she still sings solely about relationships, her voice still sounds like a 16-year old girl, and any wisdom that she could offer through words is at odds with the cheesy 80s fetishism in the music. Songs like "All That" and "Let's Get Lost" don't sound like synthpop throwbacks, they sound outdated; quite frankly, they're indistinguishable from the all the other 80s rip-offs that have plagued the 21st century. Unfortunately, these aren't the only songs that adhere too closely to MTV: "Gimmie Love"'s staccato beats undo its dance leanings, "Boy Problems" is more irritating than anything Jepsen or other synthpop artists have released to this point, and "When I Needed You" tries desperately to be a triumphant closer but is too clanging and cluttered for a proper send-off. "Emotion" flirts with modernity--explicitly so in "LA Hallucinations"--but its clear that unless Jepsen is surrounded by neon clothes and disco balls, she can't make a great pop song without over-calculating every element so it pleases the critics. Even if "Emotion" is more consistent than "Kiss", it winds up being a clinical exercise in synthpop, rather than the knock-out pop record that it thinks it is. Early reviews of this record in June showered it with acclaim, but it's important to note that "Emotion" is easy to overpraise considering that no one bothered listening to "Kiss" all the way through, ignoring pop gems like "Turn Me Up" and "Sweetie". "Call Me Maybe" had such potency, that it was impossible to give Jepsen any credit for her other work. As good as the idea of "Emotion" reads on paper, the actual result isn't better or worse than the overall impression that "Kiss" made.
What makes this record good, then, is the handful of songs that strike a balance between the past and the present. The best cut here is, of course, "Run Away With Me", the first song on the album. It splashes in with an infectious saxophone loop and gets even more fun the more you play it. "Making The Most of the Night" is inspirational, while the title track nods to HAIM's 2013 debut. The low synth wobble of "Warm Blood" is definitely appreciated, and "Your Type" is pop that benefits from its simplicity. Those songs highlight the album proper, but the biggest injustice "Emotion" makes is saving all its best material for the deluxe edition. All five of these songs are thrilling listens: "Black Heart" is sparse and upbeat, "I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance" is pure house, "Favourite Colour" goes back to Mariah Carey in her prime, "Never Get To Hold You" glides on a nocturnal pulse, and "Love Again" is the synthpop blitz that the rest of "Emotion" wanted to do but never actually achieved. It's the better deal, to be sure, because it hints at what really could have been the best pop album of the year. But without those tracks, this record really doesn't meet the initial goals set by Jepsen and her handlers. Maybe "Emotion" will get better critic reviews, and maybe it will convert some non-believers, but like last time, Carly Rae has got to get out of the 80s if she wants to make the masterpiece that the mainstream needs. More songs like "Run Away With Me" and "Love Again" will surely do the trick.
Recommended Songs:
"Run Away With Me"
"I Really Like You"
"Making The Most of the Night"
"I Didn't Just Come Here to Dance"
"Love Again"
