Standout Tracks: Talking to Yourself, Surrender My Heart, Anxious, Bends

It’s been three years since her last album, and over a decade since “Call Me Maybe” took the world by storm, but Canadian pop star Carly Rae Jepsen is still at the peak of her power. Her latest album, “The Loneliest Time,” was released on Oct. 21.

Boasting a robust 16-song tracklist with three bonus tracks, the album covers an extensive range of emotions and sounds, from the glossy bubble-gum pop that made her famous to slower, more emotional songs.

The album opens with a bang. “Surrender My Heart,” is a powerful opening statement that manages to be both upbeat and vulnerable. The verses are some of the strongest  on the album, as Jepson admits her struggles with past relationships.

Her emotional vulnerability continues directly into the chorus, which is an explosion of celebratory joy. Jepsen promises to embrace relationships regardless and open up to the person she loves. It’s a beautiful song and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Unfortunately, Jepson fails to build on this momentum, as “Joshua Tree” is somewhat of a dud. She goes for an unconventional song structure, with upbeat verses that build up to a climactic beat drop like the one on “Surrender My Heart.” However, she subverts the build-up with a monotone, flat chorus that’s simply not creative.

Thankfully, Jepson quickly bounces back into form with “Talking to Yourself”, an absolute show-stopper of a song. It boasts all the qualities that made her a star: upbeat production, infectious vocals and one of the catchiest hooks of the year. No note is wasted and every chord lands.

The end product is a fresh, original, and endlessly repeatable earworm. It’s vintage Carly Rae Jepsen and not only my favorite song off the album, but one of my favorite songs of the year.

“Far Away” and “Sideways” are unable to clear the high bar that “Talking to Yourself” sets, but they’re both fairly enjoyable songs worth taking a listen to. In particular, “Sideways” is a cute and innocent love song.

“Beach House” is a weird one, but I like it. The tongue-in-cheek humor about her many failed attempts at relationships works well, and the chorus is catchy enough to sing along to. The song certainly goes a little off-the-rails at times, but it’s still a fun listen.

The first six songs on the album are all quick, catchy and fun, with none going over three minutes. “Bends” marks a shift towards slower, more heartfelt songs. It’s a bit of a risk for Jepsen, who found her niche producing upbeat, catchy dance-pop, but it pays off. “Bends” and “Western Wind” are a breath of fresh air that keep the album from feeling repetitive or played out. They remain beautiful songs in their own right.

Unfortunately, the album hits a road bump over the next few songs. “So Nice” cranks Jepson’s typical cheeriness up to nauseating levels.  “Bad Thing Twice” is enjoyable but unremarkable, and “Shooting Star” is a sad display of wasted potential. The production is some of the best on the album, but the vocals are so drenched in autotune that the final product is almost un-listenable.

“Go Find Yourself or Whatever” continues the downward trend. It’s another slower song, and while not offensively horrible, it has an unnecessary five-minute runtime. It becomes a drag to listen to and leaves the album in danger of going out on a whimper as it approaches the end.

Thankfully the album finishes strong with its title track, “The Loneliest Time”. It’s a duet with fellow Canadian singer Rufus Wainwright, and the two combine to produce a really sweet love song that ends the primary part of the album on a happy and positive note.

There is then three bonus songs to close out the album. The first one, “Anxious,” is one of my favorites, as it executes an ‘80s revival sound to perfection with synth-heavy production and a grooving bassline. It complements Jepson’s smooth vocal performance. The other two bonus tracks, “No Thinking Over the Weekend” and “Keep Away,” are forgettable at best, but “Anxious” more than makes up for them.

Despite a few missteps, “The Loneliest Time” is a worthwhile effort that retains the energy and liveliness that made Jepson’s previous efforts such a joy to listen to.

Eric Strong can be reached at [email protected].