Hi, it me.

         Okay, I won't drag this out super long because let's be real, it's not the interesting part. I just wanted to include a quick disclaimer before we get into the review.

         Listen.

        I love Shawn Mendes as a person. I think he's so cool and I love his friendship with Niall. I love seeing him succeed and seeing everybody love him and his music, because he's worked really hard. I remember back when Vine was a thing and I got kind of into the music side of it, he was always there, stealing the show. So much talent.

         That being said, I'm not a huge fan of most of what he's released so far. "Stitches", "Mercy", and "Treat You Better" are literally three of the most annoying songs I've ever heard in my life, and like. I know he can do better. "There's Nothing Holding Me Back" was the first single he's had that didn't make me want to rip my ears off and gouge out my ear drums after a month of radio play, so I'm hoping that means this album will be his best stuff yet. It's the reason I'm reviewing it, because I'm confident.

         Most of this is a first listen review. I've heard "In My Blood" for sure, and as for the rest, I technically watched a YouTuber's review already so I've heard bits of each track, but that was the day of its release and I don't even remember any of it. I'm excited to see Julia Michaels as a feature, and I think she also wrote "Nervous"? Not positive though.

         Anyway, here we go. Fingers crossed.

01: IN MY BLOOD – 8.5/10

I love the talk-singing in the verses a lot. Something about that is super sincere, and I think that vibes well with the overall song. Even though the 'medicine' lyric gives me instant war flashbacks of all the Harry Styles performances I've watched of that song of his, I really like the calls for help in every different way. The "I need somebody now" part is super powerful when you're in the right mood. Don't listen at night when you're emo. Or maybe do, sometimes crying feels right. Anyway yeah, I really like this although it's still sort of reminiscent of his older tunes like "Mercy" and I'm worried I'll tire of it quickly so I'm trying not to listen to it too often to delay that. Favorite lyric: I'm crawling in my skin

02: NERVOUS – 10/10

Okay I get two different vibes from this song, and I love both of them. First: the music and talk-singing in the verses sounds kind of similar to Selena Gomez's "Bad Liar". Not tune-wise, but just all of the different elements there. And then second: The chorus with him singing over his own falsettos reminds me of a Jesse McCartney song for some reason? I don't even know which one, and maybe it's not a specific song. Maybe it's just a Jesse McCartney thing to do. Either way, I love this mix of two very different vibes and how different this already feels from everything else he's done (I say as if I've listened to more than just his singles). Anyway, yeah, I like this a lot. Will add to my playlists. Favorite lyric: I heard you asked about me through a friend / and my adrenaline kicked in / 'cause I've been askin' 'bout you too

03: LOST IN JAPAN – 8/10

So, I know this one was also released early, but for some reason I just never thought to listen to it. I don't know, man. I think my favorite theory that I've heard since its release though is that it's about Niall and their secret gay relationship, which. If it's true I would not oppose (although I am a HEAVY Niall+Hailee Steinfeld shipper). "Lost in Japan" has a very groovy thing going on. It reminds me of the feel of flying over cities at night when you can see all the lights and you kind of imagine all that might be going on there right that moment, all the different lives people might be leading. Am I the only one who does that? Anyway, this groovy, suave feel isn't really my thing so unfortunately this track will never be my favorite, but that being said, I do like the tune of the refrain. For what he wanted to do here, I think he did it well, it's just not my cup of tea personally. I do, however, enjoy the little vocal thing he does at the end of the choruses with "off my mind". That's very nice. Favorite lyric: I could feel the tension / we could cut it with a knife / I know it's more than just a friendship

04: WHERE WERE YOU IN THE MORNING? – 8/10

Yikes. Who could do this to Shawn Mendes, I mean really? I like the storytelling a lot that has been going on in this album so far, but particularly in this song and "Nervous". We get another falsetto chorus, which...I'll be honest, I generally prefer in smaller doses. So I loved "Nervous", but now I'm not that into it. I think I wish it was all in the lower octave until maybe the final refrain, and then he could belt it out and make it super powerful. Maybe it's just a me thing. Then again, this is exactly how I felt about Taylor Swift's "Dress" and then that one grew to be one of my favorites, so who knows. Maybe this is a grower too. Favorite lyric: And I thought you really felt this / when we were talking about breakfast / You made it seem like we connected / I guess I just didn't expect this

05: LIKE TO BE YOU feat. Julia Michaels – 10/10

Wow, I really like this one. It helps that I love Julia Michaels a lot. I think she's so talented, and her songwriting is so interesting. She keeps things simple – the language is never overly complex, but she finds a way to keep it wordy in a way that describes everyday occurrences in a way that isn't often done in songs. I can't give other examples off the top of my head, so this is hard to explain, but whatever. In this case it's just...couples finding a healthy way to deal with their arguments and moving past them and continuing to grow together as best they can, recognizing they can't ever step into each other's shoes and see things from the opposite point of view. Anyway. Yeah, I enjoy this a lot. I love its softness, especially in comparison to the last refrain when Shawn finally belts a little. The gentle guitar, even during the guitar break, is also a nice touch. Everything Julia touches turns to gold somehow. Favorite lyric: Can I kiss you or not? / 'Cause I'm not really sure right now of what you want / Are you still mad at me? / I'm hopin' not

06: FALLIN' ALL IN YOU – 9/10

Ah yes, the token Ed Sheeran-penned bop. As much as I enjoy this song, I think my biggest criticism is that I wish it wasn't so obviously written by Ed. Like, in the first verse I can literally hear Ed singing the line "'cause this was only ever meant to be for one night." Even the part about a "winter day," it's in the way Shawn is enunciating his T's so clearly, because Ed does that when he sings his own stuff. If no one had announced Ed wrote this, I think we all would have been able to tell. And I wish it was harder to figure out, like I wish Shawn had been able to make this sound like a Shawn song rather than a cover of an Ed song that we can't hear the original version of. Does that make sense? For some reason it really clouds my ability to like it as much as I think I could. Objectively it's a good song, don't get me wrong. I like it. But I just. Ugh. I'm frustrated. Also? I can't find a single indication in the chorus that the "fell for men" part is that the girl he's singing to fell for men – it sounds like he fell for the men, so. I'll leave you to think about that one. Favorite lyric: I guess we can't control / what's just not up to us

07: PARTICULAR TASTE – 9.5/10

I won't lie, I definitely lol'd a little the second time he said "mercy" in the first verse. It was the most self-aware thing ever, and even if that's not how he intended it, that's how it came off. I really love the verses a lot in general. The plucky tune of it is fun, and the barely-noticeable cracks in his normally whipped-cream-soft voice during the first "ooh" of the bridge is very nice. Actually the bridge in particular is a big win, I love that a lot. I think I'm okay with the falsetto chorus again because somehow it's different in a way I can't explain, which. Thank god. Only cringe-y part is the Kanye name drop. Obviously this was recorded long before that whole ordeal, but...didn't age well, even at this song's public birth. Poor Shawn. Favorite lyric: She don't waste time on conversations, no / she just goes right for the face

08: WHY – 8.5/10

This one is interesting for me. On the one hand, I love the lyrics. I'm so intrigued, and I want to know who he's singing about. Maybe real Shawn fans already know, but I am not well-versed in his life and music enough to know, and I actually wish I was so that I could figure this out. He hooked me with the verses right away, so that's great. But then on the other hand, I guess I'm not into the tune? I love a good ballad or slow song as much as the next person, but this isn't what I was expecting. So. I don't know where that leaves me. Favorite lyric: I know a girl / she's like a curse / We want each other / no one will break first

09: BECAUSE I HAD YOU – 10/10

Okay I'm serious, if anyone knows who he's singing about, I would love for you to fill me in. I'm intrigued now. I really want to know. Also, this is good? It reminds me a little of "Happier" by Ed Sheeran in the chorus a little bit. I especially like the little twangy music right after the chorus ends – that's a nice rhythm. I'm also grateful he's singing normally in the chorus, at least stronger than the falsetto behind it, because if this was another falsetto-led track I would have rioted. My favorite thing about this album so far is definitely the stories in the songs and how forcefully they all make me wish I knew more about him so that I could piece things together. It's like, they're songs that others will be able to relate to and adopt to fit their own situations, but at the same time they're specific enough to whatever Shawn went through to write them that I'm curious. Sigh. Favorite lyric: But I think it's time I finally found somebody new / and tell myself that she's the one to get me through

10: QUEEN – 9/10

Oh, Shawn's getting salty on us, folks. Honestly, same though. There's something this tune reminds me of and it's driving me insane that I can't put my finger on it. It's not another song or artist, it's like...an experience, if that makes sense. I think right now it's bringing me back to summer at dusk at our county fair, somewhere over by the games. I'm in high school, I'm with my friends, and we're probably talking crap about one of the "it" girls (who was also likely my friend, so I wasn't a very good person back then). I'm eating a slushy, there's a lot of denim shorts and those athletic pre-wrap headbands and we're all wearing our hair in high messy buns. The guy friends we're with are walking ahead of us as if they're in their own group. The grass is both green and yellow, scorched by the sun earlier and now being trampled by everyone. Red and white tends everywhere, lights and music from the rides all around. I don't know, it's like there's this very vivid scene in my head when this song plays and it doesn't really go with the lyrics but...that's what's happening. Okay. Let's end this. Favorite lyric: I don't understand why everyone thinks you're sweet / 'cause I see the opposite / No, you're not so innocent

11: YOUTH feat. Khalid – 9.5/10

I think this was definitely a song I wasn't expecting to hear on a Shawn Mendes album. I forget sometimes that he's younger than me and that he belongs to a different generation who is experiencing youth differently than I did (not that I'm not young, but like, I'm not a kid anymore either). While even ten years ago the world wasn't a great place, it was definitely less publicly awful. I wasn't raised fearing that someone would shoot up my school or that the grown men I interacted with might harm me in some way. Those were things I just...didn't have to think about literally ever, and now those are the realities that today's teenagers face more loudly. That makes this song interesting for me and I think I'm glad it made it to the album for that reason. It's a good one to sit and think about, and Khalid was such a great inclusion. I don't know much about him as an artist but I'm interested and am willing to hear more of what he does. Favorite lyric: As long as I wake up today / you can't take my youth away

12: MUTUAL – 7.5/10

So, at this point in a Shawn Mendes album, I'm now realizing that I really need the last few songs to stand out in some way that none of the tracks before them have. He has the kind of voice that is so specific to him that listening to it for an entire album causes the songs to begin to blend together, if that makes sense? And that's what's happening for me now. Currently, yes, I enjoy the tune of the chorus, but the verses are kind of forgettable. Unfortunately, I think this is another one like "In My Blood", sounding super similar to his previous singles that I have a feeling I'll grow tired of it very quickly. It just has that kind of tune. So yeah, I don't know, I needed this one to do more than it did. Favorite lyric: I don't want to have to leave / but half of you's not enough for me

13: PERFECTLY WRONG – 10/10

For the first time this entire album, I really had a moment. Actually for the first time ever with a Shawn Mendes song, I had a moment. Wow. There's always been something about his voice that, while I know it's objectively great and he's objectively so talented, I've never really loved the way everyone else does. I don't know if it's just because all his singles eventually annoy me and I'm blaming on his voice or what, but yeah, that's a thing I think. "Perfectly Wrong" is the first time I've ever been like...this is the kind of thing his voice is made for. At first, I was like "I can't imagine anyone else singing this song as well as Shawn does" and then I realized that if Harry Styles ever covered this with his sometimes rough, gritty voice, I mean. I'm pretty sure I would get pregnant. But that aside, yeah, I love this a lot. I sat through the whole first listen without typing and just letting it all settle. I love the piano in the chorus, the lyrics. My god, the lyrics. So here we are, this is my favorite. Favorite lyrics: You're perfectly wrong for me / Hate that you know that I won't leave

14: WHEN YOU'RE READY – 10/10

Dang it, now I'm not sure which one is my favorite. Because I love this so much. Honestly, I don't know if any of you have read the Larry fic "got the sunshine on my shoulders" by hattalouis on Archive of Our Own, but it's a Sweet Home Alabama AU and I just picture this song being one Louis wrote about waiting for Harry and I'm. EMO. So I love this for making me remember that fic but I also just love it in general because it's sweet and pretty and romantic. His vocals are nice, the tune is nice, the music is nice. I really do enjoy everything about it. Between this one and "Perfectly Wrong", I don't know if I can pick a favorite. Favorite lyric: What if my daddy's right when he says that you're the one / No, I can't even argue / I won't even fight him on it

         Friends, I am pleasantly surprised. I went into this hoping to like at least a few tracks, and I ended up loving more than that. The good news is I didn't outright dislike a single one, so. Success.

         Which tracks were your favorite? DO YOU KNOW WHO HE'S SINGING ABOUT? I need to know, seriously. It's killing me.

         Okay, bye, thank you for reading. Friendly reminder I finally updated Elf Bites and also that I posted that other short Larry fic called Fate Chances Moonlight.