Welcome to “Cut Through the Noise,” an Entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering new music releases. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role as writer, reviewing recent single releases from a variety of artists.

Cry Pretty – Carrie Underwood ★★★★☆

Carrie Underwood’s vocals take center stage in this powerful track. A new addition to stadium country music, “Cry Pretty” sends a message of acceptance and being open with your emotions. The lyrics are poetic and fit the style of the music well. The ballad hits hard with emotive vocals, perfect for Underwood’s big, soulful voice. Though Underwood shines in this song, it’s less than what I would expect from someone with so much musical ability. The track is very similar to the majority of her material and I hoped to see her branch out more into different styles since she holds a very strong position in the industry. Overall, the song was enjoyable and will be a welcome addition to my playlist.

Pynk – Janelle Monáe ft. Grimes ★★★☆☆

Janelle Monáe’s, “Pynk” opens with a funky beat paired with a groovy bassline, pulling me in right away. Monáe’s light and airy vocals come on fitting the ‘up in the clouds’ vibe of the verses. As she approaches the chorus her tone becomes more gritty, building towards a strong chorus. The lyrics are clever, full of innuendos and imagery. As with most of Monáe’s music, there is a distinct Prince-like quality to the song. Despite being well written, produced and performed, the melody fails to interest me. Although I probably would listen to it on the radio, I would probably skip it if it came up on my playlist.

2 souls on fire – Bebe Rexha ft. Quavo ★★☆☆☆

“2 souls on fire” falls short of expectations for Bebe Rexha and Quavo. Quavo and Rexha’s strong vocals match nicely in this collaboration, but neither artist seems like they’re giving it their all. This makes the track sound pretty bland and the repetitive, boring chorus doesn’t help. Each artist seems to fade into mediocrity, leaving the track almost empty of entertainment. In spite of this, there is still some enjoyment to be found in the song. The lyrics are well-written and the beat and bassline are really funky. Overall there were some high-quality parts, but it felt like both artists could’ve given more to the song lyrically and vocally.