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 of writer, reviewing recent single releases from a variety of artists.
Dove Cameron – “Whatever You Like” ★★★★☆
I was curious to listen to Dove Cameron’s new release, because I knew her from watching the Disney Channel show, Liv and Maddie, growing up. “Whatever You Like” was released as a single on Sept. 19. The song opens with a very soft and intimate sound, which quickly leads into a more fast-paced beat. Cameron sings about being in love in a comfortable and understanding relationship. She includes pop-culture references in her lyrics, mentioning Van Gogh and Marilyn Monroe in metaphors that compare to her relationship. Overall, it is a simple and sweet song that feels very sincere. Cameron’s melodic voice fits this style of song perfectly, and I was impressed with how smooth and polished her vocals were. While this song is catchy, I didn’t think its lyrics and melody stood out from many of the other romantic pop songs that are already out there.
Joy Crookes – “Carmen” ★★★★★
Joy Crookes is a British R&B and soul singer-songwriter who released “Carmen” on Sept. 19. The song begins with isolated punctuated piano notes, drawing in the listener. The song felt very warm and soulful, and I was captivated by the way Crookes switched from soft to expressive vocals based on the emotion she felt from the line she was singing. After listening closer, I was impressed by the song’s lyricism. Crookes sings about her envy of a girl named Carmen, who she views as perfect. She expertly expresses the feeling of wanting to be like someone else, repeating the phrase “I want to be wanted like Carmen” throughout the song. Her honesty and openness makes this song feel very personal, like she is confessing her internal thoughts to the listener. I thought that the combination of Crookes’ soulful vocals and accurate expression of admiration and comparison to others made this a song that is worth listening to.
Olivia Dean – “Baby Steps” ★★★☆☆
Olivia Dean is an English pop-soul singer who has grown in popularity over the last few years with her popular songs like “Dive” and “Man I Need.” Her new album, “The Art of Loving,” comes out soon, and a single off the album called “Baby Steps” was released on Sept. 26. The song opens on a dramatic piano note, and as Dean begins singing, you can hear shakers keeping the rhythm in the background. She sings about gradually healing and choosing yourself after a breakup. Dean conveys this message through lyrics like, “I’ll be my own pair of safe hands.” Instead of relying on someone else, she is choosing to be independent and to take care of herself. She delivers these lyrics in her jazzy, vintage tone of voice. There are many layered background vocals in “Baby Steps,” which bring out the vulnerability in this song and emphasize her smooth vocals. While I enjoyed her soulful vocals and the positive message of this song, I felt that it was repetitive at times and lacked the complexity and emotional depth of some of Dean’s other songs.
