Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Why didntEmotionblow up, commercially?
Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsens 2015 sophomore album stalled out at No.
16 on theBillboardalbum charts but thrived on prestige media year-end lists,sparking odd conversations in the process.
Fans swore the public was just late to the party.
The discourse was goofy.
This says nothing of who is actually listening to the music.
Truthfully,Emotionwas top heavy.
Pops not a meritocracy, as much as it strives to broadcast the appearance of it.
Decent records fly under the radar all the time.
Terrible ones do mammoth numbers every month.
Looking for rhyme or reason in that is chasing shadows sometimes.
Thecharts dont have to make sense.
She didnt rush into a new era after wrapping the touring engagements forEmotion.
Shehung back and plotted.
This weeks new album,Dedicated, is a product of hard work and fierce deliberations.
Dedicateddelivers on Jepsenspromiseof an understated disco record and gets a surprising amount of wiggle room out of the concept.
The methodical synth figure of Too Much evokes Swedish synthpop outliers the Knifes Heartbeats.
Automatically in Love marries church chords and sultry swing, like Demi Lovatos Sorry Not Sorry.
Ill Be Your Girl mixes waltz-timed reggae and psych rock.
Want You in My Room is jangly guitar pop.
Everything He Needs struts to a chorus onloanfrom Harry NilssonsPopeyesoundtrack.
Carlys pushing herself too.
Shes more of a presence here than onEmotion, which sometimes buried her in the mix.
Her breathy vocal for Julien underscores the lust in the lyric.
Want You in My Room uses stacked harmonies and coy raps to effect the same mood.
Feels Right trades soaring high notes with Electric Guest singer Asa Taccone.
Jepsens voice still runs a little wispy, though, and sometimes in the wrong spots.
It can only get better from here.
