We Had The Loveliest Time - A Carly Rae Jepsen Album Review by Alex and Q

POP EMERGENCY! Everyone’s favourite Canadian chartreuse has released another album! Coming hot of last year’s The Loneliest Time, the queen of wistful pop has released The Loveliest Time. Using Spotify’s hot new synch feature, Alex and Q poured a glass of Kylie rosé and got to listening. Thus enjoy our scattered and excited thoughts. 

Anything To Be With You

This is a rough start, admittedly, and is possibly the album’s only skip. It’s not giving much, and is the least memorable, and almost, dare we say it, annoying. We forgive you Carly, but this is sadly not a banger.

Kamikaze

This, however IS a BANGER; so cool, so smooth. This track is bringing in shades of the cool 80s synthpop we saw from EMOTION, but more mature. Second track in and Carly’s showing us how she’s evolved - a trend that’s continued on from Loneliest Time.

After Last Night

So Alex said this a few times when we were listening to this album - but the instrumentation of this track especially feels like the score of a video game. I’m thinking about running endlessly through a virtual world as I race past pops of vivid colour. If we went running, this would be on our playlist (we don’t go running).

Aeroplanes

SUCH a good chorus in this one and it’s a super dreamy track. It’s a fun one, but it isn’t necessarily a big stand out. However, it is beautifully placed on the album to transition into one of its heaviest hitters.

Shy Boy

BANGER. This was an excellent choice for a lead single (especially compared to Western Wind and Party for One from the previous two releases - great songs yes, lead singles, maybe not). This is about to become a party playlist staple for us. WE LIKE THE SHY BOY, CARLY.

Kollage

A smooth silky dream and a track that’s so contemplative and just UGH. So lush. Lyrically this is arguably the strongest of the album and the piano fade out at the end is so good and just absolutely tonally evocative.

Shadow

Sweet, a cosy morning melody - you listen to this while making coffee in the kitchen on your day off. The soft whispery vocals are a nice hug. Not one of the album’s bangers, but I think stands alongside Sideways from the previous album to transition us into one of the fun bouncy numbers.

Psychedelic Switch (Q’s Favourite)

This could be a Kylie song (collab? We’ll die please collab) - it’s specifically giving On a Night Like This vibes. There’s a French Euro Dance pop sound, which makes us want to go out clubbing (to quote Q, “but only to this song / album, if anyone puts anything else on, I will be leaving the club to buy cheesy chips”).

So Right (Alex’s Favourite)

THE SAXAPHONE. It really adds something extra special to this track. We’re feeling George Michael. Also, THE BASS, the production is So Right (get it?). Also the little opening dialogue is reminiscent of “But I thought the old lady dropped in the ocean at the end” and that’s just cute. Paying homage to Britney is cute.

Come Over

A catchy little earworm! This has single potential written all over it - it’s got a perfect radioplay hook to the chorus with lyrics that’ll stick in your head after just one listen. And honestly, when CRJ says come over, you better be coming!!

Put it to Rest

This was a surprise! Something about it has shades of Britney’s Break the Ice, maybe it’s that there’s a slight departure from Carly’s usual vocal styling, in that there’s something melancholic about the way this track is sung. Probably not likely to be an out and out fave, but the stylistic choices really make it stand out for a Carly track and it’s just so fun when she experiments. 

Stadium Love

Album’s certified anthem - almost the musical antithesis of Western Wind. It’s bold, it’s loud and it has a guitar solo! Our girl is doing so much and we’re so happy. Carly Rae Jepsen stadium tour WHEN? (No stay in small venues, they’re more intimate and we love that for you).

Weekend Love

A nice closer with warm vocals. On a first listen this one doesn’t necessarily hit, especially after Stadium Love, which is arguably one of the album’s highs. But after a few listens, this one is really a grower - this’ll be one you appreciate down the line once the album’s big tracks have had their playtime. 

The Loveliest Time feels referential to a bunch of artists but it never feels like a total rehash - we’re treading on ground that might feel familiar, but Carly keeps it fresh by layering it bursts of playful experimentation and it’s definitely one of her most out there and dives into different sub-genres of pop. She’s having so much fun in the studio while keeping the production super clean. And it’s a true companion to Loneliest Time - it actually responds to specific tracks and feels outlandish and extravagant by way of comparison. Nothing is a TikTok soundbite - all the tracks clock in at 3 minutes or more and take us on a journey. She promised us something to dance to and absolutely delivered - but there’s more to this album than that. This is a real showcase of her journey as an artist so far - we love that Carly Rae Jepsen knows her niche and has released some of the absolute best, most underrated pop songs of the past decade, but it’s also so fun to see her being playful with her references and introducing new nuances into the music she creates.  STREAM THE LOVELIEST TIME, WE LOVE YOU CARLY. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS YOU LIKE WE DO.