(5 / 5)
Multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated pop titan Carly Rae Jepsen has released her mammoth double album “Day and Night” via Interscope records, available now.
Over the past 15 years, Canadian artist Carly has established herself as a true pop icon, confidently carving her own intentional career path. She burst onto the scene with 2012’s irresistible global phenomenon “Call Me Maybe”, this blockbuster hit from her breakthrough album, “Kiss”, topped charts in more than 47 countries, and earned her two Grammy nominations.
Her 2015 follow-up album “E•MO•TION” is hailed as a modern pop landmark, amassing more than one billion streams worldwide, and 2022’s “The Loneliest Time” and “B Sides Projects” have showcased Carly’s evolution as a top class songwriter and given fans a deeper look into her creative process.
“Day and Night” marks 40-year-old former Canadian Idol contestant [3rd in 2007] Carly’s most ambitious project yet: 24 tracks in total (12 per album) which she worked on with her dream team of collaborators and friends, including Tavish Crowe, Kyle Shearer, Nate Cyphert and Cole M.G.N. Each half of this album has its own very distinct sound and story.
Let’s start with “Day”…A dozen tracks of pure pop perfection. It is airy, fun, packed with dancefloor fillers with 70s-style funky basslines and bright keyboards.
The instrumentation was recorded live, adding an organic rawness to the overall sound. “Versaille” is a great track, with unexpected tempo changes that keep you hooked. “On Wires” brings old Hollywood vibes that build to a bold, soaring chorus and “Burning Heart” is a glittering pop track. “Wild Child” adds a slower change of pace; an acoustic track that details the highs and lows of holding yourself accountable and trying to move on from a painful break up.
Overall, a flawless first half that one may come to expect from a pop icon like Carly.
Now into “Night”…This half shifts into more intense dance and house music, with hypnotic beats and synths. I’m going to be honest with you, dance music isn’t really my thing; I often find it quite formulaic and repetitive but, I have to say, even I enjoyed these tracks.
The ABBA-inspired “Don’t Leave Me On The Dancefloor” is groovy as hell, and “Motivation” combines Carly’s great lyricism with thumping beats. Overall it is vibey and slick. This half might be a bit unexpected, but it’s a creative risk that’s certainly paid off. Will we be seeing Carly at Creamfields? Who knows, but these tracks would not be out of place.
This bumper double album was a bold move, but it’s a fantastic offering from an artist with nothing to prove, just making music that is creatively fulfilling. I’m here for it!
By Fran Parry / Photo by Vince Aung
(1 / 5) ‘Dull Zone’
(2 / 5) ‘OK Zone’
(3 / 5) ‘Decent Zone’
(4 / 5) ‘Super Zone’
(5 / 5) ‘Awesome Zone’
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