There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back: Now, here’s a doozy: when this album was first released, this track was not included! However, when the album was reissued and Shawn began touring for it, this single was included as the opener to the reissue! Island Records didn’t even TRY to “sneak” in on! Either way, admittedly I wasn’t all that crazy about this track when I first heard it. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it didn’t initially click with me. However, after several repeat listens, the song really grew on me. I love the guitar riffs on this one, Shawn’s vocal delivery is great as always, and I find the hook to be really captivating! Very different from a lot of Shawn’s other songs, but it’s a pretty great one!
Ruin: A sort of bluesy, slow-jam sounding track, I like the guitar riffs on this one, and it’s another great way of showing that Shawn is a huge vocal powerhouse. He sings on this track about someone who he hopes still thinks about him. I don’t quite know if I’d call this one of my favorites on the album, but I definitely think it’s got a good vibe, some pretty potent instrumentals, and a strong enough vocal performance that it might grow on me with a few more listens.
Mercy: One of Shawn’s most popular songs, this piano ballad deals with heartbreak, as Shawn asks a (presumably ex) lover to be easy on him. It does stick to some of Shawn’s established formula, by feeling light on the verses and strong on the hook, but the beat does have some potency to it, and Shawn’s vocals do carry some emotional weight on this one. Personally, I’m not all that crazy about the hook on this one, but I do see the appeal of it and I think it’s a pretty solid track.
Treat You Better: I’m very well aware that a number of the big YouTube critics really disliked this song in particular. In some ways, I see why, it does feel like it treads some of the same ground as some of Shawn’s other big singles, and some of the lyricism may be a bit problematic, in how he portrays himself as a sensitive guy but abandons that persona to some degree on the hook, but…honestly, I’m not gonna lie, I actually dig the song. I once again really like the guitar riffs on this one, the hook is very catchy to me, I like Shawn’s vocals a lot, and I think the song is a nice mix of being light on the verses, but more booming on the hook. No, it’s not for everyone, and it’s clear there are several detractors of the song, but honestly, I really like it.
Three Empty Words: Right from the jump, I actually said out loud “oh, I’ve heard this somewhere before.” The acoustic guitar instrumental immediately reminded me of “It Ain’t Me” by Kygo and Selena Gomez and, in Shawn’s defense, that song DID come out later than this, but even so, this cut just felt somewhat derivative to me. Yes, the guitar was nice on the ears and Shawn’s vocals are wonderful, of course, but I just can’t help but feel like I heard this song before several times. And honestly, while Shawn’s vocals were good, as I was listening to this track, I couldn’t help but think “did Ed Sheeran just drop his accent and sing this?” because it almost felt like a copy. No, it’s not a bad track, but it just feels like a bunch of things I’ve heard several times before, unfortunately.
Don’t Be A Fool: A track that feels like something of a slow-jam, Shawn warns someone that is crushing on him not to wait, because he wants to support her but he worries a relationship might only cause him to hurt her. Interesting. But as some of you guys know, a lot of times I’ll really dig a track if I feel like I’m vibing with it, and yeah, I’m definitely vibing with this one. I really dig the hook a lot, the slow-jam style is really working for me, and Shawn’s vocals again carry some very real potency and emotion! Definitely really liked this track!
Like This: Another slower, more ballad-y track where Shawn talks about how a girl he likes tells him he’s wasting his time, I once again just feel like this sounds like a lot of songs I’ve heard time and time again. Don’t get me wrong, Shawn’s vocals are very beautiful on this one, and I do once again feel like the track has plenty of emotion to it, but I just again find it to be a bit derivative and I can’t help but try to count the number of ways I’ve heard this one. Not a bad track, it’s got a very pretty vibe to it, but you’ve heard this before, I’m sure of it.
No Promises: Admittedly, when this one started off much slower, I kind of feared I was getting into another more generic ballad. But then the chorus kicked in with the really danceable and fun percussion section, and I started really digging this one. Again, Shawn is a vocal powerhouse here, and the percussion adds some really nice variation to the song, to the point where I feel like it honestly wouldn’t have worked without said rather bouncy percussion. Good track!
Lights On: A more sex-driven song…I’m sorry, I have to ask: as someone that is less experienced in the realm of sex and love and things of that nature, is it better to make love with the lights on? Just curious. Anyway, talk about a strange blast from the past, because while this song played, I felt like I was listening to Jesse McCartney. Yeah, I know, it’s weird. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy this song, though, I actually really loved it. There’s a really cool, head-noddy beat, I like the bright guitar plucking on this one, and while I’m still wondering if it’s best to love with the lights on, I do think the hook is really catchy, possibly one of the better choruses on the album. Really like this track a lot!
Honest: With this one, Shawn openly admits to a girl that he is just not good enough for her and that she needs to move on. This one also has some pretty neat percussion, and I think Shawn’s more soft vocals really mesh well with the smooth instrumentals here. I also have to say that I loved the hook, as not only is it very catchy, but we also see Shawn sneak into his higher register on said chorus to very solid results. Very head-noddy and fun song, I really loved this one!
Patience: Here, Shawn talks about an experience that he had hooking up with someone older and the awkwardness that he feels because of how young he is. Oddly, that’s something I haven’t heard much in music, so…at least there’s that. Either way, this one has a very basic but still bright guitar track and a subtle but somewhat bouncy drum beat, and while Shawn’s flow on the hook sounds like something you’ve probably heard several times over, it’s still very charming thanks to his beautiful vocal delivery. A familiar song, but one that I really liked!
Bad Reputation: I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MY REPUTA…oh, wrong song, sorry. No, this is not that, nothing close in fact. This is Shawn talking about a girl that he has fallen for in spite of HER bad reputation…BECAUSE HE DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT HER REPUTATION!!! Okay, that was shoehorned, I know, but sometimes, you gotta try to add some humor to the review. Anyway, this is actually a very slow ballad with guitar riffs that aren't nearly as pronounced as, again, Shawn’s vocals overtake the song. For the better, though, because those vocals are, as always, delivered with conviction and plenty of emotion, and when the beat does kick in, it meshes pretty well with Shawn’s powerful singing. I like this one!
Understand: A slightly more introspective, piano-driven, bluesy track, Shawn talks on this one about not wanting to let fame change him. Stuff we’ve heard before, yes, and I’m sure the song shares some sonic similarities with a number of others, but I find it to still be really charming and fun. The beat helps add a layer of head-nodding goodness to this one, and it fits nicely when juxtaposed with the bright, somewhat solo-driven piano keys and Shawn’s very emotional vocals. The interlude where Shawn talks about changing might seem a bit preachy to some, but I think it’s pretty sweet, honestly. Actually, I also really like this one because it gives me some throwbacks. Think like “Chariot” by Gavin DeGraw. I get those kinds of vibes, and they’re definitely good ones.
Hold On: A somewhat motivational song, as Shawn says what basically amounts to “hang on, it’s gonna be alright, there’s so much to live for,” I admittedly don’t mind when a song spreads that kind of message because it’s something I totally agree with. And I like the somewhat stripped-down nature of it: it’s just Shawn and his guitar. And once again, I find the hook to be really memorable and Shawn’s vocals to be potent and likable, even when he starts to approach his falsetto. He keeps things sounding smooth and pretty, and I really dig that!
Roses: Ending things off (well, not counting the acoustic version of “Mercy”), Shawn talks on this track about his fear of rejection, a cross I’m sure quite a few of us bear. I do like the slower, downbeat feel of this one, as it’s got a very pretty guitar melody, and Shawn’s vocals remain very lovely as he shows us once again that he really can craft a great hook. I really like that he chose to end things off with this one, because again, Shawn proves that even with some sonic similarities to other songs, he can still use his formula to churn out something beautiful.
Mercy (Acoustic): The “Deluxe Edition” of the album ends off with the acoustic version of “Mercy,” which if you remember from earlier, I found to be a pretty good track, even if it wasn’t one of my favorites on the album. And while this acoustic version didn’t necessarily change much about that, I did really like the unplugged feel of it, as it really brought Shawn’s vocals front and center and I personally found the track even more emotional without the beat. Having Shawn and the piano alone made it feel like there was a bit more weight to it. I still wouldn’t quite call it one of my favorites on the album, but I definitely like the acoustic version better, and I think it might even grow on me in the future.
How about that? Shawn’s first album “Handwritten” saw most of its highlights land in the first half, and the album slowed to a crawl in the second. Meanwhile, “Illuminate” had a very weak start, but saw a good portion of its highlights on the second half (in fact, I pretty much dug everything from track 8 onward). Huh, so maybe his next album will just level off and be more consistent. Either way, I actually really appreciate how, on this album, Shawn can generally work in his established formula, but still make some very sweet, emotional pop tracks with some occasional blues influence. He once again establishes that he is a singing powerhouse, and he’s got an ear for somewhat moody, very pretty, and often bouncy production that meshes well with his very potent and emotional vocals.
The only thing that’s really keeping this album from being an “Excellent” for me is how inconsistent the first half was. Outside of “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” and “Treat You Better,” there wasn’t all that much for me to love in the first half, and even the few “first half non-singles” that I did like were not quite as strong as some of the deep-cuts that came in the latter portion of the record. I’m not sure it would’ve easily been “excellent” if Shawn just switched the order of the tracks (though, it possibly could’ve been), but the fact that the album starts off so slowly just doesn’t really help matters much, and it might be a bit of a turnoff that makes some people not want to listen to the VERY enjoyable second half. Still, if you do power past that slow start, Shawn Mendes’ sophomore album has some very memorable tracks and is definitely worth a listen if you haven’t heard it already.
Alright, we’re getting closer to review #100, and I have a few albums I’ll review before the two new ones that drop this Friday. So, up next…N*E*R*D!
Favorite tracks: There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back, Treat You Better, Don’t Be A Fool, No Promises, Lights On, Honest, Patience, Bad Reputation, Understand, Hold On, Roses
Least favorite tracks: Three Empty Words
Rating: Good
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