As I said, this is the second studio album from Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara. I shouldn’t really need to introduce her all that much, as I already covered her debut album “Know-It-All” last October. That album dropped in November of 2015, and her star has only continued to rise since then: in 2016, one of the album’s bigger singles “Here,” after a slow climb, ended up peaking in the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and Alessia ended 2016 by providing the “pop version,” if you will, of “How Far I’ll Go” from the Disney film “Moana” (great song and film, by the way). 2017 was easily her biggest year as an artist: she started off by seeing her fantastic single “Scars to Your Beautiful” peak at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and she ended up being featured on a pair of Top 10-peaking singles for the rest of the year: Zedd’s “Stay,” which peaked at #7, and Logic’s “1-800-273-8255” (also featuring Khalid), which has had Alessia’s highest peak so far at #3. All three singles even ended up not only making the Year-End Hot 100, but also landing in the Top 40 (“Stay” ranked #17, “Scars to Your Beautiful” got to #30, and “1-800-273-8255” was right below it at #31).
Now, I’m sure it goes without saying at this point that I love Alessia: she’s one of my favorite celebrities, and I think she’s really inspiring in how she’s proven that you don’t need a big personality to be a star and that it is possible to earn fame by just being an average everyday person (and I mean “average” in a great way). Alessia shows me that an “everyday person” can become big, and beyond her amazing personality, her music is great fun to listen to as well. “Know-It-All” is one of only a few albums where I have every song from it in my Spotify playlist because there are so many greats on the album, and so far, judging by the pre-release singles, it’s looking the same here. “Growing Pains” and “Trust My Lonely” have been very fun songs, and “A Little More” and “Not Today,” both of which were just promotional singles, are some of Alessia’s best songs. And just based on those few tracks, it looks like she’s gonna be doing a lot of experimenting and changing with her style here. I can’t wait to dig into the rest of the album, let’s do that now:
Growing Pains: Kicking things right off, Alessia talks to us about growing up (obviously, it’s called “Growing Pains”). She talks all about the scary jump one faces as they enter into their 20s which, as someone that just recently entered into their twenties, I definitely understand. She handles the topic very maturely over some very fun, poppy production and throbbing percussion. As always, Alessia’s vocals throughout this song are gorgeous, and even if the “hey, hey, hey yeah, hey yeah” hook might seem a bit boring to some, she really sells it with her vocals. It’s one of her most personal cuts yet, and there’s no shortage of fun to be had with it.
Not Today: A track that deals with what Alessia describes as the “in-between phase,” between something good ending, and then healing. The one day you have where you just feel miserable and, even if you know that it will get better, you just need a day to lay in bed, feel miserable and bask in your own pity. I’ve definitely had days like that, for sure. We’re already two songs into this album and I feel like it’s gonna end up telling my life story. Anyway, I love the swingy feel of the instrumentals, and the bassline is extremely groovy and vibrant. Alessia’s vocals are beautiful, as you would expect, and the chorus, though it may take a minute to hook you, is very memorable. I adore this, it's great!
I Don’t Want To: I’ve said this about previous sad Alessia songs, but I read the lyrics to this one and my first words were “WHO HURT MY ALESSIA?!” This one sees her talking in her loneliness about how, even if she doesn’t want to show it, she really misses someone and just wants to have them back because she’s having that much trouble letting go of them. The song takes on a much slower feel than most of Alessia’s stuff, with a light, minimal instrumental that consists merely of a slow-paced acoustic guitar. I love the relaxed feel of the song, though, and I think Alessia’s vocals sound equally pretty and broken, carrying a lot of emotional edge to them. I really love this!
7 Days: Alessia gets a little political on this track where, with the frustrating and angry social climate that we live in, she turns to God and asks Him if He is angry with the world and whether He can help us. And as someone that takes a lot of time to question my religion, I ask a lot of these same questions. And the song takes on a more pumping, throbbing feel that reminds me a bit more of something like “Four Pink Walls,” but with some xylophones added in for good measures. I like the somewhat brighter feel of the instrumentals adding with the somewhat slower, emotional feel of the song, the religious references in the lyrics are fascinating, and Alessia sounds lovely as always. Her vocals really help sell the song, but it also doesn’t hurt that the hook is one of the album’s catchiest ones. Another amazing song, I love this!
Trust My Lonely: One of the big singles that dropped before the album’s release, Alessia talks here about trusting your own loneliness and trying to feel good, even in your loneliest and most insecure moments. Once again, as someone that goes through anxiety, this was much-needed. And the production on this one is fascinating, in that it goes for a slightly more electronic feel. I like said feel, it’s vibrant and fun, and the cowbell-driven percussion is catchy as well. Alessia sounds great, the hook is a lot of fun, and the song takes some interesting sonic twists and turns. I loved this when it came out, and I still love it now!
Wherever I Live: Interestingly, this song is listed on Spotify as “Wherever I LIve” with an extra capital letter for some reason. Wondering if there’s a meaning behind that or if it’s just a typo. Either way, with this song, Alessia seems to find contentedness in being on her own and living with her, herself and…she? I guess that’s how it would be said when someone isn’t saying "me, myself and I," but she talks about being by herself and being at home. I like that a lot, as someone that spends a lot of time at home, and once again, the song takes a more raw, emotional feel that is once again led by just an acoustic guitar. I love the minimal feel, though, as it not only gives Alessia a lot of room to give us her very beautiful vocals but also because the light acoustic riffs really add to the song’s emotional feel and make it one of Alessia’s best cuts.
All We Know: Not to be confused with that song by The Chainsmokers, Alessia once again tackles themes of growing up on this track, while also talking about just how strange the world is. She does this through references to Oz, The Beatles, Santa Claus, and much, much more. The song itself moves a bit closer to the upbeat feel of something like “Trust My Lonely,” with fascinating percussion and some really sweet guitars as well. Alessia sounds wonderful as always, and I think she really does a great job on the chorus, which is again one of the album’s more captivating hooks, talking about how we just go “round and round” and how the world is so out of our control. It’s such a pretty song that gets stuck in your head so easily, I really love it!
A Little More: Here, Alessia talks about wanting to have a deep connection with her lover. Genius.com seemed to report that this was about her boyfriend, though apparently, she revealed in an interview that she’s single and focusing on herself. You do you, Alessia…and if any boys hurt her, gloves are gonna drop…I’m sorry, where was I? Ah, right, the album. Anyway, this is another song that takes a different feel for Alessia: it’s a lighter, acoustic, folk-driven track with more delicate vocals. I love the song all the more for that direction, as it feels very raw and somber, and even if it’s a shorter cut, it’s still absolutely gorgeous.
Comfortable: With this track, Alessia talks about being in a comfortable love, where the honeymoon is over, the flame dulls and the partners have learned everything about each other (she asks several questions that I, too, ask about love), but how these moments remind her that the two have gotten past it and are at a point of comfort. The production here is more akin to that of a slow jam, with a rather jazzy feel to it and very groovy instrumentals. Alessia takes this different feel and handles it with aplomb, thanks largely to the fact that her vocals fit so well for the song. She sounds lovely up against the jazzy instrumentals and handles the song as well as, or better than, almost anyone else can. Really dig this, it’s different but that’s a good thing here!
Nintendo Game: Alessia finds another thing to make me love her and her music by comparing love to Nintendo games: she talks about how they treat love like it’s a game and how nobody ends up winning it in the end. She also throws in references to Zelda and has a clever line about how the trash talk is getting old and she’d like to challenge her lover on Rainbow Road. One, excellent reference. Two, I’m one of the five people on the planet that willingly challenges people to Rainbow Road so…yeah, it’s fun! And this is another song with really sweet production, with somewhat dark but still catchy piano-driven production and a fun, catchy beat. I also like the subtle sound changes that make the song feel like a video game, and Alessia’s vocals sound smooth and gorgeous. This was one of the tracks I was most looking forward to, and I can say it doesn’t disappoint at all. I love it.
Out of Love: Keeping with the album’s theme of heartbreak, Alessia talks here about how she can no longer confide in a lover and have their embrace, and she goes on to ask when her lover fell out of love. I haven’t even heard the song yet and just from reading the lyrics, I’m all in my feelings. Damn. And then Alessia deciding to make it a piano ballad, too. She’s trying to get me to cry hard, isn’t she? But real talk, this is a really sad cut, as Alessia’s very powerful vocals fit very well over the gorgeous piano keys (and other minimal instrumentals that come in later on), and even if the “piano ballad” thing might seem overdone, it’s something that gets me almost every time. Yes, I also love this one.
Girl Next Door: Another one that I feel I can relate to in several ways, Alessia talks about how she’s always been the everyday “girl next door,” but how you won’t forget her despite that. I said it earlier, Alessia inspires because she proves that a normal, everyday girl can be famous. And this is another interesting case with the production because, while it starts off seeming like just another acoustic track, it ends up becoming a bit more upbeat with a really catchy drum beat, and it even takes on some light feel changes throughout that make it really fun to listen to. I also think the hook is one of the most beautifully sung, emotional, and sticky choruses on the album. This is amazing, I can’t help but smile when I listen to it.
My Kind: Alessia reflects on her childhood here, and talks about how she wishes someone had told her in her youth that she would be alright and that she’d be where she is now. And this is another song that takes on a slightly darker feel, with eerie guitars and even some surprising 808 drum beats as well. I think it’s really catchy, and the short snippets of children’s dialogue throughout the song are really sweet as well. Alessia sounds great as always, the hook is sticky, and I think it’s another really fascinating piece on growing up and reminiscing on childhood, especially for someone like me that tends to be very nostalgic and sentimental. Really great cut!
Easier Said: The last wholly original song on the album, Alessia discusses the people in life that try to help you feel better when you’re wallowing in your own self-pity, but how it’s not that easy to get the sad face away. She basically concludes the album by saying that it’s okay if you take some time to have your own pity party and feel bitter when recharging from a sad moment and that recovery just takes time. I don’t know about you guys, but I only read the lyrics for this album and I have already been put through the emotional wringer, and I mean that sincerely: Alessia’s songwriting is hitting my emotions in more ways than one. And the production is also hitting me, as it’s a synth-driven, slightly slower track with a throbbing drum beat (there are some cool fills here, as well!), and it just sounds lovely all around. Alessia’s vocals also mesh well with the production and sound wonderful, and when she’s singing lyrics like these, I really dig it even more! Alessia did that with this album. She did that.
Growing Pains (Reprise): A reprise of the opening track, Alessia talks about how she is her own best friend here, and whether or not the blame is placed on the growing pains, or just on herself. There’s not as much to say about this one since it’s only a minute long, but I love the very heavenly vocals from Alessia, the light pianos, filters, and synths add a layer of fun to this short track, and it’s just got such a lovely vibe to it. It might seem weird to rave about a track that’s just a minute long, but Alessia really cared for it even with its short length, and it’s a wonderful closer to the album.
You guys had to know that I was gonna love this. Still, I have to say I’m surprised I ended up enjoying it even more than “Know-It-All.” I think what lifted this over that album (which I still loved) was that Alessia went down so many different sonic routes here, bucking some of the modern pop trends in favor of a more unconscious album that mixes themes and ideas just like the lyrics themselves. I also think that, by going down the acoustic routes for a number of the songs, we get a look at Alessia’s very beautiful vocals even more than her last record: this one is just filled with gorgeous vocal performances, and with no features to take the show from her, this is all her all the time. Actually, the lack of features adds to the album: this is a really personal record for Alessia and it’s really special to her, and I think letting her tell the story on her own is the best move, as features could’ve killed that.
Speaking of telling the story, Alessia’s storytelling is fantastic as well: I think she forgoes a lot of cliché imagery in favor of a very honest approach to telling her stories (which, as a poet myself, I appreciate), and she’s putting out some very strong, relatable content. I know some people probably scoff when people bring up “relatability” in music, but these songs do feel very genuine, honest, and easy to latch onto. Alessia herself might feel some growing pains, as we all feel as humans, but her sophomore album shows no pains in relation to her debut. It’s an album that’s raw, honest, and beautiful, and it not only sees Alessia in top form vocally, but it sees her experimenting and exploring her sound, to truly wonderful results. Do yourself a favor and listen to this album, I think you’ll love it.
Favorite tracks: ALL OF THEM
Least favorite tracks: NOPE. ZERO.
Rating: Excellent
Least favorite tracks: NOPE. ZERO.
Rating: Excellent
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