'Surrender My Heart' is a great album opener that combines propulsive beats with vulnerable lyrics ("I wanna be brave enough to show you my not-so-perfect family" is a particular standout) and feels like a spiritual successor to 'Run Away', even if that chorus is catchier. 'Joshua Tree' then follows that up through pairing Carly's honey-covered voice with simple electric guitar plucks in the verses. While not the strongest voice in the world, Carly's voice is sweet enough to pull off songs like this.
Carly belts various questions towards a deadbeat ex over a danceable beat
Out of all the pre-release tracks, 'Talking to Yourself' is not only the best single but also the album's standout track. It easily has the catchiest chorus, as Carly belts various questions towards a deadbeat ex over a danceable beat that wouldn't be out of place on previous release EMOTION. It easily has the catchiest chorus, as Carly belts various questions towards a deadbeat ex over a danceable beat. Another highlight is 'Beach House', which pairs a slower but still melodic beat with witty lyrics about Carly's past experiences. The only issue is that she seemingly goes up a semi-octave for the final chorus, which feels really out of place.
The album suffers from an adherence to some current pop trends spurred on by the rising popularity of TikTok, including song lengths being so short that the album highlights feel unfinished. However, this album has some of the most solidly constructed songs of 2022, and maintaining Carly's hold on pop music.
4/5
