On Nov. 15, Shawn Mendes released his fifth studio album, ‘Shawn’. The album was originally set to release on Oct. 18, but was postponed. Mendes take a new approach on this album as he has transitioned to a more folk tune vibe.
1. Who I am
7/10
The first song of the album starts with a soft and whimsical tone. I think the use of the guitar complements Mendes’ vocals and the overall somber tone. Mendes apologizes to his fans and gives insight as to why he canceled the rest of his world wide tour, ‘The Wonder Tour’ that began in June 2022. Due to mental health struggles, Mendes postponed the rest of the tour and then eventually canceled it after having only performed a few shows in June and July.
“And I don’t know how I’m gonna face you now/Sorry, gotta do it, gotta let you down”
2. Why Why Why
9/10
I really like how the beat of this song is a little bit more upbeat and happy. Mendes sings of several insecurities in different aspects of his life. I enjoyed the build up of the beat from the verse to the chorus. In the lyrics, “Feels like everything goes ’round and ’round/ And ’round and ’round it goes,” he sings of how his insecurities keeping back and overwhelm him. Overall, I like how the music and the lyrics go well together throughout this song.
“Opened up my journal to a page/Everything that hurts me’s still the same”
3. That’s The Dream
7/10
One of my favorite parts of this song is the guitar intro. Mendes sings of being out of a past relationship that lasted quite a while and the uncertainty of navigating himself without this person. A relationship without the uncertainty would be like a dream. I enjoyed the subtle use of the beat in the background with the combination of Mendes’ lyrics.
“Go this wedding in a week/Can’t believe you won’t be there with me, my love”
4. Nobody Knows
7/10
Right form the beginning of ‘Nobody Knows’ the guitar intro sets the tone, and the surprise pluck of the electric guitar was a nice addition. I love how Mendes’s vocals really shine throughout the song and they emphasize the pain he feels. The overall meaning behind the song is heartbreaking because even though the relationship he was in seemed right and seemed to be going strong, it was lost and he wonders what happened.
“Flyin’ too close to the sun”
5. Isn’t That Enough
7/10
I think is one of the most folky vibe song on the album. A surprising element was the use of the harmonica in the music, and it think it worked well with the rest of the melody and the notes on the guitar. My favorite part is the pre-chorus and I feel like the lyrics and the harmony of the music compliment each other really well. I also found it interesting that the outro included a whistle making it even more of that folk tune genre.
“Gone are the birds/Close are the tears”
6. Heart of Gold
9/1o
One of my favorite parts of this track is Mendes’ shifting vocals. The melody is nice and catchy and I enjoyed the build up from the intro to the chorus. There was a nice beat of the drum and soft guitar and I like that the beat stops right when he sings, “You had a heart of gold.” It creates a dramatic effect. To me, the lyrics mean remembering someone who was special that could have been close to you or had passed away. This is one of my favorites off the album.
“We shot for the stars/I see you up there”
7. Heavy
9/10
Right from the beginning, the beat is catchy and uplifting. The song is about what it feels like a to carry a burden, but then letting someone know about your troubles so you don’t have to handle the burden alone. I like the musicality of the chorus the most and the in the music, their is a sound that sounds like a chain, symbolizing what it feels like to carry a heavy burden on your own. I think Mendes was really passionate in this one, and his vocals shined throughout the chorus.
“It’s been so heavy, it’s been so long/Runnin’ from everything and nothin’ at all”
8. That’ll Be The Day
6/10
The tune of this song is a lot more soft and quiet. The vocals are very whimsical as Mendes reverberates his lyrics “And that’ll be the day I lose you”. The song is about knowing that you will eventually lose a friendship or relationship. The pluck of the guitar in is a nice element to the sad tone of the song. Although the tune is nice, it is a little slow and isn’t my favorite on the album.
“Till your face turns blue, this love is here to stay”
9. In Between
6/10
“In Between” is another soft and whimsical track. The song is about reflecting on a past relationship and the beginning starts the person he was in a relationship asking what the point of their relationship if they weren’t going to be with each other. Throughout the rest of the song he asks, “Isn’t that enough” when reflecting on all they did together and the memories they had. He brings in the main chorus and melody from “Isn’t that Enough” as a bridge which could symbolize a reflection of that song into this one.
“It’s so like you to get clever when you don’t wanna to cry”
10. The Mountain
6/10
The music and instrumentation I think complemented well in this song with Mendes’ higher and whimsical vocals. It almost feels like the kind of music that you could listen to while sitting on a back porch and looking at the view of the mountains. Mendes sings about the assumptions that people have made about him over the years. In the song he explains he’s already learned about himself and knows his place, and it doesn’t matter what others think.
“I took a trip to the mountains/I took a trip to the sea”
11. Rollin’ Right Along
7/10
I really like the use of the ukelele throughout the melody, I think it added a nice touch. This one also gives more of that folk tune vibe, especially at the end with the outro. Mendes shares that even though he had been heartbroken and gone through different life changes he has been “Rollin’ right along” and he will be okay despite what happens. I think this made for a nice ballad.
“Learned my heart can break and that’s alright”
12. Hallelujah
7/10
The main feature of this song is definitely Mendes’ vocals and his range from high to low pitches. This song is a recreation of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”. I think this is a perfect song to end the album because the album is about Shawn going through heartache and finding himself, so it makes sense because it is like he is giving a sigh of relief and giving a Hallelujah.
“Your faith was strong, but you needed proof”
Overall, Shawn Mendes’ new album provided a variety of melodies and vocal ranges that resembled softer and even folk type harmonies. This new album was a different approach than others he has written, but still caught the attention of many fans through his lyrics.
