First Listen: Kiss by Carly Rae Jepsen

With so much great music coming out this fall, I decided to do a "First Listen" column for this fall's most anticipated albums. CDs generally tend to be leaked before they are officially released, but Interscope Records managed to keep a good lid on Carly Rae Jepsen's new (not debut!) album, Kiss. The album, however, leaked yesterday, just three days short of it's release in Japan, and is currently making its way around the Web. Of course, I jumped on the opportunity to take a first listen, so below is a track-by-track review of the album. As an overview, if you're a 90's kid, love bubblegum pop, and you want to be taken back to the days of boy bands and teenage divas, this is probably the album for you. It's got a very cool, retro sound, which is what kind of separates Carly Rae from other stars of today. Here's the track-by-track:

1. Tiny Little Bows - This song should be a clear indication of what the album is going to sound like, and it definitely delivers on that promise. With heavy beats, Carly's signature whispery voice, and a dance-easy feel, it's the perfect way to get the album started. I get an island-y kind of feel at some points, and it's a lot of fun. On first listen, I didn't pick up on the lyrics right away, although Carly did release an acoustic version of this song a while back, and the lyrics seem to have definitely changed since then. This song is a grower, for sure. I don't know if it would ever be a future single, but it's a fun track to get the album started.

2. This Kiss - Carly's newest single, this song has the light airy catchiness that made Call Me Maybe such a big hit. It starts off with dancehall synths that are very 80's/90's, and it kicks right into a bubblegum chorus: "This kiss is something I can't resist, your lips are undeniable. This kiss is something I can't risk, your heart is unreliable." And why is Carly's man "unreliable?" Oh yeah, because it's a song about cheating, whoops. Yep, the song deals with Carly's feelings about another man, despite the fact that they are both in relationships. It's rumored to be about her new boyfriend Matthew Koma, who also co-wrote the song. Tricky, tricky, Carly!

3. Call Me Maybe - I think we can all agree we don't need to analyze this song, right? Okay, good.

4. Curiosity - For anyone who may not have known, this song was originally a part of Carly's Curiosity EP that was released in Canada in February. The song, in it's original context, was just a basic guitar and voice piece, and it was really great. Here, the song has been reworked to fit the pop/dance feeling of the album. As a fan of the original, I'm not sure how I feel about this new version. It's certainly easier to dance to, but I liked the simple version. Still, it's still just as catchy, and everyone loves a good key change, right? I certainly do. The song could be a future single, but seeing as how it was already released as a single in Canada earlier this year, it's kind of unlikely.

5. Good Time - Another Carly Rae song we can skip right over, right? This song is instantly catchy and it fits right in on the album.

6. More Than a Memory - This song reminds me of The One That Got Away by Katy Perry, but don't worry, that's a good thing. In fact, on this album of dance-pop, it's a welcome addition. The song is a more-than-mid-tempo ballad about saving a relationship that is falling apart. Carly sounds great here and the song is still very danceable. It's one of my favorites on the whole album. I could see it being a radio single, especially if the "Carly Rae only makes stupid pop music about flirting" thing kicks in.

7. Turn Me Up - The song starts off good...builds....and then it hits the chorus and you cannot stop dancing! While it's vocally the least challenging song on the album, methinks, it's still a really great one to dance to, especially since it's the first song on the album that doesn't have Carly head over heels in love. In fact, it's the opposite! It's all about going out after a fight with your loved one. It's got an awesome beat and easy lyrics that'll be great to shout over the throbbing beats. It reminds me of Don't Wake Me Up by Chris Brown, just a little tiny bit. Don't crucify me! I can definitely see this one being a radio single.

8. Hurt So Good - Ultimate. Bubblegum. Pop. And I love it. From the very second this song starts, you are guaranteed to at least start tapping your foot. It's got an insanely addictive beat and the chorus is instantly memorable. Lyrically, it's in the vein of Call Me Maybe, crushing on a faraway person of interest. It's definitely near the top of my favorites list, and I'm thinking it'll definitely be a single.

9. Beautiful - This is the much-anticipated duet with Justin Bieber. Surprisingly, it sounds nothing like the rest of the album, because the duet was recorded to be a part of Carly's Curiosity EP (although it then begs the question why Curiosity had to be changed to be more dance-pop, but I won't get into that!). Still, it's a nice song and a big change of pace from the rest of the album. Both Carly and Justin sound good, although the big problem here is that the chorus sounds eerily similar to One Direction's big hit. "What makes you so beautiful is you don't know how beautiful you are to me" vs. "You don't know you're beautiful, that's what makes you beautiful." Yeah, exactly! Even though it's the Bieber song, I really hope this doesn't get released as a single.

10. Tonight I'm Getting Over You - My favorite track on the album. It's different from every other track because it sounds more modern, but I really love it. It starts off pretty tame and builds up to the explosive chorus, which will have you chanting "Tonight, I'm getting over you!" It'll be a club hit and I'm thinking it'll definitely be an anthem for the year. Premature? Maybe. But the song is definitely going to be a hit, I think. There's no reason it shouldn't be. It's a different sound and a different message for Carly (kinda like Turn Me Up), but I love it.

11. Guitar String/Wedding Ring - I'll start by saying the song is kinda cheesy. "If you cut a piece of guitar string, I would wear it like it's a wedding ring?" Really? But that doesn't mean you won't be chanting those lines during the song. It has a real 70's/80's feel, a little different from the other songs, but I still really like it. The lyrics are passable and the beat is good. I don't think it'll be a single, but it's still fun.

12. Your Heart is a Muscle - The one and only true ballad on the album, and it's pretty good. Carly's whispery voice works pretty good, and even though "your heart is a muscle" is kind of lame, it's still fun to sing along to. It's a slow jam, but it's a good song nonetheless. Won't be a single though.

Deluxe tracks:

13. Drive - This song is okay compared to the other songs on the album, and it starts to get to a point where if there is no distinctive element to these songs, they fade in the background. That's the case here.

14. Wrong Feels So Right - The song has a club beat and it's a little promiscuous, but it's very dance-y and fun. I can understand why it's a deluxe track, because it doesn't really fit with the rest of the album.

15. Sweetie - Sounds kinda like the track right before, but I like this one a little more. The actual music here is just a little more prominent, and the chorus is catchy. It's got that Carly Rae charm.

The American version has a sixteenth track, Almost Said It, but that song has apparently not leaked. However, a track from the Japanese version, I Know You Have a Girlfriend, has apparently leaked, but I haven't found it. Still, there is more than enough to enjoy here!

My favorite tracks: Tonight I'm Getting Over You, Hurt So Good, More Than a Memory, Turn Me Up

Have you listened? What songs are you loving right now? Let me know in the comments section below!

Evan