Dedicated Side B

With E-MO-TION [Side B], Carly Rae Jepsen established a tradition of sharing some of the songs that didnt make it onto an album as a release of their own. She returns to that tradition with Dedicated Side B, this time gathering an albums worth of the many songs she wrote while making her 2019 tour de force. As it branches off from the different sides of Dedicated, Side B feels like a cohesive set of songs in its own right. This might be an even happier-sounding album than the one that spawned it: Early on Dedicated Side B, Jepsen leans into the feel-good side of her music, and the sunny opener This Love Isnt Crazy proves once again that shes the rare pop star who can sing about no-drama happiness without sounding boring or cloying. Later, she gives fans a fun peek into her creative process with the one-two punch of Felt This Way and Stay Away, a pair of songs that interpret a rippling hook of away, away, away and an irresistible connection in respectively breezy and exuberant ways. As on Dedicated, Jepsen doesnt shy away from loves complexities. The Bleachers collaboration Comeback and Heartbeat, which was tailor-made for slow dances and movie love scenes, are two of Dedicated Side Bs most vulnerable highlights. She also expands on Dedicateds adventurous sounds with songs that range from Summer Loves swooning synth-strings and hypnotic percussion to the beachy pop of Now I Dont Hate California After All, which floats on bubbly synths and slack-key guitars that sound like the moon on the water that she sings about. With its cowbell and warm keyboards, Window taps into the 70s vibes that were Jepsens original inspiration for Dedicated, but other songs reflect how much wider its scope became. This Is What They Say finds her adding some Pointer Sisters-style R&B to her mastery of 80s sounds, while Lets Sort the Whole Thing Out uses a chugging indie rock rhythm section to provide the pulse for its sparkly, flirty pop perfection. That songs this appealing were left off of Dedicated reaffirms the creative streak Jepsen was on when she made the album, and Dedicated Side B is just as heartwarming, fun, and catchy -- in other words, more of what Carly Rae Jepsen fans have come to know and love. ~ Heather Phares