Truly one of the greatest tragedies of 2015 was the public snubbing of Carly Rae Jepsen’s E*mo*tion. Despite receiving overwhelming critical acclaim, the album barely registered on tastemakers’ radars. The album is an incomparably crafted pop album; sugary, sweet, bright, and preposterously catchy. More than that, however, the album calls back to the bright music of the eighties—each track is full of synthy grooves, brassy fanfare, and Drive-like atmosphere. Developing a significant cult-following, Jepsen enjoys a kind of indie-cred, allowing her access to “hip” stages such as Pitchfork Music Festival.
To celebrate the cult-status of her 2015 album and to thank her devoted (if not a little fervent) fans, Jepsen released eight tracks previously cut from E*mo*tion, aptly titled E*mo*tion Side B.
Side B is comprised of eight tracks entirely interchangeable with any of the tracks on the initial album. So masterful are the songs on Side B that Jepsen must have had to draw the eight titles out of a hat to cut them. Highlights from Jepsen’s (tongue-in-cheek) B-Side include “Fever,” “Cry,” and “Higher.”
The beginning of another school year calls for dancing, singing, crying—or all three at the same time—and so, Jepsen’s bubblegum pop is our Album of the Week.
Photo courtesy of Carly Rae Jepsen.