Jessie J has released her latest album, Don’t Tease Me With A Good Time, and the world is better off for it. It explores feelings of vulnerability, self-love, and pain, as well as the process of loving, losing, and maturing in the process. All of these themes are wrapped up in a dynamic record that has moments of laidback lo-fi and theatrical ensembles, making it an overall exciting and insightful album that you can listen to on repeat.
Track one, ‘FEEL IT ON ME’, has a chill lo-fi sound you can’t help but sway your head to. Borderline R&B, it has an electronic edge that makes it stand out, and this distinctive sound runs throughout the album.
The second track, ‘I DON’T CARE’, has a similar vibe – but it’s darker. Those lo-fi beats have gotten heavier as the singer confronts her ex-lover (“Why would I stay? / You ain’t for me”), and the heavier beats pair well with Jessie J’s determined tone. It’s an overall inspiring tale of one woman finally walking away from a toxic relationship, and as she sings “You can’t tell me nothing / Can’t fix it with no loving”, you realise there have been times they have gaslit her into coming back — but not anymore. She’s finally leaving.
Jessie J’s versatility shines as the record moves on. ‘BELIEVE IN MAGIC / JOY (INTERLUDE)’ is a tender, almost-love song about the romance she wants (‘I’m just too grown to compromise / I want goosebumps and butterflies”). The track is both optimistic and empowering as the singer explains her refusal to settle. Whilst her voice is smooth, and the beat is catchy, it’s the lyrics that stand out in this song (“I get up, I show up, day after day / Let’s make love and listen to Sade”). They’re simple, yet paint a beautiful image of a soulful romance.
‘I’LL NEVER KNOW WHY’ shows off the tender side to Jessie J’s voice that some may not recognise. After hits like ‘Bang Bang’ and ‘Price Tag’, the world knows she has powerful vocals, but this track instead shows a soft and tender side. It’s a painful song about a friend who took their own life (“How could you say goodbye / Without saying goodbye?”), and this topic is given the space it needs in the record. There are light strings and piano instrumentals in the background to this song, but nothing more, and with that, you can feel Jessie J’s vulnerability.
The album is personal, and one of the most on-the-nose tracks is ‘COMPLICATED’. The singer runs through her life with quippy lyrics and an upbeat guitar riff. She goes from 2010, where she “sang so loud, insecure but nobody knew it,” to “2014, Katy told me that they all hate me / That I do too much, bang bang, can’t sit at the table.” It’s made up of moments we recognise from her music career — and this continues.
“Met a Magic Mike, will that ever be forgotten? / ‘Cause everything they write / That’s the headline and the topic” throws back to her relationship with Channing Tatum – confirming that she’s over it (“that’s life for ya”).
‘THREW IT AWAY’ is where the album takes a turn. The lo-fi electric sounds are swapped for a much louder, theatrical sound. The song is an upbeat and uplifting break-up song (“I gave you my love / And you threw it away”), and the mix of Jessie J’s belting with backing vocals, drums, and trumpets creates a powerful chorus that boosts your serotonin almost instantly.
What’s so wonderful about this album is the variety of narratives. It has the sad songs that help you reflect, the laidback ones for when you’re relaxing, and the feeling-yourself songs that pick up your confidence. They all blend seamlessly, proving her range of musical talent and confirming her comeback as nothing less than iconic.
Words by Amy Gaffney
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