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Dec 3, 2020Accordingly, even though Wonder is his fourth studio album, it often feels like the sound of an artist still discovering himself in real time — the pleasant but vaguely unplaceable style of previous hits like “Treat You Better” and “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” now gilded with swirling psychedelic pomp (on the expansive title track), ring-my-bell disco (“Teach Me How to Love”), and slinky R&B (“Piece of You”).
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Dec 16, 2020While the slower songs are fine, sometimes sincere, the growth on Wonder is all evident on the livelier tunes, all of which point toward a more adventurous twenties for Shawn Mendes.
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Dec 11, 2020While “Wonder” is at times overambitious and overwrought, it does feel like the last stop on a particular journey. Mendes can’t sound much bigger than this without going full Adele, so what might come next is wide open.
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Dec 7, 2020It doesn’t always succeed, at times feeling too shallow for it to be as impactful as Mendes intended it to be. But when it succeeds, there’s no flaw to be picked out and for that it’s worth a listen.
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Dec 3, 2020What emerges is a compelling mix of youthful passion and coming-of-age agony.
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Dec 9, 2020Mendes spends nearly every minute bowled over by the power of love. It’s nice to see his cup overflow so bountifully, but the near-constant awe quickly grows tiresome, especially when conveyed through clichés like, “Your body’s like an ocean, I’m devoted to explore you” and, “You’re my sunlight on a rainy day.”
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Dec 8, 2020His lyrics meander and stop short of true sentiment, and his rhythmic deliveries feel less cohesive. He still has a way with swell, understanding how to inflate his voice from whimper to peal. But on this inconsistent album, rarely does his singing convey depth of feeling.
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Dec 3, 2020Despite the dearth of original melodies and ideas, there’s an obvious nod to the Everly Brothers’ 1958 “All I Have To Do Is Dream”. And throughout this record, Mendes’s savvy songwriting team are harking back to retro influences to suit the vintage ice cream parlour shades of the singer’s shirts.
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Dec 3, 2020At its least appealing, the music follows suit, dealing in boilerplate pop of varying hues: ponderous-verse-into-epic-chorus balladry; sugary indie guitars on 305 and Teach Me How to Love, dance pop so unmemorable it’s a wonder Mendes didn’t forget he was singing it and wander off midway through. But, just occasionally, something from outside the standard palette of current pop grabs your attention.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 794 out of 1027
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Mixed: 60 out of 1027
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Negative: 173 out of 1027
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Dec 4, 2020
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Dec 4, 2020
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Dec 4, 2020I LOVE IT SO MUCH THE LYRICS THE VOCALS EVERYTHING IS JUST ON POINT !!!! IM SO PROUD OF HIM