Album Review: Jessie J – Don’t Tease Me with a Good Time
2 min read
Jessie J might just be one of the most recognisable names in pop from the last twenty years. A young prodigy who went on to sell twenty-million singles worldwide, she rose to fame in the early 2010’s with singles like Do It Like A Dude and Price Tag before rising further still with her Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj attached mega-hit Bang Bang. Since her four-part 2018 release R.O.S.E however she has been quiet on the music front, working behind the scenes on what has now been unveiled as Don’t Tease Me with a Good Time.
Opening with just her voice, FEEL IT ON ME turns into an R&B-tinged tune with sparse chords and a jagged drumbeat. It’s a low-key beginning that matches follow up I DON’T CARE with its plucked acoustic guitar and similarly spacious beat. The vibe is similar throughout tracks like initial singe NO SECRETS and IF I SAVE YOU, switching up into the first major highlight of the album BELIEVE IN MAGIC / JOY INTERLUDE. The first half of the track is an acoustic lead love song with a funk bass line that slides between Jessie’s vocals, while the interlude flows in gently and fades out like a dream.
COMES IN WAVES opens with a shoegaze-esc guitar sound, matched by a fuzzy lead line, before dropping into a more traditional mid-tempo ballad. It’s a lovely song that leads somewhat into the full-on ballad I’LL NEVER KNOW WHY. Soft, piano-led, vocally fragile, it ticks all the right boxes for a truly emotional moment. COLOURFUL is a springy waltz, while THREW IT AWAY has the energy of a car chase. CALIFORNIA begins with a lavish orchestral flourish before jumping into a descending, Feeling Good-esc jive, and single H.A.P.P.Y brings back the funk with string samples and pumping bass. Closer THE AWARD GOES TO is another piano lead, emotive ballad that showcases Jessie’s incredible vocals wonderfully.
There’s something for everyone on this record, not least Jessie’s die-hard fans who have waited so long for a new release. The material here isn’t groundbreaking, but the songs are approached with an expert level of care and seemingly renewed energy. Don’t Tease Me with a Good Time is anything but a tease.
Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.
