Photo by: Anthony Mason
After abruptly cancelling his Wonder world tour in 2021, Canadian musician Shawn Mendes went away for a few years to work on himself and his mental health, writing in his tour cancellation post that he planned “to ground himself and come back stronger.” Wonder, the album he had released earlier that year did not do well, and his relationship with vocalist Camila Cabello was on its way out. Fans questioned whether Mendes would return to music, and if so, would he take on a more behind-the-scenes roll, rather than something front and center. Despite this questioning, he is back in full force with his second self-titled album, Shawn. It is his most stripped-back LP to date and while it lacks any obvious hits, it may remind listeners of Taylor Swift’s memorable album Folklore, for being honest, musically pleasing, and an introspective body of work.
Opening with “Who Am I,” Mendes hits us with an acoustic ballad that talks about not knowing who he is and feeling pressure from those around him. Functioning as more of an intro than a full song, it sets up the rest of Shawn well. “Why Why Why,” is the record’s next track and it is first single. Full of layered vocals, lines about anxious performances, and a pregnancy scare, the vocals alone make “Why Why Why” a catchy one, and while it may do well on radio, its easygoing flow will stick around longer with fans than casual listeners. Next up, is “This is the Dream,” which is one of Mendes’ best songs to date. With a haunting guitar line and vocals, it feels like Shawn is getting up close and intimate as if he is playing for a show of one, and its folky, Lumineers flavor is notable too, as Mendes goes back to his acoustic roots.
“Heart of Gold,” is Shawn’s fifth song and is one of the few that is not focused on Shawn’s life and time away, but on a friend who passed from a drug overdose. Regret flows throughout “Heart of Gold,” and as the chorus becomes stuck in our heads, the tune becomes endearing, and a fitting tribute to Mendes and his loss. “The Mountain” begins to round out the end of the LP, displaying not only his skill as a musician, but that he will be remembered as a great young singer-songwriter, something that the industry has seen in recent years. While the song is now memorable for putting Mendes sexuality front and center with the line “you can say I like girls or boys, whatever fits your mold,” “The Mountain” focuses on Shawn’s connection with himself, something his audience gets pulled into. We could care less about his sexual orientation, as what matters is his aptitude for writing songs that resonate, which “The Mountain” does effortlessly.
Closing out the record is a cover of the Leonard Cohen classic, “Hallelujah,” and while it is well done, its inclusion tells us nothing about Mendes and his journey while writing Shawn. Perhaps he just liked the song. While Shawn will not land on any best-of-album lists, as it takes another spot in his discography, Shawn is a beautifully written and memorable album – less about the hits than how it makes you feel in the moment. With that in mind, Shawn does an excellent job, at letting fans know Mendes is back – for good this time.
