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Shawn Mendes: Shawn review – a candid, stripped-back return
Regrouping after some time out, the Canadian singer-songwriter adopts a sparser, folk rock approach, yet shines best in honeyed pop mode
Five years ago, Canadian superstar Shawn Mendes was riding high; two Grammy nominations preceded a sold-out world tour and a lucrative gig as the face – and bulge – of Calvin Klein underwear. Mainly eschewing the galloping pop-rock of old, Shawn ’s 12 short tracks, including a superfluous cover of Leonard Cohen’s authenticity lodestar Hallelujah, focus on lilting, unadorned folk-rock. It’s a shame, because when he leans into that pop nous on excellent single Why Why Why and the beautiful 70s AOR of Heart of Gold – about the death of a childhood friend – he makes a stronger emotional connection.
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