Track-by-Track Album Review: Shawn Mendes’ “Handwritten”

I heard about Shawn Mendes when his music video for Stitches was mentioned in a BuzzFeed article. I literally get all of my news about everything from that app and when I found this video, I wasn’t so much impressed by the video (although it’s not bad) but the song pulled in me on the first few notes. Mendes wrote for all of the tracks on this album (with the exception of three), hence the name “Handwritten”.

This album is described as being part of the Indie Pop genre which is my favorite genre. Indie + Pop = YES. I love it. My weakness for male voices, singer-songwriters and a good acoustic jam pushed me to write an album review! Here we go…

1. Life Of The Party – 8/10

It’s such a raw song. His voice sounds like absolute honey coming through the speakers. I love the simplicity of the piano. The message is seriously relateable and everyone needs to listen to this. It’s telling you to take chances and let go of all of your worries. Basically, be the life of the freakin’ party. This is a slow ballad, but I’m a huge fan of slow ballads.

Favorite Lyric: ‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry / So baby be the life of the party

2. Stitches – 10/10

I listened to this on loop during my entire Tennessee vacation. I’m literally obsessed with the mix of acoustic and jam. I also love the way he paralleled getting stitches to trying to repair breaking up with someone. It’s a cool and fairly unique metaphor. The background music is what gets me though–my weakness is acoustic but jammy songs. In LOVE.

Favorite Lyric: Now I’m gonna reap what I sow / I’m left seeing red on my own

3. Never Be Alone -9/10

I love how this starts with cool Snow White’s dwarves’ whistles. His voice is also deep and (again) it just sounds like honey. I love how crisp and clear his voice is on this track and the others. The chorus is so pretty and it sounds like it should’ve been playing in the scene from The Fault In Our Stars where you-know-who died and almost everyone cried. This song is a beautiful song to listen to when you’re missing somebody. This has a depressed marching band vibe (you’ll get what I mean towards the end) and I want to just cry and slow dance to this. That is all.

Favorite Lyric: Take a piece of my heart and make it all your own / So when we are apart You’ll never be alone

4. Kid In Love – 7/10

I like the theme of young love and wondering if you’re just a kid in love or if it’s real but kind of resolving to enjoy it regardless. I don’t LOVE this song, but I like it. It’s one of those tracks you’ll listen to if it comes on but you won’t scroll through hundreds of songs to play it. Plus, as a legal adult, I feel weird calling myself a kid when I sing along. But I still am a kid, I’m closer to kid than adult. The end repetitive gospel chorus took off points for me, though, not a fan.

Favorite Lyric: If this is what it’s like falling in love / Then I don’t ever wanna grow up

5. I Don’t Even Know Your Name – 6.5/10

This is a very nice anthem that has a little Sam Smith vibe to me for some reason. His voice sounds a little too sharp at some parts and it turns me off, but the majority of the song is just very jam-y. This is the kind of song you want to croon in the shower and pretend you’re performing a concert. I’m not saying I did that today but I’m also not saying I didn’t. I like the little rap part of this–it’s the perfect length.

Favorite Lyric: You, you dressed up so nice / But all I could see was your eyes

6. Something Big – 7/10

This starts with a freaking cool chains clinking/glass breaking sound and then he gives this evil little laugh. I like the slight rap/fast singing jam. I just want to dance to this and blast it with the windows rolled down on a highway. This is one of those songs you play when you’re about to kick some ass or go out and dance with your friends. The chorus has such a catchy series of “Oh-Wah-Oh-Oh-Oh”s that you have to sing along to.

Favorite Lyric: It’s like that feeling when you’re just about to kill it, / Take your last shot you know you’re gonna hit it

7. Strings – 6.8/10

He does a lot of really fast singing that might be rap or just fast singing. This track has a lot of that but a slower chorus. This track is basically him rapping over a guitar riff. The chorus has a One Direction vibe to it maybe with a Justin Bieber circa 2012 vibe? This reminds me of The Backstreet Boys mixed with some R&B and a sprinkle of rapper and spice. I feel like I can’t enjoy this song until I learn all of the lyrics and can rap alongside Shawn as they play. I like the soft part towards the end where he sings part of the chorus but cuts the loud instruments. A little too much loud background noise for me to LOVE it.

Favorite Lyric: And I know you’ve got the world to see / But you know you mean the world to me

8. Aftertaste – 9/10

His D’s are over-emphasized throughout all of the fast parts and it sounds pretty funny. It shouldn’t be funny but it kind of is to me. I love the chorus because it’s relatable and I definitely dig the message. You can’t erase someone and you’ll always have this aftertaste and you can’t replace someone. It’s surprisingly deep, the chorus is by far my favorite part. I’m still wanting to laugh a little at the pronunciation of his D’s, it sounds like “regred it” instead of “regret it”. Heheh.

Favorite Lyric: And now there’s something in your way / ‘Cause you threw it all to waste

9. Air – 6/10

This track features someone named Astrid? I like her voice and I like his voice but their voices do not go well together. Her style is a little more Indie and cutesy and his voice is not. The chorus doesn’t work for me either, the “A-a-a-a-a-a-air” part sounds awkward. The individual parts sounds great but the chorus where they sing together and do that weird “A-a-a-a-ir” thing doesn’t work for me. Ultimately, it felt a bit too much like a patchwork of songs and artists and styles. Eh. I do like the meaning behind it though–like the clashing views in a relationship and wondering if maybe it’s time to end it because you’re not both seeing eye-to-eye.

Favorite Lyric: I know you mean it when you say you love me / But we’re trying way too hard

10. Crazy – 4/10

More pretty acoustic! His voice sounds like honey again in this track. His voice is as crisp as autumn leaves, even if the lyrics were garbage (they’re not) I would hang onto every word solely for his voice. I really do like this song but it’s a little too repetitive and dragging on. It’s a song I would listen to as background music, but probably not one I would play and focus on. It’s a kind of song that only gets part of your attention.

Favorite Lyric: I’m having trouble sleeping on my own / Feeling like a house but not a home

11. A Little Too Much – 8.4/10

This is a great song to listen to when you’re overwhelmed and stressed out as hell. Aka me almost always. This song is really pretty and motivational while also being relatable. This is a great power song and a song to listen to when you just have to get it together. The note at around 1:24 where he sings “Alright” is actually beautiful and simple. Did I mention his voice is like honey? It is.

Favorite Lyric: Though everyone said that she was so strong / What they didn’t know is that she could barely carry on

12. This Is What It Takes – 8/10

This is a pretty little romantic/chasing someone kind of ballad. This is the first time I noticed he used some falsetto. I usually hate falsetto, but his falsetto is really pretty and he uses such a small amount that it isn’t overwhelming. It is a little bit like every other kind of “I’m in love with you, I’ll break down your walls and fix you. You don’t love me but you will and you should” or something like that. It’s definitely pretty and I do like this track but it’s a little too slow and not that special compared to many other tracks. I also feel like he sounds a little arrogant like “Oh, I’ll fix you! You are broken, I can fix!!!”. I know that’s not what he meant when he wrote it but I’m a little peeved by it. Oops. Still a gorgeous song, though.

Favorite Lyric: Wonder if those eyes are really shut /And am I the one you’re dreaming of?

Final Thoughts

Real talk, when I first heard his track “Stitches” I thought is voice was a little bit annoying and whine-y. I acquired the taste, and acquired it bad. He has such a young and fresh voice that sounds like honey and his tracks are all very honest and some are incredibly emotionally raw.

Overall, I’m a fan of this album. Give it a listen! Listen to at least three songs, see if you acquire the taste. You probably will. I’m extra impressed because Shawn Mendes is so young and yet produced such beautiful and impressive tracks. Dang. P.S. Check out my Zella Day “Kicker” Album Review!

  What’s your favorite track on the album?