Review: Jessie Ware – Tough Love

After two years, songstress Jessie Ware is back with her sophomore record Tough Love, following her 2012 debut, Devotion. True to the voice she’s cultivated as a solo artist, she’s talking about the different aspects of love. On this new record she is celebrating being more confident as a songwriter. Feeling more evolved in the couple of years since her first album, she has more stories to tell. While it’s not a big departure from Devotion, it is more direct and to the heart of the matter. For the former background singer being front and center these days, she gets to enjoy the kind of learning that comes from touring, meeting fans who adorn her with wacky gifts, and feeling the sense of overwhelming love and adrenaline when her audience sings songs she’s penned back to her during packed-out festivals.

Tough Love for Jessie Ware feels like a relief, like she’s finally able to share a secret with everyone through the whisper of a song. To write these songs, she teamed up with soul crooner Miguel, fellow British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and other artists she was excited to work with. Title track and first single “Tough Love” has been compared to Prince’s hits of the 80s in an “I Would Die 4 U” sort of way. Many of the tunes are more playful, like “Cruel”, “Want Your Feeling”, and “All On You”, which ride easy in a playlist for any time of the day. She also found the space to experiment as a songwriter on songs like “Kind Of… Sometimes… Maybe”, as well as “Keep On Lying” and “Champagne Kisses”.  The record was made with the excitement of writing for her audience and knowing how to vibe out with them in mind, without the pressure from her early days in the studio. Influenced by artists like Sade, Frank Ocean, Kate Bush, and The Blue Nile, Jessie Ware delivers a smooth and sensuous album that will be tough for fans not to love.

 
Written by Mai Perkins

Originally from Los Angeles, Mai Perkins is currently living a decade long bona fide love affair with NYC and the music that keeps its spirit moving. Many of her adventures around the globe are documented on her blog: Mai On The Move! www.MaiOnTheMove.com

 
Author’s rating for Tough Love

Pop Magazine’s official rating for Tough Love

Rating key
MASTERPIECE a must-have
SUPERB for heavy rotation
EXCELLENT a great achievement
VERY GOOD a respectable result
GOOD worth checking out
FAIR an average outcome
WEAK not convincing stuff
BAD an underwhelming effort
VERY BAD quite a waste
FAIL a total failure