Album Review: Matters of the Heart

One thing I noticed right away when listening to JessB’s album Matters of the Heart is the quality of the production and mixing. With headphones, on a stereo, or in a car, the vocals cut through clean and sit in the mix like her songwriting does right now in the current climate of pop music. There is a lot happening throughout this album, but it never feels like the production is getting in the way of the songs.

JessB’s newest album is full of tracks that know exactly what genre they want to fit into while also giving nods to others. For example, the opening track Can I has an acoustic guitar, but don’t let it fool you, as it quickly shifts into a track that slowly builds into a mid-tempo R&B and hip-hop influenced track. It reminds me of some of the stuff that Black Eyed Peas were doing when they moved into their more pop and dance phase, inviting guests like Britney Spears onto tracks that Will.i.am produced. Her sense of melody and lyric prowess is obvious from the very first track.

By the second track, Mine, it becomes more of a dancehall vibe that has me thinking of artists such as Selena Gomez or Ariana Grande, as they have also explored how their vocals and songwriting could work across different genres. The hook of Mine is catchy and repetitive enough so that when the synth lead comes in, reverb soaked and sitting towards the back of the mix, we can dance.

And JessB isn’t afraid to show off her rapping ability. This is evident all throughout the album but used when it’s needed, which is the right amount. She doesn’t need to rap all the time to remind us that she can.

The song Anxiety is proof of this. After another dancehall feel song which is Thru2ya, this one showcases again her ability to speak her mind through her music and the production. Even though it’s the shortest song on the album, it builds into End-iversary, which is the standout track for bringing a more laid-back and soulful approach. Layered harmonies where needed, a gentle pulse and rhythm driving the whole affair, with Deva Mahal providing a low-end vocal to the harmonies. The line “Here’s to the end of you and me” really sums up what this song is about. It feels like a goodbye, but there is something almost celebratory about finally being able to say it.

Not Today returns to the dancehall vibe that really glues the album together. The chorus is strong and uses a great vocal sample to drive it. There is definitely a strong hip-hop vocal feel to this at times, with the obvious use of Auto-Tune cranked up for its effect. It works exactly as it should.

Cream of the Crop brings in a fuzzed sounding guitar, something we haven’t heard yet on this album. Straight away it gave me Eminem vibes, which I loved. Her rap game is strong here, her vocals also fuzzed up and dirty to match the aesthetic. Her influences run deep and it is obvious.

Like U Used To keeps the guitar but this time is more soulful. You can hear how the slow half-time drum feel and the organ in the song help to push one of the album’s more raw and organic vocal performances. She brings her attitude in the verses and her ability to write strong hooks in the chorus, something we have heard all throughout the album. The guitar solo on this one is fantastic, even if short. It works.

She brings another guest artist, the well-known Paige, onto First Class, where Paige’s guitar is undeniable, as is her writing and vocals, which really complement what JessB does. This is one of the standout tracks on the album where the beat and intensity takes a back seat to bring a more acoustic and open sound that sounds awesome on a good pair of headphones.

FUBIMU is another interesting shift. The title itself captures the contradiction of the song, and the music follows that feeling. You can be angry with someone and still miss them. You can know something wasn’t good for you and still want that person back. The verses are rapped while the chorus jumps into a more melodic and, quite frankly, aggressive sounding “F**k you that I miss you.” It is like she is upset that she misses the person she is singing about in the song.

It doesn’t sound wrong, it just sounds like someone being honest about their feelings and not afraid of saying how it is. Again, the production on this song is great. The ending reminds me of something the Neptunes were doing with Justin Timberlake at the time, with that slightly strange, almost left-field production that somehow still works as a pop song.

See You There brings another change of pace, with big group vocals and strings as the song builds to its crescendo at the end, helping to create a much bigger sound that almost feels cinematic compared to some of the more beat-driven tracks on the album.

By the time we get to Worth It, the opening line is “Hope the journey was worth it” and it was. The album has travelled through a lot of different sounds and emotions. A great closer to a well put together album.

One of the things I really enjoy about Matters of the Heart is that JessB has managed to make an album about relationships and heartbreak without making every song sound like a traditional heartbreak song. Her voice and songwriting hold everything together. There are moments where she is aggressive, moments where she is vulnerable, moments where she is simply having fun with the beat, and it all feels like the same artist.

A great listen that will surely have you dancing and grooving along while also being able to enjoy a more aggressive sounding version of JessB when the song and lyrics need it. Matters of the Heart feels like an artist who knows exactly what she wants to sound like, while still being willing to explore what else she can do.