🇺🇸: I didn’t quite understand much of the backlash toward this album. Sure, it’s not a sound that pleases everyone, but within its own proposal, it actually delivers — maybe even a little more than expected. Props to No Doubt for not making an overly long record, but instead keeping things tight and cohesive. Curiously, parts of it really remind me of Kylie’s Impossible Princess…

🇧🇷: Não consegui entender muito dos ataques ao album. Claro, ... read more

🇺🇸: Within the album’s concept, the songs do make sense — but they barely feel like they exist. It’s a decent blend of the Jonas sound with DNCE, both tied to Joe’s career, but… where’s Joe? He ends up fading into the background, and the album suffers from a complete lack of personality — the ultimate killer for any pop act.

🇧🇷: Dentro do tema do álbum as músicas até fazendo sentido, mas tem pouca existência. O ... read more

🇺🇸: It’s not my type of sound, but frankly… could it get any more lackluster than this? The themes are repetitive, the vocal melodies are uninspired, the lyrics feel completely throwaway, and even the beats—which should be the highlight of an album like this—are incredibly weak. A terrible listen, honestly.

🇧🇷: Não é meu tipo de som, mas francamente... Da para ser mais pobre que isso? Os temas se repetem, as melodías vocais não ... read more

🇺🇸: On a very tangential level, she does remind me of Taylor Swift’s early years in terms of poetic sensibility. Jewel’s lyrical content is remarkably mature for someone who was just 20 at the time, and the way she modulates her voice to convey certain emotions is truly worth noting. This entire dynamic makes the album a refreshing experience, even though it leaves me curious—and somewhat skeptical—about how her future records will evolve.

🇧🇷: Em um ... read more

🇺🇸: To me, this is still the ultimate Pop album from the King. Following Thriller was already an enormous shadow—imagine trying to be “better” than that. What Bad does, then, is transform itself into something unique, distinctly different from the 80s jewel that came before it. It’s riskier, bringing a chaotic blend that fits perfectly with the bold creative choices MJ makes. More than just a successor, it’s an album with a personality of its own.

🇧🇷: ... read more

🇺🇸: Artistically, Marina delivers an extremely solid album, marked by the poetic lyricism that has become her signature—even when tackling more “profane” themes. Sonically, I do feel there’s a lack of greater evolution from the previous record, although from a cohesion standpoint, it fully aligns with the organic and “natural” Pop sound she intended to convey.

🇧🇷: Artísticamente, Marina entrega um álbum extremamente sólido e ... read more

🇺🇸: The album cover art is dreadful, but Alcione is a huge Brazilian icon, especially from my city, Rio. So, overcoming the horror of the cover, the content is actually very enjoyable, and her vocals shine through sambas that fully justify the title “Profession: Singer”. From ballads to classics and even international adapted covers, she manages to bring both identity and subtlety to every track.

🇧🇷: A arte de capa desse disco é tenebrosa, mas Alcione é um ... read more

🇺🇸: It’s an okay album with an excellent vocalist. Honestly, the vocal quality is what stands out the most here. The “group” doesn’t really have much reason to exist beyond the market-driven context of R&B Pop at the time. An interesting discovery, but without much nuance.

🇧🇷: É um álbum ok com uma excelente vocalista. Realmente, a qualidade dos vocais é o que mais chama atenção nesse disco. O "grupo" ... read more

🇺🇸: Jennie managed to deliver a complete and cohesive album, but I couldn’t really feel that she had a major breakthrough that would fully justify the material. It’s a solid solo effort and a great “official introduction” to her persona, but it ends up being just that. Not that “just good” isn’t worthy of applause—but I was hoping to be able to clap a little louder.

🇧🇷: Jennie conseguiu fazer um álbum completo e coeso, mas ... read more

🇺🇸: The ’90s brought some really interesting dynamics around “new” studio albums, and this happened worldwide. Here, Lulu re-recorded classics and allowed his own songs to be remixed. Despite being a bit “schizophrenic,” the album fits perfectly with the concept of being highly danceable, packed with direct references to countless international Pop and Dance classics.

🇧🇷: Os 90 nos trouxe dinâmicas bem interessantes de "novos" albums de ... read more

🇺🇸: It’s the good old solid ‘90s vocalist album. Focused on personality, but even more focused on showcasing vocal performances. Still, Shania and Mutt also shine in the songwriting, with clever melodic hooks and a lyrical tone that feels more mature, grounded in that “in your 30s” perspective.

🇧🇷: É o bom e velho bom disco de uma vocalista dos anos 90. Focado em alguma personalidade, mas muito mais focado em mostrar as performances vocais. Mas Shania ... read more

🇺🇸: Nando's debut is interesting when seen through the lens of his previous work as a producer. But it’s pretty weak. It doesn’t really justify existing as a full album—more like a desire to spotlight the musician and maybe highlight his more “Brazilian” roots compared to what he had been doing. It’s worth a listen, but it doesn’t feel particularly different from what was already being made, even regionally (and often better).

🇧🇷: A ... read more

🇺🇸: It’s interesting how the album sounds very 80s for something released in 1995 — not even the mixing feels like the 90s. Looking at it now, it actually feels refreshing, but I can imagine it sounded dated and lacking evolution back then, especially in a pop, dance, and synth scene that went through so many influences during that decade.

🇧🇷: É interessante o álbum soar bastante como anos 80 para um álbum de 95, nem mesmo a mixagem parece a dos ... read more

🇺🇸: Even though it doesn’t bring anything new, it’s clear that this is intentional. It’s simply about still making music. And despite the vocal fragility, Billy’s talent and ability to use that to his advantage well into his 70s is undeniable. The production is weak, though, and there’s nothing particularly deep in terms of lyrics.

🇧🇷: Apesar de não trazer nada de novo, fica claro que é essa a intenção. É apenas ainda ... read more

🇺🇸: It’s a sound quite distinct from the R&B and Dance fusion that was spreading in the West, and that makes it interesting. Ayumi’s voice impressed me in some moments and disappointed me in others, and unfortunately, the album is much longer than it should be. In terms of production, there’s a heavy use of MIDI, which can be odd but also gives it a unique quality.

🇧🇷: É um som bem diferente da fusão R&B e Dance que se espalhava no Ocidente e ... read more

🇺🇸: One of my first exposures to '80s Pop—and one that’s stayed with me to this day. Olivia's album is a peak moment on the genre subtle transition from Disco to the synth-driven Pop that would define the decade, all while harnessing the power of strong visuals. It sounds like the '80s, but in a classic, not dated, kind of way.

🇧🇷: Um dos primeiros contatos que tive sobre o Pop do anos 80 e que se manteve comigo até hoje. Esse disco da ... read more

🇺🇸: It’s a great summary of that specific kind of ’80s sound that I just can’t vibe entirely with. John is definitely a pioneer of Synth Pop and deserves recognition for that, but this album feels a bit too experimental for a Pop-focused listener like me.

🇧🇷: É um grande resumo do tipo de som dos anos 80 que eu não consigo pegar a vibe totalmente. John é um grande pioneiro do Synth Pop e por isso ele merece sim o reconhecimento, mas é ... read more

🇺🇸: Discovering Barbra has been a delight. Experiencing this level of quality as an adult is a real treat. It’s a simple album, with a very refined production and overwhelmingly powerful, captivating vocals that make the perception of listening to something “old” completely fade away.

🇧🇷: Descobrir Barbra tem sido um deleite. Experienciar esse tipo de qualidade como adulto é muito bom. É um album simples, com uma produção muito refinada ... read more

🇺🇸: Totally unexpected. I only hit play because discovering Elton gave me confidence in his albums, at least for the journey. But is quite a good one of the year from a Pop perspective, and I loved the over-the-top production, the cheesy fun, the everything-all-at-once vibe… Honestly, the cover WARNS you this album is going to be pure excess.

🇧🇷: Totalmente inesperado. Apenas apertei o play porque minha descoberta do Elton me deu confiança em seus álbuns pelo ... read more

🇺🇸: The problem here lies solely in the album's lack of identity. With a debut already out, more was expected from the second release. However, it feels like just another collection of songs put up for sale, losing any real sense of purpose. Even the singles get lost within the album’s content, which isn’t bad—just really weak.

🇧🇷: O problema aqui está apenas na falta de identidade do disco. Já tendo um Debut a solta, era de se esperar mais do ... read more