Carly Rae Jepsen built her name on big hooks and bigger pop instincts, but The Loneliest + Loveliest Time is a different animal. This is a double album, 29 tracks deep, that moves from piano balladry to psychedelic haze to dance-pop in a single sitting. The title itself signals the split: one side of loneliness, one side of love. What holds it together is Jepsen’s voice and her willingness to let the songs wander.
The record is a companion piece to The Loneliest Time, and it shares that earlier album’s emotional directness. But where The Loneliest Time leaned on isolation, The Loveliest Time leans on connection, even when the connection is messy or fleeting. The songs here are shorter, sharper, and less interested in staying put. That restlessness is the point.
Opening With Surrender My Heart
The album opens with “Surrender My Heart,” a slow-burning ballad that sets the tone for the first half. It’s patient, almost meditative, and it establishes the record’s core bargain: Jepsen will give over control to feeling, and the music will follow. The track builds slowly, layering piano and strings until the chorus arrives.
“Joshua Tree” follows with a more direct pulse. It’s a song about distance and longing, and the title references the desert itself — wide, lonely, and full of strange beauty. “Talking to Yourself” is a quieter, more intimate piece, a conversation between two halves of a mind. “Far Away” picks up the tempo slightly, a gentle waltz about missing someone who isn’t coming back.
“Sideways” shifts the mood with a looser, more playful energy. The track is a reminder that love can be funny and strange, not just heavy. “Beach House” slows things down again, a nostalgic song about a place that holds memories but not the people who made them. “Bends” is a more abstract, atmospheric piece, its title suggesting a curve in the road or a turn in the heart.
“Western Wind” is a cover of the traditional folk song, and it’s a bold choice for an album this eclectic. The track sits comfortably alongside the originals, a reminder that Jepsen’s range extends beyond her own catalog. “So Nice” is a lighter, more straightforward pop song, a palate cleanser after the darker material that precedes it.
“Bad Thing Twice” repeats its title in the refrain, a nod to the idea that some bad habits are hard to break. “Shooting Star” is a soaring, anthemic track about catching a moment that feels like magic. “Go Find Yourself or Whatever” is a more cynical look at self-discovery, a song about the messiness of growing up. “The Loneliest Time” closes this first stretch with a direct statement of the album’s central tension — the space between wanting to be alone and wanting to be wanted.
The Middle Stretch
The second half starts with “Anxious,” a track about being restless and unsettled. “No Thinking Over the Weekend” is a lighter, more playful song about letting go of plans and expectations. “Keep Away” is a cautionary tale about distance and the ways it can hurt. “Anything To Be With You” is one of the standout tracks, a pure expression of desire that doesn’t need to explain itself.
“Kamikaze” follows with a more aggressive edge, a song about taking risks for love. “After Last Night” is a reflective piece about the morning after, the calm that follows the storm. “Aeroplanes” is a travelogue of sorts, a song about moving through different cities and moods. “Shy Boy” is a confession of vulnerability, a rare moment where Jepsen lets the humor and self-doubt surface.
“Kollage” is a fragmented, collage-style track that pulls together disparate images and ideas. “Shadow” is a darker, more introspective song about the parts of ourselves we hide. “Psychedelic Switch” is the highlight of the second half, a glorious surrender to sensation.
“So Right” is a straightforward pop song about timing and fate. “Come Over” is a softer invitation, a song about the comfort of company. “Put It to Rest” closes the middle stretch with a sense of resolution, a song about letting go of the past. “Stadium Love” is a more ambitious track, a song about the communal experience of love. “Weekend Love” ends the album on a note of ease, a song about the simple pleasure of spending time with someone you care about.
The Highlights Stand Out
The singles are easy to identify. “Anything To Be With You” is the standout track. “Kamikaze” and “Shy Boy” round out the list of tracks that critics have praised. “Psychedelic Switch” is the album’s most daring moment, a track that critics have singled out for its commitment to raw emotion and experimentation across genres. The song is a glorious surrender to sensation, a moment where Jepsen lets the music take over.
A Diverse Companion
The album’s diversity is both its strength and its challenge. There are 29 tracks, and they don’t all land with equal force. Some of the middle cuts — “Bad Thing Twice,” “So Nice,” “No Thinking Over the Weekend” — feel like connective tissue rather than destinations. But the record’s ambition is consistent throughout, and the highs are high enough to carry the whole project.
Jepsen is committed to raw emotion and experimentation across genres, and she never lets the music settle into a single mode for too long. That restlessness is the album’s identity.
The Verdict
The Loneliest + Loveliest Time is a bold, sprawling double album that rewards patience. The highlights — “Anything To Be With You,” “Kamikaze,” “Shy Boy,” and “Psychedelic Switch” — are among the strongest work of Jepsen’s career. The lesser tracks fill out the picture without dragging it down.
This is a record that knows what it wants to do and does it with confidence. It’s a companion piece that stands on its own, and it earns its place beside The Loneliest Time.
8.0/10.
Key Facts Box
- Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen
- Album: The Loneliest + Loveliest Time
- Release type: Double album
- Total tracks: 29
- Score: 8.0/10
- Surrender My Heart
- Joshua Tree
- Talking to Yourself
- Far Away
- Sideways
- Beach House
- Bends
- Western Wind
- So Nice
- Bad Thing Twice
- Shooting Star
- Go Find Yourself or Whatever
- The Loneliest Time
- Anxious
- No Thinking Over the Weekend
- Keep Away
- Anything To Be With You
- Kamikaze
- After Last Night
- Aeroplanes
- Shy Boy
- Kollage
- Shadow
- Psychedelic Switch
- So Right
- Come Over
- Put It to Rest
- Stadium Love
- Weekend Love
