Jake Shears, Last Man Dancing | Album Review 💿

Following a five-year hiatus, Jake Shears returns Last Man Dancing, one of the most consistent, danceable, and entertaining albums of 2023.

Hard to believe that 🎙 Jake Shears (Jake Sellards) is in his mid 40s 🤯 (the handsome, talented man doesn’t seem to age 😍). More importantly, his voice remains utterly exceptional post-Scissor Sisters 💪 🤩. After releasing his debut solo album, 💿 Jake Shears, in August 2018, he’s back after a five-year-hiatus with his stellar sophomore album, 💿 Last Man Dancing. Consistent from start to finish, there is no way your body won’t be moving and grooving while listening to utterly fun dance-pop LP. 

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“Too Much Music”

“There can never been too much music.” Amen, Jake Shears, Amen 👏! Commencing Last Man Dancing is the infectious promo single, 🤩 🎵 “Too Much Music”. The production (🎛 Ryland Blackinton and Vaughn Oliver) is exuberant and spirited, perfectly suiting the voice and personality of Shears.  That beat implores you to put that disco finger up and hit the dance floor.  Shears penned  “Too Much Music” alongside Blackinton, Oliver, and 🎼 ✍ Dominic Thomas.  There are plenty of fun, noteworthy lyrics such as, “Oh, I feel the sweetest salvation / Flowing through this heart of mine / I see the blooms of a budding spring / Your love, it makes me get up and sing.” Awe-inspiring! Basically, Shears informs us, we’ve arrived, baby – Let the music take control!    

Appears in 🔻:  

• Awesome Songs: February 2023
• Best LGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈 Songs of 2023 (so far)

“All my children, can you keep up with us? / Do the television.” Woo! 🤩 🎵 “Do the Television” keeps Last Man Dancing on the up ⬆️ and up ⬆️. Following the intro (the eventual chorus), the groove kicks in – a surefire catalyst to get on your feet.  Shears serves up strong vocals, showing off his personality. The songwriting is engaging, particularly the catchy chorus, and the second verse:

“Calling all women and calling all men

And the people in the middle stand up and bend

First you grind your teeth and you spread your legs

It’s how the crippled boy boogies and the broke man begs.”

Beyond great vocals and lyrics, once more, Blackinton and Oliver put in work on the production. Notably, Shears co-wrote “Do The Television” alongside Oliver, as well as former bandmates 🎼 ✍  Ana Matronic and Babydaddy.

“I hear a single falsetto / Faces come out of the shadows / Are these the choices? / Here come the gentle voices.” 🤩 🎵 “Voices” featuring 🎙 Kylie Minogue, makes it three for three for Jake Shears on Last Man Dancing.  From the jump, “Voices” is a vibe-and-a-half.  Blackinton and Oliver continue to do wonders behind the boards –  those exuberant, rhythmic synths are EVERTYHING, period. Furthermore, the queen – Kylie Minogue – is on autopilot.  Her chemistry alongside Shears in the chorus is utterly stupendous, creating one of the best collaborations of 2023.

“I Used To Be In Love”  

“I used to be in love / Now I’m out dancing / Like a better man / In white satin gloves.” WOO! 🤩  🎵 “I Used To Be In Love” marks the third single from Last Man Dancing. This three-and-a-half minute gem marks the first of several production by 🎛️ Le Chev and Boys Noise (it’s absolutely lit 🔥).  The beat will make you dance your BOOTY off! The disco and house cues up the ante giving “I Used To Be in Love” simultaneously a modern and throwback feel.  The instrumental is breathtaking, but the true star of the show is Shears who sounds potent as ever, singing authentically, clearly, and expressively. He sounds particularly effective during the chorus, where his vocals are gloriously harmonized. Even though love has exited the building, those dancing shoes look/sound pretty damn good on him 🕺.

Appears in 🔻:  

• Awesome Songs: May 2023

With four bops at hand, 🎵 “Really Big Deal” maintains the consistency. Shears is confident AF on this jubilant joint.  His love for himself doesn’t feel narcissistic, despite his assertion “I’ll make you feel like you’ve seen God / But I just call it ‘my face.’” More than anything, you admire the fierceness, particularly in the infectious chorus: “I don’t know about you / But I’m a really big deal /… I don’t take no magic / To have this mass appeal.” 

Just know, “At the end of the night / Underneath the strobe light / I’m gonna be / The last man dancing,” Shears asserts on 🤩 🎵 “Last Man Dancing”, the final advanced single and sixth track on Last Man Dancing.  Produced by Le Chev and Boys Noize, once more, Jake brings the goods. “Last call for finding someone / Last call we’ve had so much fun / Last call the DJ’s done.” An electrifying groove and slick  backdrop fuel Shears’ fire.  Shears impresses with his youthful sound (he’s pushing 45 🤯), particularly his signature falsetto. Thematically, “Last Man Dancing” is being resolute about having fun, even if you’ve got to do it all by yourself.  Sure, it would be more fun with someone else – “I’m packing up my problems and / Leaving in someone else’s / Someone else’s mind” – but the plan is to dance TF out! Beyond the production, the voice, entertaining songwriting, and the underpinnings (regarding the harmonic progression), make “Last Man Dancing” interesting.

“8 Ball”

🎵 “8 Ball” featuring 🎙 Le Chev is mostly an instrumental number, which is a fabulous change of pace.  Given how elite the backdrops are throughout Last Man Dancing, it is fitting that the music shines. Le Chev and Boys Noize collab once more on the ear catching production, which speaks for itself – sickening beat and synths, in all their glory. Not totally instrumental, Shears does lend his vocals sparingly, perhaps in its most picturesque fashion on a falsetto-delivered “Yeah” as well as indistinguishable, non-lyrical vocals.  Of course, the titular lyric appears too.    

If you missed traditional vocals, the magnificent single, 🤩 🎵 “Devil Came Down the Dance Floor” serves them up from the jump. 🎙 Amber Martin gets first blood on this contemporary disco gem.  Her gritty, robust vocals give chills over the course of two verses.  Her most memorable lyric appears in the second verse, where she asserts, “You know I’m a woman / And I won’t play the fool / For no basic man, no, no, no, no / I can feel the shit coming on / All over my body.” WOO! Her and Shears also exhibit impressive chemistry in the chorus, one of the very best of the album:

“The devil came down the dance floor

With burning cinder eyes

He sang to me in a real deep voice

Until I harmonized…”

Once more, Le Chev and Boyz Noize kick ass and take names behind the boards. No permission needed to D-A-N-C-E – just do it!

“Mess of Me” 

Following the five-star “Devil Came Down the Dance Floor,” 🎵 “Mess of Me” has a tough act to follow.  No worries! With another ill groove anchoring, and more of that ripe falsetto from Shears, “Mess of Me” keeps the momentum rolling without a hitch.  Likewise, 🎵 “Doses” featuring 🎙 Big Freedia is fun, featuring two gargantuan personalities.  The Queen of Bounce is true to self, taking the lead on this repetitive, vibe-laden earworm.  “I got this feeling baby,” Big Freedia chants, adding, “And I don’t know what to do with it / I want you skin / Let me in / Wanna taste it…” Ooh-wee! Jake gets his moment too, delivering most of the outro. In that sly falsetto, he sings, “Do what you do and I’ll take that shit in doses.” BOP, BOP, BOP!

“Doses” superbly segues into the penultimate song, 🎵 “Radio Eyes,” another strong offering.  Lengthy at five-and-a-half minutes, it’s a worthwhile listen all told.  Notably, the intro is performed by an unlikely source: 🎙 Jane Fonda 🤯! Fonda’s intro sets the tone for a unique, otherworldly listening experience.  It’s fitting – dance and the extraterrestrial are a match made in heaven.  Familiar personnel are in charge of the sound (Boys Noize and Ryland Blackinton). 🎵 “Diamonds Don’t Burn” serves as the coda, concluding Last Man Dancing. As the 12^th track, “Diamonds” distinguishes itself, with a contrasting timbre – notably the prominence of acoustic rhythm guitar.  The synths are in play too – it is a dance-pop album, after all! Another contrast are Shears’ vocals – he sings in his middle register more.  Still, his upper register shows up to and always, shows out!

Final Thoughts 💭 

All in all, Jake Shears delivers an epic pop album with Last Man Dancing.  Running 12 tracks deep at 50 minutes in duration, Shears never misses the mark.  The vocals are consistently on point.  The production is consistently colorful and ear catching. The collaborations are epic – Kylie, Le Chev, Amber, and Freedia! The lyrics win too. Shears may be in his mid 40s now, but he definitely sounds much younger.  Last Man Dancing is easily one of the best albums of 2023.

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🤩 Gems 💎: “Too Much Music”, “Do The Television,” “Voices,” “I Used To Be In Love”, “Last Man Dancing”, & “Devil Came Down the Dance Floor”

🎙 Jake Shears • 💿 Last Man Dancing • 🏷 Boys Keep Swinging Inc / Mute Artists Ltd. • 🗓 6.2.23 

[📷: Boys Keep Swinging Inc / Mute Artists Ltd.]