Canadian pop artist Shawn Mendes shines on “Ruin,” a soulful, memorable, and well-written single that shows him maturing and “stepping up his game.”

Canadian teen heartthrob Shawn Mendes is set to release sophomore album, Illuminate, on September 23.  Illuminate follows platinum-certified debut, Handwritten. Handwritten spawned hits “Something Big” and “Stitches.” Enjoyable, Handwritten wasn’t ‘the second coming.’ Fans previewed Illuminate via “Treat You Better”. Sound, “Treat You Better” is not starkly different from “Stitches.” The Musical Hype reviewed “Treat You Better” on June 9; it earned 3 stars.  Latest single “Ruin” supplants it.

Mendes doesn’t ruin an opportunity to shine. Gripping from the start, “Ruin” is an emotional 6/8 number contrasting faster hits. The record is comparable to John Mayer‘s “Gravity” (Continuum, 2006) in vibe.

Mendes loses poise on “Ruin”,with awesome results. Why? Mendes gets “down and dirty”… in the most G-rated way possible!  Mendes favors grittiness and flaunting the cracks within the voice.  If there was a question about the authenticity, his soulful, genuine performance ‘lays it to rest.’

Final Thoughts:

“Ruin” is soulful, memorable, and well-written. The single shows Mendes maturing, “stepping up his game.” 4 stars.

Shawn Mendes • Illuminate • Island • Release: 9.23.16