The Shawn Mendes EP

Album Review

The debut Island Records release from online sensation Shawn Mendes, The Shawn Mendes EP showcases the youthful vocalist's romantic, earnest style. Famously, Mendes grabbed listeners' attention with his performance videos he shared on various social networking sites including Vine. Island Records took notice as well and signed Mendes, who was only 15 years old, to a recording contract. Despite mainstream radio's reluctance to promote the Canadian singer's debut single, "Life of the Party" (featured on this EP), the single still performed well. Buoyed by Mendes' devout online fan base, the track hit the Billboard 100 singles charts. Coming on the heels of this success, The Shawn Mendes EP delivers four cuts that will certainly appeal to anyone who enjoyed "Life of the Party." From the ruminative title track to the laid-back, reggae-infused "Show You" to the anthemic "One of Those Nights" and finally the intimate, yearning ballad "The Weight," Mendes reveals his knack for delivering heartfelt contemporary pop songs that straddle the line between the folky pop of Jason Mraz and the R&B-infused balladry of Justin Timberlake. Ultimately, much like the intimate, stripped-down videos that first sparked fan interest, The Shawn Mendes EP is a low-key, likable debut that frames Mendes' voice with a modicum of tasteful studio production.