Canadian web-star Shawn Mendes released his debut album on April 14. The album, Handwritten, includes 12 tracks and reached number one on the Billboard 200 in its first week of release.

The first track, “Life Of The Party,” is a slow ballad that really accentuates Mendes’ voice. The amazing vocals, piano chords and the deep bass sounds make this song very powerful. The music video is set at a house party and features some of the other boys who were a part of MagCon.

Next up is “Stitches.” This track is very upbeat. The light guitar combined with clapping and drums makes the song very energetic. It makes me want to get up and dance, which is portrayed in the music video, which shows a girl dancing around her house while getting ready in the morning.

The third track, “Never Be Alone,” is very different from the previous track. It slows down the album and makes me feel very relaxed. I enjoy listening to the soft whistling and constant guitar chords.

“Kid In Love” is the fourth track on the album. It is slightly repetitive but it has a catchy beat. It has an acoustic sound with a tambourine and a single guitar playing. Many teenagers can relate to the lyrics about falling in love for the first time as a kid.

Next is “I Don’t Even Know Your Name.” It has a slower beat than the other tracks and sounds slightly bluesy. The brass instruments in the chorus match perfectly with Mendes’ high notes. Mendes even includes a short rapping piece which makes the song even better.

“Something Big” is the title of the next track on the album. It includes heavy beats using percussion and bass instruments and is upbeat and influential, just as its title claims. The music video features Mendes marching down a street with a huge crowd of people, which is kind of strange but very entertaining.

The seventh track, “Strings,” is different from the other songs because Mendes speeds up the lyrics but keeps the chorus at a normal pace. This makes the song more appealing and enjoyable.

Eighth on the album is “Aftertaste.” It is edgy but also has a slight elegant tune. The verses have an interesting sound due to the guitar pauses and A Capella singing. The chorus shows off Mendes’ great vocal chords that can hit high notes.

To follow, is a sweet duet called “Air.” Astrid joins Mendes to perform a light piece about a relationship gone wrong. Their voices blend nicely together creating beautiful harmonies. I like that Mendes added this track to his album because it creates a variety of different sounds.

The tenth song, “Crazy,” is very stripped back, leaving Mendes’ vocals standing out. Although this song is not my favorite, I enjoy the passion and emotion put into the track.

Next up is “A Little Too Much.” The song focuses on the use of guitars which makes the song simple and not overwhelming, making it an inspiring track. Mendes tells his listeners to not give up when life gets tough because it will get better.

Finally, the last track is “This Is What It Takes.” It closes the album perfectly. It has a relaxing melody joined by a delightful guitar. This song is exactly the style that Mendes should follow. Mendes reveals that “I’ll break down these walls that are in our way, if this is what it takes.”

Overall, “Handwritten” is pretty impressive for a debut album. It provides a variety of different sounds that can appeal to anyone. I am looking forward to see what Mendes comes out with next.