Take Me When You Go

Recording information: Capitol Studios, LA; Conway Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA; Fort Knox, Sherman Oaks, CA; Pulse Recording, Los Angeles, CA; The Boiler Room, Sherman Oaks, CA; The Bubble, Boston, MA; The Estate, London, UK; The Lodge, West Hollywood, CA; The Rose Cottage, East Greenwich, RI; Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles, CA.
Photographer: Shane McCauley.
Betty Who's Movement and Slow Dancing EPs were so winning that fans wondered if she'd be able to expand her charms into a full-length album. Who won over listeners with a bold, playful sound that made the most of '80s inspirations like Whitney Houston as well as more contemporary influences such as Robyn and Katy Perry (a former tourmate of Who's). Even more so than many artists, her style is so distinctive that her music lives or dies by the quality of the songwriting, and the tracks that originally caught listeners' attention are Take Me When You Go's standouts. The Houston-inspired "Somebody Loves You" is as vibrant as ever; "Heartbreak Dream" remains soaringly romantic; and "Alone Again" continues to charm with its flirtatious yet bittersweet melody and slowly shredding guitar solo, which gives even more cred to Who's '80s devotion. The rest of the album is nothing less than pleasant, whether it's the breezy pop of "Just Like Me" or the fizzy "Runaways" and "All of You," both of which echo "Heartbreak Dream" while suggesting a more mature version of Teenage Dream-era Perry. Elsewhere, "Glory Days"' crystalline synths and gated drums make it one of the best new songs here, while "Better"'s hooks give its balladry some bite. ~ Heather Phares