Hailee Steinfeld is one of many (many, many, many) actresses who have tried their hand at a music career, in a move to establish more of a musical personality. Several reviewers have dismissed her debut EP as unoriginal and presenting a confusing image of her as a musical artist, but I disagree with them. Although there is a mix of ballads and upbeat songs on this EP (as there should be), the EP gives a nice taste of Steinfeld's musical style, moreso than her debut single did.

Lots of amazing songs were released this summer, and some that were....less than amazing. This singles rundown will cover, essentially, the ones I have the most to say about, because due to my fall schedule I have less time for this blog. Sorry!

Katelyn Tarver - Nobody Like You With this catchy, sarcastic gem of a song I can say with utmost confidence that Katelyn Tarver is back. I didn't enjoy Weekend Millionaires very much, but this track is excellent, and perfect for summer, with clever, catchy lyrics and complementary production. It's vaguely reminiscent in theme of A Little More Free, the title track off her 2011 EP, but different in nearly all other aspects, making it stand out. Now when is this album coming?

Carly Rae Jepsen’s had a tough time in the spotlight since the release of her breakout 2012 single, Call Me Maybe. Along with all the obligatory “one hit wonder!!!” comments following Call Me Maybe, music critics have done their job in criticizing her debut Kiss, which is likely why she’s striving for critical acclaim on her third album. Oh, and of course, there was that whole pawn shop rumor, too. Although Emotion has a large number of co-writers, similar to Kiss, it doesn’t seem nearly as all manufactured, and has substantial lyrics now, similar to lyrics from her debut, Tug of War, and the original version of Tiny Little Bows or even Curiosity. If that’s what it takes for an album to be considered indie, then okay. But in my opinion, Emotion is a pop album, and a fantastic, substantial varied one at that. This is the kind of music Jepsen seems at home with — and for that matter, a sound that’s a lot more appropriate for her age that only occasionally falters.