My music choice ranges from week to week. For chunks of time, I will listen to upbeat, well-known music and the next I will listen to throwbacks. From country to musicals, from sad and slow to the happiest song in the world, I’ll listen to pretty much anything that YouTube decides to throw at me. 

A while back, an artist named Tyler Shaw occasionally showed up throughout my time of pop music I’d never heard of. The song I’d heard was one I remembered liking, so when I saw he released a new album, I was intrigued to hear more from him. 

Shaw’s new album titled his own name—Tyler Shaw—made its debut on August 20, 2021. It is made of eleven songs—some of them being brand new and others being released as far back as 2020. 

The first song, “Remember,” is one of the most upbeat ones of the entire album. The beat kept me swaying and bobbing my head through the whole song. 

Between the moments of instrumentals that culminate the song—which makes the song one I’ll put aside for jam-sessions with my friends—Shaw tells the story he wants to get out with his lyrics about remembering the rough times and seeing how much has improved.

More calm than the last, “I See You,” is a song of encouragement and love. It starts with a peaceful instrumental that his vocals lead into as if they were already there. “Too busy thinking ‘bout everyone else—you’re just a stranger inside of yourself” is a lyric many relate to from “I See You.” This song is all about seeing those who feel lost and unloved in the world and responding with the three words of the title. 

Another song I couldn’t help falling in love with was “When You’re Home.” It is another more mellow song, and I fall into the lyrics like they’re a bed waiting for me to collapse in them. 

As he sings about his home, he is building himself and the relationship he has; I am right there alongside him. Although he is talking about a relationship, I can see a younger version of myself running around the only place I’ve called home. At the same time, I see my future self walking around an apartment on a snowy day. His lyrics, along with the subtle background instruments, allow me to relax and feel safe where I am, despite me being in a completely different situation from him. 

From the upbeat tunes of the first song to the soft songs later on, Tyler Shaw couldn’t keep me from dancing and not just because I am constantly dancing anyway. Shaw’s songs, unlike most I hear, make me want to stop what I am doing and just relax or be free to do whatever dance I want to do with all of the confidence in the world.