Jessie Ware
Tough Love
(Island)

Recently, British singer/songwriter Jessie Ware released her sophomore LP, Tough Love, and it is a sultry turn worth a dozen spins. The newly married Ware creates an edgier project than her 2012 debut, Devotion, which put her on many listener’s radar. However, Tough Love, will bring a wider range of fans from R&B and soul-pop realms. With themes of love and relationships and collaborations with Miguel, Ed Sheeran and Benny Blanco, Tough Love is a solid mixture of power ballads, electro-soul and bass-heavy tunes. Alongside the beautiful “You & I (Forever),” which was co-written with Miguel and Benzel, other favorites include the Sade-esque “Sweetest Song,” the thinking-of-my-ex anthem “Kind Of… Sometimes… Maybe” (also co-written with Miguel), and the Sheeran-penned “Say You Love Me.” Overall, the highlight of Tough Love is Ware’s confidently smooth yet seductive vocals.