This summer, Joji released the single “Glimpse of Us.” After trending all over social media, many described the song as the saddest love song of the summer. Following the release of “Glimpse of Us,” Joji began teasing the release of a new project. Finally, after months of waiting, Joji released his third studio album, “Smithereens,” on Nov. 4, 2022.

While “Smithereens” is primarily streaming digitally, it is a double album, meaning that the album would traditionally be split between two CDs or LPs, with an A-side and a B-side. The five tracks the A-side holds are “Glimpse of Us,” “Feeling Like The End,” “Die For You,” “Before The Day Is Over” and “Dissolve,” while the B-side includes the four tracks “NIGHTRIDER,” “BLAHBLAHBLAH DEMO,” “YUKON (INTERLUDE)” and “1AM FREESTYLE.” In total, the album has nine tracks with a runtime of 24 minutes and 34 seconds. 

Starting on the A-side with the album’s best track and the single that started it all — “Glimpse of Us” boasts an impressive vocal range from Joji and classical piano following his vocal pattern. “Glimpse of Us” is a track full of gripping vocals alongside a melancholic vibe, creating something that outshines the rest of the project. The track allowed Joji the opportunity to showcase his range and give fans more of what they loved from the 2018 hit, “SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK.” 

Honorable mentions from the A-side include “Die For You” and “Dissolve.” While these tracks did not live up to the greatness that “Glimpse of Us” holds, they bring interesting dynamics to the table. “Die for You” brings a return to the Lo-Fi sound that Joji became popular for and incorporates it into his new form of lyrical storytelling. “Dissolve” has acoustic guitar implemented into its instrumental, giving it a much more subtle and personal feel compared to other tracks. 

While the B-side is not necessarily bad, it is definitely not the album’s strong suit. The only track that stands out is “YUKON (INTERLUDE),” which was the second single released prior to the album. The main issue with the B-side is that the production on some of the tracks is somewhat rushed and lackluster as compared to the beauty that is brought forth on the A-side. 

Overall, Joji’s “Smithereens” is a good album — nothing more, nothing less. While a few songs, such as “Glimpse of Us,” stick out and show that Joji is capable of making an amazing, gripping, memorable and downright beautiful album, he generally falls short of doing so across the entire project. I recommend giving this album a listen, but I do not suggest setting your expectations too high.

“Smithereens” is now available on streaming services such as Apple Music, Amazon Music and Spotify.