Joy Crookes Juniper
Released Sep 19, 2025 Speakerbox Recordings
Established consensus 5 professional reviews Updated Oct 1, 2026
Broadly positive consensus
Joy Crookes's Juniper opens as a late-night confessional that balances retro-soul textures with sharply observed lyricism, and across five professional reviews the record earns an 82/100 consensus score.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
Brave
5 critic mentions
“particularly on experimental opener ‘Brave’, where her sound recalls Amy Winehouse crossed with Roberta Flack and Sade” — Hot Press
Paris
5 critic mentions
“Crooke’s wraps up the record with “Paris”, a delightful reflection on her first experience of true comfortability in a same-sex relationship” — The Line of Best Fit
Carmen
4 critic mentions
“Shining a light on systemic racism and the underrepresentation of black women when it comes to standards of beauty, “Carmen” takes a hit at societal norms.” — The Line of Best Fit
Full critic consensus
Joy Crookes's Juniper opens as a late-night confessional that balances retro-soul textures with sharply observed lyricism, and across five professional reviews the record earns an 82/100 consensus score. From the experimental opener "Brave" to the devastating closer "Paris", critics note that Crookes foregrounds personal history, mental health and resilience while interrogating beauty standards, family roots and industry politics with wit and emotional clarity. The question of whether Juniper is good is largely answered by its strongest moments: reviewers consistently point to "Brave", "Brave"-led sequences and standout singles as evidence of Crookes's vocal and narrative control.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Brave
Pass the Salt (feat. Vince Staples)
Carmen
Perfect Crime
Mathematics (feat. Kano)
House With A Pool
I Know You'd Kill
First Last Dance
Mother
Somebody To You
Forever
Paris
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
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Critic's Take
Joy Crookes’ long-awaited second album Juniper is the pinnacle of beautiful defiance, emotionally candid and undeniably fearless. The reviewer highlights the experimental opener “Brave” for vocal moments that recall Amy Winehouse crossed with Roberta Flack and Sade, and praises poppier highlights like “First Last Dance” alongside the stripped-back, heart-wrenching “Forever”. The most memorable closer, “Paris”, is singled out for its poetic beauty and crushing devastation, cementing why searchers asking for the best songs on Juniper should start with those tracks. This is an album where Crookes’ range and authenticity make those best tracks hit with undeniable impact.
Key Points
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The best song is "Paris" because the reviewer calls it perhaps the most memorable and praises its poetic devastation.
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The album’s core strengths are Crookes’ vocal range, emotional candor, and a sonic sweep from poppier tracks to stripped-back intimacy.
Themes
Critic's Take
Joy Crookes returns to her roots on Juniper, and the best songs reveal that pared-back honesty is her greatest strength. Vince Staples) and “Somebody To You” stand out for their confrontational candour and irresistible instrumentation. Lana Williams writes with measured admiration, praising Crookes's vocals and lyrical clarity as they explore adulthood, anxiety and the politics of beauty. This record's best tracks are those that let Crookes lay her soul bare while retaining pop immediacy and neo-soul grit.
Key Points
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“Brave” is best because it sets the emotional stakes and showcases Crookes's aching vocal delivery.
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Juniper’s core strengths are intimate songwriting, strong vocal performances, and thematic focus on adulthood, mental health, and racial representation.
Themes
Critic's Take
Joy Crookes’s Juniper feels dynamic and unapologetic, where the best songs - notably “Carmen” and “Perfect Crime” - showcase her wit and poetic storytelling. The record opens with “Brave”, which sets tender themes of love and rumination, then blossoms into sharper, more assertive moments across tracks like “I Know You'd Kill” and “First Last Dance”. If you search for the best songs on Juniper, start with “Carmen” for its pristine sarcasm and “Perfect Crime” for its clever balance of wit and thoughtfulness. The album’s strongest tracks blend vulnerability and critique, making the best tracks on Juniper both danceable and deeply human.
Key Points
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Carmen is the best song because it crystallises Crookes’ sarcastic wit and relatable storytelling.
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The album’s core strengths are its blend of vulnerability, clever lyricism, and a magnetic focus on the spirit of music.
Themes
Critic's Take
Trust and orchestral drama make “I Know You'd Kill” stand out, while closer “Paris” is named the introspective standout that brings the record to peace. Overall the album places Crookes's lyrical prowess centre stage, balancing R&B, soul and jazz with emotional clarity.
Key Points
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“Paris” is the best song because it functions as the introspective, emotional resolution and reflects coming to peace with sexuality.
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The album’s core strengths are Crookes’s lyrical prowess, emotional honesty, and the blend of R&B, soul and jazz framed by strong collaborations.
Themes
Critic's Take
Joy Crookes returns with Juniper, an intimate, late-night record whose best songs - notably “Carmen” and “Perfect Crime” - marry sharp lyricism with big melodies. Despite one misstep in “First Last Dance”, the record is described as impressively fresh, its retro-soul textures and trip-hop affection making the best tracks stand out. Juniper is therefore presented as worth the wait, with its strongest moments providing the answer to queries about the best songs on Juniper.
Key Points
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The best song is "Carmen" because its sharp, witty handling of beauty standards pairs with an irresistible melody.