Joy Crookes Juniper
Joy Crookes's Juniper arrives as a late-night, intimate record that foregrounds candid storytelling and retro-soul sonics, and across professional reviews it earns clear praise for its emotional honesty. Critics note that opener “Brave” establishes the album's stakes, while standouts like “Carmen”, “Perfect Crime” and “Pass the Salt (feat. Vince Staples)” repeatedly surface as the best songs on Juniper, blending sharp lyricism with memorable melodies and incisive production. With an 80/100 consensus score across 4 professional reviews, reviewers consistently highlight Crookes's vocal clarity and knack for balancing vulnerability with pop immediacy.
The critical consensus emphasizes themes running through the record - intergenerational trauma, trust and resilience, critiques of beauty standards and the music industry, plus anxiety, illness and recovery - all framed by nostalgia-tinged, neo-soul arrangements. Critics praised collaborations for sharpening narrative focus, citing Vince Staples on “Pass the Salt (feat. Vince Staples)” and Kano on “Mathematics” as effective contrasts to Crookes's voice. Reviewers agree that the best tracks marry personal detail with broader political and social commentary, making the strongest moments both intimate and socially resonant.
While most reviews are admiring, some note uneven moments such as one misstep in sequencing that slightly diffuses momentum, yet the overall critical reception frames Juniper as a confident statement in Crookes's catalogue. For readers searching for a Juniper review or wondering if the album is worth listening to, the professional reviews suggest the record is a rewarding, well-crafted collection whose best tracks - “Carmen”, “Perfect Crime” and “Pass the Salt (feat. Vince Staples)” - provide the clearest entry points.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Mathematics
1 mention
"I’m pretty fucking miserable," runs the blunt chorus of Mathematics"— The Guardian
Carmen
4 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
Pass the Salt (feat. Vince Staples)
4 mentions
"the first single release of the record, “Pass The Salt”, features the rap vocals of Vince Staples."— The Line of Best Fit
I’m pretty fucking miserable," runs the blunt chorus of Mathematics
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
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Joy Crookes returns to her roots on Juniper, and the best songs reveal that pared-back honesty is her greatest strength. The opener “Brave” sets the emotional stakes with aching vocalisations, while “Pass The Salt” (feat. 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
Joy Crookes‘s Juniper feels like a study in resilience, with the best songs - “Pass the Salt” and “Paris” - cutting deepest. The review voice is admiring and precise, noting how collaborations such as Vince Staples on “Pass the Salt” and Kano on “Mathematics” sharpen her stories. 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. The reviewer praises Crookes's wit and streetwise voice as she tackles co-dependency and intergenerational trauma, and singles like “Mathematics” and “House With a Pool” underline the album's darker, compelling core. 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.
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Juniper's core strengths are Crookes's snappy lyricism and the fresh, retro-soul production that makes the strongest tracks stand out.