Wonder is the first album
Shawn Mendes has released as an adult, so perhaps it's appropriate that the 2020 record feels like the work of a musician who has entered a period of maturation. It's not so much that
Wonder feels stiff or stuffy, as if
Mendes were writing songs for an older version of himself. Rather,
Mendes attempts a variety of styles and sounds while also expanding his emotional range. Love and self-doubt remain at the core of his obsessions, yet he's allowing himself to feel some joy and fun, even inviting
Justin Bieber in for a verse on "Monster." This lifting of grey clouds counts for a lot, particularly as it's combined with playful genre experimentation. "305" is a nimble bit of new wave power pop, the neo-disco "Piece of You" pulsates to a glitter-ball beat, and "Higher" and "Teach Me How to Love" are sleek examples of modern R&B. Combined, these moments don't amount to half of
Wonder, but they're enough to keep the album moving and pulsing as
Mendes glides through his signature ballads. While the slower songs are fine, sometimes sincere, the growth on
Wonder is all evident on the livelier tunes, all of which point toward a more adventurous twenties for
Shawn Mendes. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine