The Blessed Unrest
| Sara Bareilles
The Blessed Unrest
The Blessed Unrest is the fourth studio album and third major-label album by American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. The album was released on July 12, 2013 through Epic Records. The lead single from the album, "Brave", was released digitally on April 23, 2013. It sold 68,000 copies in its first week of release in the United States and debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for the 2014 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Billboard
Has its share of light fare that could earn spins on adult contemporary radio, but it's also more lyrically daring and serious-sounding.
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Rolling Stone
Full of broad, exposition-heavy vignettes of heartache and resiliency; the songs feel groomed for rom-com soundtracks.
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Odyssey
Still holding true to her beautiful piano melodies and vibrant lyrics, she poured a new side of her soul into the music.
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Pop Matters
Sara Bareilles shows grand ambition and excellent musicianship on The Blessed Unrest, though she sometimes overreaches.
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Newsday
She fully embraces her unpredictability, boldly bouncing from one musical approach to another.
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Pop! Goes The Charts
This may be a new Sara Bareilles, but as she sings, we can “hang onto the reverie” that a part of the old her is still in the heart of her latest affair.
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Critic of Music
It's moving from start to finish, and is a welcome addition to Sara's discography.
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The Young Folks
The album was really fantastic, and I truly enjoyed it.
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All Music
Bareilles is such a naturally melodic songwriter that she doesn't run much of a risk of seeming insular on The Blessed Unrest and, fortunately, the feel of the album follows the contours of her melodies, so its melancholy is warm and inviting.
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Spectrum Pulse
It feels as if Sara Bareilles is starting to adopt some of the worse traits of her genre, particularly in the shallower songwriting, and while it's still far smarter and more emotionally grounded than most of her genre, I can't help but feel that it's a step backwards.
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The Berklee Groove
Give The Blessed Unrest a listen if you haven’t already. Trust me, it’s worth it.
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Female First
She doesn't need to resort to silly tactics for attention, she's simply a talented musician who's been given the best opportunities possible, and they're so very deserved.
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Pop! Bang! Boom!
Masterfully done, though it may be my least favorite of her discography.
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Associated Press
She's soft on the honeyed, piano pop gems that make up "The Blessed Unrest," her voice is solid and her lyrics are strong.
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Our Vinyl
Sounds like Bareilles is really growing as both a songwriter and a musician, but still has plenty of room to continue growing.
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MIMO
This kind of record takes her out of the morass of soon-to-be-forgotten pop mediocrity, and puts her on the playing field with the likes of timeless pop songwriters like Carly Simon or Carole King.
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Out & About Nashville
Surely the strongest album Bareilles has released and continues to solidify Bareilles as a different kind of pop star: smart, catchy but most of all she’s one of us.
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Rock On Philly
Makes you want to fall in love, hug your best friend, and take a leap and try that one thing you’ve been mustering up the courage to do.
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Herald Standard
Features Bareilles at the peak of her writing, with lyrics that traverse an inviting scope of emotions that originate from recent personal experiences, making “The Blessed Unrest” a refreshing mixture of charming whimsy and alluring reality.
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Teen Ink
Songs that are so complete and personal, the album feels like a gift from someone you know.
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The Star
Overwrought and overproduced at times, Sara Bareilles seems to be spinning her wheels.
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Arena
The perfect combination of commercial appeal and pop-soul while maintaining a bit of an organic integrity.
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Entertainment Focus
Her musicianship shines through on the record but we wish she had taken a few more risks and explored her poppier sound for a change.
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AU Review
A solid effort from Sara Bareilles, but unfortunately nothing too stellar.
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The New York Times
Is all shoulder-drooping heft, and her musical choices are vexing.
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Spy District
Has a risky feel attached to it, a breath of fresh air.
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Brent Music Reviews
Ultimately pleasant enough, but sometimes Ms. B. Gets a bit indulgent and too…um… poetic and cerebral.
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