EP Review: Cassadee Pope’s ‘Summer’

Cassadee Pope is an artist who, it would seem, has the world in the palm of her hand these days. After a successful debut album that yielded a couple of major hits at Country Radio, the Florida native recently found herself atop the Billboard charts for the first time as a result of her hit duet with Chris Young, “Think Of You.”

As the old saying goes, you’ve got to strike while the iron is hot, so – even though Pope hasn’t quite completed her sophomore album, the songstress returns to the music-buying fold with a four-song EP that will hopefully satisfy her fans until it’s time to roll with new music.

Among the highlights here are the sparking and romantic title cut, which should serve as the soundtrack for many lovers over the next couple of months. She also scores on the radio-ready “Piano,” which serves as proof of just how much she has grown as a vocalist since her first album – and the bouncy-yet-dramatic flair of the track also help to make it memorable, as well.

“Alien” is also a very enjoyable cut, but perhaps the song that has the most potential to send Pope’s career flying up a few notches is the exequisite “Kisses At Airports.” A gem of a composition from start to finish, Pope sells the track with the right amount of passion to make this one a very possible breakout hit on the airwaves.

I will be the first to admit that – while I understand the economics of releasing EP’s, they are far from my favorite outlet for releasing new music, especially when the music is this good. I get the timing of this release, but I also think four cuts – of this magnitude – only whet the appetite, leaving the listener wanting more. Here’s hoping this set leads to a whole lot more!