“All The Things That Could Go Wrong” album review: Johnny Orlando at his finest hour

Courtesy of Spotify

Dajah Saul, Social Media Coordinator

Nineteen-year-old Canadian singer Johnny Orlando channels the true definition of pop within the release of his debut album, All The Things That Could Go Wrong.

As a relatively newer fan to his music, I enjoyed a few of his previous songs and was curious to see what a full musical body of work looked like from Orlando.Vaguely knowing Orlando from his early days on YouTube, I was interested in seeing where his career in music had taken him throughout the past couple of years.

While initially going back and forth in my mind about the variety of singles released beforehand, I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I love this album.

Skeptical about Orlando’s new music, I was shocked when I not only instantly loved every song on the album (even the singles), but I also have since been blasting this album at any and every convenience that I can. 

One of the best aspects, and personally my favorite, of All The Things That Could Go Wrong are the transitions between multiple songs of the album. The beautiful, seamless flow following song after song makes me appreciate this debut album even more than I anticipated.

So, without further ado, here’s my review of every song from Johnny Orlando’s debut album, All The Things That Could Go Wrong:

  • leave the light on – 7/10
    • Functioning as the fourth single, “leave the light on” is a nice, sentimental way to start the album, though I may have personally moved it further down in the album instead of at the beginning.
  • you’re just drunk – 10/10 
    • The first of Orlando’s singles, “you’re just drunk,” uses a dreamy atmosphere and clear-cut storytelling that instantly made this song my favorite of the singles.
  • till i met you – 9/10
    • Starting off as a slow ballad, this song and its transition into experimental pop was a joy to listen to.
  • goodbye4now (interlude) – 8/10
    • I always love a great interlude, and this album’s use of “bedroom pop” works well in transition to the song that follows.
  • someone will love you better – 7.5/10 
    • Although not an immediate favorite, this is a beautiful ballad about the art of letting go for something better.
  • fun out of it – 10/10 
    • The last of the singles, this song paints the perfect scenario of a secret relationship and is the only song on the album with a feature. This is easily my favorite song and one of the best transitions on the album.
  • so it begins (interlude) – 9/10
    • I honestly believed that this song was just an outro to “fun out of it,” so for that reason alone, I think it’s a great song.
  • terrible person – 10/10
    • This is the best song on the album to scream your heart and lungs out to in any scenario imaginable. 
  • blur – 8/10 
    • This is another single that I had no true opinion on until the album, but Orlando’s perfection of pop music continues smoothly with this song, to which I can now understand why it was a single.
  • everything i hate about you – 7/10
    • This song has meaningful lyrics, and while it is not one of my go-to songs to listen back to, it’s still enjoyable nonetheless.
  • coping (1621) – 7.5/10
    • This is a beautiful song dealing with themes of family and romantic trauma in one’s life. It is not my absolute favorite, but it is a well-executed theme.
  • all the things that could go wrong – 8/10   
    • As the original ending of the album, this song is a beautiful wrap-up pertaining to the experiences of a healthy, new relationship.

Orlando has also recently released a deluxe version of the album, containing three new songs that mesh perfectly with the songs already presented. Excited for even more new music from Orlando, I’ve placed my ratings and reviews of the deluxe songs as well:

  • if he wanted to he would – 8.5/10
    • This song speaks truth to my soul that hits a bit too close to home, and it delivers with great melodies and a strong beat.
  • trust her more – 10/10
    • A tale of mistrust and miscommunication, this deluxe track is a gem that I wished would have been on the original setlist of the album.
  • hollywood sign – 8/10 
    • This song fits a darker theme of the album within its sound and lyrics of a life of fame, and I overall enjoyed this additional ending to the album.

Orlando perfectly encapsulates the joys and sorrows of a relationship through this incredible debut album. All The Things That Could Go Wrong solidifies itself as one of my favorite albums of the year. With recently discovering Orlando to also be one of my top artists for Spotify Wrapped this year, it is no wonder that I consistently blast this album at any opportunity. 

With Orlando using the power of social media for well-distributed marketing tactics, his debut album All The Things That Could Go Wrong displays a strong sense of love, heartbreak, and the art of moving on through a Gen-Z perspective.

 

“All the Things that Could Go Wrong” is now available for streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.

Illustration by Ariel Landry