The Singles Jukebox

Lukewarm for the summer…

[Video][Website]
[5.10]

Iain Mew: It’s time for more mind-body duality! Demi Lovato goes for the more traditional roles in the conflict than Ellie Goulding, in so far as she includes any conflict at all — this is three minutes of her body saying “let’s go” but at a careful distance backed up only by one line about her mind saying maybe not. It doesn’t help that the sound is like a coyer version of “Cool for the Summer” too.
[5]

Katie Gill: Just how long CAN Demi stretch out her “Cool for the Summer” image? At least one mediocre, aggressively sexy summer single more.
[5]

Anthony Easton: This is made sexier by the coolness of the vocal delivery, and the gorgeous scattering beats. It sounds current, like exactly what pop should sound like in 2016, expect maybe a minute too long. 
[7]

Katherine St Asaph: Doesn’t it suck when your mean ol’ brain gets in the way of your libido? Sucks for music, anyway, because this holds back everything “Cool for the Summer” didn’t.
[4]

Alfred Soto: As “Cool for the Summer” looks like an anomaly, it’s becoming easier to yawn through another bout of simulated passion. Part of the problem is Lovato’s reluctance to commit: when she sings, “I want your sex” she could be ordering the valet to bring her Benz around.
[3]

Juana Giaimo: As Demi Lovato releases more singles, I’m afraid that “Cool for the Summer” may have been an exception.”Body Say” aims to be a follow up of it, but also a follow up of Selena Gomez’s “Good for You,” which was also co-produced and co-written by Sir Nolan. “Cool for the Summer” was all about a playful sexy secret, but in “Body Say” the secrecy is left aside to show herself completely surrendered. While Selena Gomez completely embraced that surrender to the point in which she was accused of objectifying herself, Demi Lovato simply can’t give in so passively. While I enjoy that she is trying new material, she has erased her passionate signature and filled the void with quiet vocals that sound perfectly controlled, slightly sensual and far from being emotional or challenging in any way. 
[6]

Ryo Miyauchi: A year ago, Demi wanted to reveal her entire hand right away. Now she wants us to slowly peel the layers. She loses some instant recognition by holding back from kicking it overdrive, but this game of restraint is a give and take. Though it might lack color and immediacy, she offers much more space to let the song grow. After a quick peak and burn out of Confident, this might be worth exploring.
[6]

Will Rivitz: It’s a half-baked “Into You,” but since the latter is one of the best songs of the year this gets marked up a touch for good source material.
[5]

Cassy Gress: What is the word “dreamland” doing in this song about craving steamy sex? “Dreamland” is a word for Lullaby Renditions of 90s Adult Contemporary Hits, Vol. 3, now available to own on cassette and CD, not for this throb of a Zayn response.
[5]

Brad Shoup: Lovato takes a voice vote; caution wins. It wins in a landslide: the intro speaks of Fifth Harmony’s “Work” but it’s quickly muffled. The bass pins the keyboard sheets to the ground. Lovato’s harmonies are a gimmick: barely registered, and still too distracting from the conflict she needs room to sell.
[5]