While “Brave” is melodically similar to Bareilles’ older songs, it confronts a far more serious topic: It’s inspired by the coming out of Bareilles’ gay friend’s. co-wrote “Brave,” the album’s first single. In addition to reinventing her overall style, Bareilles has sought the help of others in the production of The Blessed Unrest to maximize her potential as an artist. Namely, Bareilles’ comparison of her heartbeat to a symphony amid an old city stuck between the dead and the living is particularly thought-provoking. A spiritually empowering track, “Chasing the Sun”arguably features the most beautifully written lyrics of the album. New York City’s profound effect on Bareilles is also obvious in “Chasing the Sun,” which is set in a cemetery in Queens. Underscoring Bareilles’ range and maturity as an artist, the song’s dazzling lyrics parallel the personal changes in her life. Stylistically, the track is unlike anything we’ve ever heard from Bareilles and is far more reminiscent of Norah Jones. The track that best conveys this artistic transformation is “Manhattan,” a ballad that tells the story of a long-distance romance that ends in heartbreak. Nevertheless, Bareilles’ lyrical brilliance continues to shines through. Lightheartedness has been replaced with an equally addictive melancholy. Whereas her overwhelmingly successful singles “Love Song” and “King of Anything” audaciously criticize her past lovers, the ballads of The Blessed Unrest convey far more serious romantic scars. In her fourth album, Bareilles has abandoned her usual pop formula of upbeat rhythms and empowering, sassy lyrics. The Blessed Unrest presents fans with an entirely different side of Bareilles. It seems that the magnetic, bustling streets of Manhattan did just the trick.

When California native Sara Bareilles moved to New York City this past year, she was seeking inspiration that would help her avoid musical monotony.

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