The a cappella quintet's first full-length set of original songs in six years, 2021's
The Lucky Ones arrives chronologically after the covers album
Top Pop, Vol. 1 and a pair of Christmas LPs. Released just three months earlier,
We Need a Little Christmas did include one self-penned track, "Thank You." Eleven more follow here, all featuring reflective, autobiographical lyrics about things like breaking free from a stifling suburban upbringing ("The Lucky Ones"), gratitude ("Be My Eyes"), isolation ("Side"), and romantic love (the sensual "Coffee in Bed"). An earnest release with less of the playful camp the group are partly known for, it was
Pentatonix's first album since 2014's PTX to debut outside of the U.S. Top 30. ~ Marcy Donelson