Fair warning, friends. This is a highly indulgent post. I think the last album review I did was for Nickelback's "
Here and Now" album in 2011. Hmmm, I seem to have a thing for reviewing music that the majority of people view as "uncool". That's ok, I'm secure enough with myself to confess to buying this album.
Back to my warning-
if you don't want to read a highly liberal review of a controversial album written by an equally liberal person,
I'd suggest closing this post out. That's ok, you can come back tomorrow for the usual foodie posts :)
Let me begin by saying, I'm a
fan of the album. Yep, sure am. Let's face it people, this girl started in the business as a
child. What's the one thing you can count on children to do?
Grow up. No, Miley is not the same person she was when she was 8. She is 20. Sometimes I think people grow up, become adults, and then they come down with amnesia when it comes to their childhoods. I think most 20-year old's are preoccupied with the opposite sex, booze, and partying (or was that just the 22,000+ young adults that went to the University of Oregon?). This album could have been made by
me when I was 20 (you know, if I could sing or write music!). Now hold on, let me explain.
I thought I knew everything when I was 20. I'd been in college a couple of years, gathered an impressive amount of knowledge, and basically thought I was a genius. I really thought I would want to party, drink, and never grow up for my
entire life. I was right, everyone else was either wrong, or lame, or both. I thought I knew what I wanted, what I liked, and that I would never change my mind about anything. Does this mindset just come with the territory of being 20? Anyways, this is the place that Miley is now, you can tell. A place I can identify with, a place I've been. I'm not there anymore, but c'est la vie.
This is clearly a break-up album. No if's, and's, or but's about it. I can see why Miley and her man had to announce their breakup prior to this release, because the album says it all. I love it. It's got a crazy hip-hop theme, but you can still find some straight-up pop on there, like "
#GETITRIGHT". The album's also angry and real. For all the controversy and stunts she's pulled, the girl can sing. Yes, I watched the VMA's. Yes, I heard her. It wasn't her best performance. She sang live on "
SNL" and the "
Today Show" since then however, and she's sounded strong. Listen to "
FU" or "
Wrecking Ball" and tell me she's not talented. "
4x4" was immediately added to my running playlist. It's probably my absolute favorite song on the album. The song features Nelly, and if you were to buy any songs from the album, that's the one I would pick. There's a ton of other catchy collaborations from other artists as well, such as will.I.am, Future, and French Montana.
One more thing... Miley raps. If you aren't a fan of Ke$ha, you aren't going to be fond of Miley's MC skills. I happen to like Ke$ha, and personally, I gotta give any white girl who wants to rap some credit for their bravery. The bottom line? This is pop music, people, and it grows and evolves into something more outrageous every. single. day. And just when you think you've seen it all, some whippersnapper is going to come along and make everyone say "Miley WHO?". That's just the way it is. In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy this very entertaining and catchy album.
Best Downloads: "
4x4" ft Nelly, "
Wrecking Ball", "
We Can't Stop", "
FU", and "
Maybe You're Right".
Skip: After listening to this album
extensively, I wouldn't skip any songs. Buy the entire album (the deluxe version!). It's worth it. Some critics say the album just sounds like noise. I completely disagree, the album is
fun and very listen-able.
