Cyrus’ “Bangerz” is fairly awkward but vocally sound
October 15, 2013
2013 is a big year for the 20-year-old Miley Cyrus, whose drastic change in appearance and frivolous behavior has astonished fans all over the U.S.
Truly, Cyrus wants to make a point to her audience that she is no longer the beloved, innocent girl portrayed by Disney.
Her song “We Can’t Stop” was a complete turn-around from her earlier styles but was a comfortable transition into the hip-hop/pop territory that began with the release of her album “Can’t Be Tamed.”
The lyrics to the song contain drug references and curse words, which of course was unfathomable to many fans.
The video to the song made audiences even more wide-eyed at the adventurous Cyrus. Parties, inappropriate dancing and drugs? We’ve never seen that before.
As if “We Can’t Stop” wasn’t enough proof for audiences that Cyrus wants them to know she’s growing up, she strips naked and takes a joyride on a wrecking ball in her appropriately named song “Wrecking Ball.”
To top it all off was her VMA performance. That one’s pretty self-explanatory.
About a month after that legendary act, Cyrus releases her fourth studio album and titles it “Bangerz.” To sum it up in one sentence: “Bangerz” is a fairly awkward album, but it effectively conveys Cyrus’ talents, vocally and lyrically, and also introduces audiences to Cyrus’ new style.
“Adore You”
Boom. A soft, electronic, and emotionally-stirring introductory track makes up “Adore You.”
The majority of the album seems to center around the confessions of a young woman in love, and this song gives listeners a taste of what it’s like to be in Cyrus’ head when she’s fallen for someone.
A very relatable and touching song, “Adore You” is undoubtedly a crowd-pleaser. Cyrus’ long wails and touching lyrics wrap themselves around the heads of the audience, and may even produce a tear. Rating: 5/5.
“We Can’t Stop”
The first single of the album, “We Can’t Stop” is a typical pop party song with some R&B hidden in the melodies.
This song is essentially an anthem to having fun and being crazy, and it has both good moments and relapses; with a catchy, strong chorus but rather weak verses.
The song’s strong point is definitely its ability to be stuck in the head of any listener and it provides closure to those who constantly party and make bad decisions. Rating: 3.5/5.
“SMS (Bangerz)”
Here audiences are first introduced to Cyrus’ rapping. The line between good and bad rapping is very blurry in this song, making it difficult to discern if the song is worth the listening.
Britney Spears makes an appearance, but it’s a short one. Lyrically and melodically, the song has little backbone and is easily lost in the listener’s memory; having a short prominence because of its occasional catchiness. Rating: 2/5.
“4×4”
“4×4” is a fun, upbeat song that is a little reminiscent of KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” with some hip hop undertones. Rating: 3/5.
“My Darling”
The song’s strong point is its verses, but the chorus is very weak and Future’s heavily auto-tuned backups are unneeded and distracting. Rating: 2/5.
“Wrecking Ball”
“Wrecking Ball” is the second single released in preparation for Cyrus’ new album. It sits comfortably on the list of contemporary top-40 hits for its electronic and dance vibes, despite its rather vulnerable lyrics.
Obviously a break-up song, the lyrics are similar to something written by other popular artists who go through break ups left and right (cough cough Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato cough cough). It’s catchy, I’ll give Cyrus that. Rating: 4/5.
“Love Money Party”
“Money ain’t nothing but money when you get to the money it ain’t nothing but money,” says Cyrus in this awfully redundant song.
Big Sean’s part in the song is a nice addition; honestly, without it the song would have been thrown out of options for inclusion in the album. Rating: 3/5.
“#GETITRIGHT”
Cyrus gets it right in this song with sensual, risqué lyrics and her frivolous vocal leaps and bounds. Pop has always been Cyrus’ strength and her trial of R&B doesn’t displease. Seriously, why the hashtag, though? Rating: 4.5/5.
“Drive”
A softer side of Cyrus shows through in “Drive.” A reflection of “Adore You” with the angry, tormented love feelings of “Wrecking Ball” amalgamate in the song, and it’s a nice mix, but easily forgettable. Rating: 3/5.
“FU”
“FU” is a very forward song with a lot of soul. The message is clear in the lyrics and the title, but the level of sass in the song is astounding that it’s almost impossible not to appreciate it.
Cyrus does a lot of belting, but pulls it off well and sounds great with the dubstep lining the melodies. A very well put-together song. Rating: 5/5.
“Do My Thang”
Songs about being yourself and ignoring what everyone else says are very popular and are found on the radio all the time. Here is Cyrus’ contribution to that. The chorus is full of belts; the verses shaky. Rating: 3/5.
“Maybe You’re Right”
“Maybe You’re Right” is an emotional song with a twinge of indignance. Slap it onto the list of heartfelt songs and be done with it. The chorus rings in the ears of the listener and makes up the strongest part of the song. Rating: 3/5.
“Someone Else”
The song “Someone Else,” as the last song of the album, acts as a conclusion and summarizes the record by combining slow and upbeat melodies. The passion behind the vocals flows deep and the harmonies are excellent. Rating: 4/5.
In total, the ratings add up to 45/65, or about 69 percent. Cyrus’ album safely lies in the D to C range of grading, indicating that the album may spark a generally positive response from audiences while it’ll also experience mass negativity that, more than likely, highlights Cyrus’ experimental pop work.
While it is popular to dislike Miley Cyrus, considering what she’s been doing the past year, she’s stuck in the minds of many people throughout the U.S, whether it’s negatively or positively.
The world has not seen the last of her, and “Bangerz,” with its relative success, is only the beginning.