Miley Cyrus is one of the most talked-about artists right now; she has manipulated the world into giving her the fame she wants; she has finally broken away from that plaguing Disney image. Everyone has their own opinions on Miley Cyrus’ current rise to stardom, but what cannot be disputed is the intensity, velocity and variety in her newly released album, “Bangerz.” She offers a wide scale of tempos, but manages a fluidity in her transitions of which most artists could never dream.
The album opens with “Adore You,” a slower song with some truly painful lyrics. “You and me were meant to be / In Holy matrimony / God knew exactly what he was doing / When he lead me to you” is indicative of the pain Cyrus has gone through in recent relationships, reminiscent of the already released single “Wrecking Ball,” which shows up later in the album. Despite her current image of spontaneity, gaiety and sexual freedom, these songs provide a small window into the soul of someone who is truly hurting.
“We Can’t Stop,” from the infamous twerking video, follows right after the ballad, bringing the album to a more upbeat place. One of the most enjoyable songs is “4×4,” featuring Nelly. Cyrus’ style of singing on this track actually speaks slightly to “Hoedown Throwdown” from her Hannah Montana days, but the subjects are clearly vastly different as she sings “I’m a female rebel, can’t you tell?” rather than a very intricately described line dance.
Another college-worthy dance song can be found in “Love Money Party.” Though this song is less of Cyrus singing and more of a lyrical rap, it surprisingly works well and coincides with the new image she is presenting to the world. The song obviously focuses on the material aspects of life, but a deeper meaning is revealed. Cyrus points out that “money ain’t nothing but money,” but in the moment, it can seem to be everything. She does keep some of her well-known vocal parts throughout the album, as in “Wrecking Ball”, but she has also segued into a more edgy pop vibe. These are songs you aren’t afraid of blasting in your car because they do not sound like Hannah Montana and her tendency towards vapid lyrics (Did you really have the best of both worlds? I think not.)
Cyrus has brought forth some previously untapped talent—this is no longer a vanilla wafer country album, but a conglomerate of all her best and most varied works. This album stands out starkly against everything else she has previously released. Even the more wild “Can’t Be Tamed” album cannot hold a flame to the fire that is “Bangerz.” The difference in her music tastes evident in this album are not bad transitions—her tunes are still catchy and have actually become more meaningful.
A lot of the criticism Cyrus has been receiving for this album comes from the perceptions people have of her—many forget than she is a 20 year old woman who has grown up in the Hollywood scene, where drugs, alcohol and a need for attention are prevalent. The musical improvement is good, but more importantly, Cyrus is discovering her independence and in choosing to include more serious lyrics, gives new dimensionality to the album. These evolutions are often common among a girl of her years; she should stop being shamed for this self-intuition and self-discovery.
“Bangerz” is a musically prodigious album that will be greatly enjoyed by a lot of people and looked down upon by just as many. After such a dynamically interesting album, it will be exciting to see what she comes out with next. In the meantime, we can wonder why it took so long for her music to get this fantastic.
