In equal measures, Meghan Trainor's debut smash "All About That Bass" became a perennial anthem for the big-sized belles of the world, but also a lightning rod for controversy that ranged from shaming smaller body types, as well as reverse-feminism, and cultural appropriation issues regarding her oddly black singing voice. The song was never-the-less the biggest booty-centric hit of 2014, but it didn't come without repercussions. Besides the dividing opinions about the single itself, Meghan Trainor now had to prove that her Shangri Las-meets-Nicki Minaj approach could sustain a career beyond that single and one or two more clones of it. The follow-up "Lips Are Movin" was another top five hit, but in all honesty, the similarities between that song and "Bass" are innumerable. Hell, the simple fact that "Lips" mentions "Bass" in its lyrics begs the question if Trainor may be a one-hit wonder in essence, always retreating back to the sound and look of the hit that brought her super-stardom. Since "Bass" and "Lips" are placed on opposite ends of Trainor's debut full-length "Title", the only way to know if she is capable of success in the long-term is by examining the body of the record in between them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the critics against Trainor will be pleased to know that yes, "Title" really is a collection of "All About That Bass" plus ten sequels of it. Every song here, while not exact replicas of that first single, are all painted off the same palette: doo-whops a plenty, girl-group harmonies dictate the chord progressions, white-girl raps between the catchy choruses, all augmented by bari sax riffs and jazzy percussion. The Anti-Trainor camp was also correct in pointing out the glaring hypocrisy in her thematic material, because while one moment she's telling her "Future Husband" to give her independence like a modern day woman, she doesn't hesitate to give him a laundry list of duties that would force her dependence on him the moment after. Big-skinned women can take comfort in self-image songs like "All About That Bass" and "Close Your Eyes", but those thinner individuals may not be able to feel quite as right knowing that Trainor called them 'skinny bitches' in the same breath. Whatever the debate (individual-vs-society, retro-vs-modern, dependence-vs-independence) Trainor has something quick-witted to say about both sides. Too bad no one told her that she can't play for both teams on the same record, let alone the same song (or, as already mentioned, the same damn line). Because the music is so cheerful and the hooks are rather intoxicating, there's definitely an urge to want to like "Title", and on a purely superficial level it does its job exquisitely. But that's not what Meghan Trainor built really intended: she wants to be seen as cream of the crop; top of the pack of contemporary pop pack that aims to expand the ideal of beauty and the modern-day singer/songwriter. Had she picked one side of the fence and stuck with it, "Title" would be a successful piece of pop craft. Since she didn't, however, the internal tug-of-war when listening to the bulk of this album will become unbearable to some, and others will simply find a way to ignore their better judgment and just enjoy the music. Long story short, whatever pre-conceived notions you have about "Title" based upon Trainor's first two singles: you're right.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. The Best
Part 2. All About That Bass 3.
Dear Future Husband
4. Close Your
Eyes 5. 3am 6. Like I’m Gonna Lose You
7. Bang Dem
Sticks 8. Walkashame 9. Title
10. What If I 11. Lips Are
Movin’
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