Demi Lovato-"Confident" Review

Demi Lovato reached new peaks in and beyond 2013, releasing her most successful album "Demi", forming her own record label, becoming a near-predominant presence on radio (no less than four singles from "Demi"her hit the top 40 in the time following its release), and still finding time to foster a relationship, maintaining her advocacy for anti-Bullying and even writing a self-help book for her loyal fans. Surely all of this success has emboldened Demi, and never the one to be subtle, she steps into her fifth album "Confident" with as much swagger and chutzpah as she's entitled to. Max Martin provides the horn-fueled fanfare to the opening title track, where Lovato belts "You had me underrated/What's wrong with being confident?" Clearly, she's fully intent on making a big and bold statement here, which is somewhat validated by lead single "Cool for the Summer", another Martin-helmed banger dedicated to sexual experimentation. The blunt honesty that front-loads "Confident" is invigorating for a while, since it was sadly missing on the more polite "Demi", but the inevitable slow jam stops the action dead in its tracks around the time Iggy Azalea drops a phoned-in verse on "Kingdom Come", and Sirah shoehorns her way into "Waitin for You" but strangely disappears as fast as she came. Even more of a problem is that "Confident" never recovers after the middle of the record incapacitates it, making it a somewhat bewildering experience to listen through. Lovato 's sound has sufficiently severed all ties with her teen-pop past, she's already proven that she possesses a strong set of pipes and vocal range, so it's truly bizarre as to why she doesn't utilize either of these strengths to the fullest extent on "Confident". Even though she wails and shouts through more than half the record, it's unclear as to what she's so impassioned about. The volume of her voice doesn't give her words more power, and unfortunately neither does the production, which is pretty settled in the adult-contemporary lull of smooth melodies and gospel choir affections. Of course there are a couple moments when the subdued production finds a hook and accentuates it, both "For You" and "Lionheart" present a perfect blend of vocal prowess, understated beats, and catchy lyrics. Most of the time though, "Confident" is demure, very much unlike the one-two sucker punch of its starting tracks. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with modesty, but Demi has already given us gems like "Skyscraper" and "Give Your Heart a Break", both of which played to the pop sound but were undoubtedly vehicles for showcasing her talents as an artist and singer. It certainly takes talent to keep eleven songs so focused and cohesive, but considering that most of that material is designed to be agreeable, not profoundly innovative or challenging, "Confident" can't really attest to what Demi is truly capable of. Her humanity shone bright on "Demi", but here it's almost as if it's a nuisance rather than a source for inspiration. It all adds up to an interesting listen--an album that shows promise yet falters where it should've succeeded the most.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Confident             2. Cool for the Summer 3. Old Ways
4. For You                 5. Stone Cold                         6. Kingdom Come
7. Waitin’ for You      8. Wildfire                              9. Lionheart
10. Yes                        11. Father

Selena Gomez-"Revival" Review

After she released one of 2013's best dance-pop albums, "Stars Dance", the road got a little bumpy for Selena Gomez. Or, should we say very bumpy: a stint in rehab after a Lupus diagnosis, tabloid drama over her relationship with Justin Bieber, a few hit-or-miss singles ("I Want You to Know" didn't really live up to expectations, but the R&B-tinged "Good for You" surprisingly turned out to be a big hit for Gomez), all the while balancing her acting career, new management, and a new label. Certainly, Selena Gomez has earned a fresh start (perhaps a vacation as well?), and maybe she's even entitled to name her fifth album "Revival", a choice that carries with it the notion of a new direction, either sonically or lyrically. If you could recall ten years ago when Jennifer Lopez made the same statement by naming her fifth album "Rebirth", it brings a parallel motion into focus: if "Stars Dance" was Gomez's attempt to be "Rihanna", then "Revival" is no doubt her JLO record. The songs, while fashionable and distinctive in their own right, don't aim far beyond middle of the road. The production always hints at creativity and spark, but often submits to the gloss and genericism of modern dance-pop. But unlike JLO, who sounded like she sorta-kinda cared about steering herself towards more unfamiliar territory in "Rebirth", Selena Gomez doesn't muster up the energy to sound half as invested. Since "Revival" is so stubbornly subdued and mannered, any intricacies in the production go by largely unnoticed, while Gomez's vocal performance is mostly ignored in order to emphasize the low hum of the beats beneath patchwork quilts of synths and percussion.

Predictably, "Good for You" is the only track here that strikes the balance between sultry vocals with sexy and subtle production. "Survivors" comes in a close second, benefitting from house and club influences, only without the strong hooks it deserves. "Revival" thankfully only dips below average once as well, on the clumsy and neck-cringing "Hands to Myself", where Max Martin delivers his worst dud since the early days of the teen-pop revival in the 90s. So, Gomez can be proud that she has achieved her most consistent album, but even still, the number of times "Revival" tries to flirt with rebirth ("Rise"), sex ("Good for You"), or relationships ("Camouflage"), is the exact amount of times it fails to cover enough musical ground or lyrical depth in any of those areas ("Revival", "Hands to Myself", and "Sober", respectively). Especially when odd-ball tracks like "Same Old Love" and "Me & The Rhythm" pop in, feeling so slightly out of place, there's no sense of coherency here. Despite the promotion of this record as a personal product of self-love and introspection, "Revival" relies most heavily on its production and style; not necessarily a problem for just any ol' pop record, but on a supposed statement of purpose like this, it's a big issue. Gomez has more writing credits--she even oversaw the album's overall production and direction as well--but she doesn't prove that she consciously knows how to create her own persona outside of Taylor Swift's girl squad or the Radio-Disney tween scene. Even if it's more mature and not as garish as some of her previous work, "Revival" is ultimately weighed down by not letting Gomez be the fun, dynamic character that she so auspiciously wants to be.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Revival                    2. Kill ‘Em With Kindness     3. Hands to Myself

4. Same Old Love      5. Sober                                     6. Good for You

7. Camouflage         8. Me & The Rhythm        9. Survivors

10. Body Heat             11. Rise

Lana Del Rey-"Honeymoon" Review

What's the rush, Lana? "Ultraviolence", LDR's second album and first number one, was a giant leap forward in the star's ouevre of sultry and sedated torch-rock. Wonderfully tattered vocals from Del Rey, mixed with equally gritty production from Dan Auerbach, all blended seamlessly in a record that generated more acclaim than sales. Sure, "Ultraviolence" still went Gold, but its life-span on the charts didn't quite match up to the promise of its two-year gestation period. Maybe LDR wanted to release albums quicker than that, but didn't have the necessary inspiration. Cynics might suggest that releasing "Honeymoon", Del Rey's third album, so quickly after an underwhelming attempt at crossover success would imply that she's running back to comfortable territory after a stumble with the less familiar. Don't be fooled by either scenario: "Ultraviolence" wasn't an artistic failure by any stretch; even if it didn't match the sales of "Born to Die", it was still an accomplished triumph for an artist initially pegged as a fleeting phenomenon.

While "Ultraviolence" showed signs of longevity, though, "Honeymoon" by comparison can't help but feel like a step backward in some regard. Lana Del Rey continues to strip away the excess from her work, this time favoring smooth orchestral ballads rather than trip-hop or psychedlic pop. Her vocals are clean, the synths soft and muted, the production mastered to sound as if this album were recorded straight onto vinyl. All this "authenticity" results in a very warm album; the songs are all beautiful and lush, but...that's about it. "Honeymoon", despite its ludicrously long running time (65 minutes, really?), doesn't actually make many statements; artistically, politically, socially, musically...there's just not much substance here. Lead single "High by the Beach", with its modern mix of hip-hop and soft rock, would have made a deeper impression had LDR not already made an entire album and bonus EP with the exact same formula. Likewise, "Terrence Loves You" sounds like "Old Money" with more piano and a saxophone loop. It all sounds good to the ear, but at the same time reeks of self-indulgence. Had LDR not been so pointedly lethargic and stoic, perhaps she could have made "Honeymoon" the sprawling anthology it so clearly wants to be. It's too stuck in its ways for it to be a true, comprehensive work, and instead is a collection of songs that add up to less than the sum of its parts. It's a pleasant collection of songs, yes, and it doesn't tarnish Del Rey's ever-growing legacy in alt-rock, but it doesn't really enhance it, either. There was a bold provocateur that "Ultraviolence" brought to fruition, and once the "Honeymoon" ends, LDR might be better off embracing that willing-to-take-risks part of herself, rather than settling on the safe and well-beaten path that she's slowly sinking into.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Honeymoon                    2. Music to Watch Boys To               3. Terrence Loves You

4. God Knows I Tried           5. High By The Beach                   6. Freak

7. Art Deco                           8. Burnt Norton                                  9. Religion

10. Salvatore                     11. The Blackest Day                         12. 24

13. Swan Song                   14. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

Carly Rae Jepsen-"E-mo-tion" Review

Nothing could've prepared Carly Rae Jepsen for "Call Me Maybe". It was hard for anyone to imagine how such a light and frivolous song could sell over 15 million copies and completely engross the globe within a few months. The problem with that level of success is that its not only impossible to follow, but it completely overshadows the person who made the record so appealing in the first place. Jepsen tried to continue her sudden success, first with the excellent "Good Time" and then the pretty good "This Kiss", but it was readily apparent that no one was really interested in Carly Rae, the artist. The mainstream audience was ready to toss her aside the second that "Call Me Maybe" was squeezed dry of airplay. By the time her sophomore album "Kiss" entered stores, it was too late to dissuade the legions of critics who thought of her as an anonymous, annoying pop-tart. Reviews were mixed (some downright cruel), sales were poor, and Jepsen's big hit departed the pop charts, leaving no successful singles in its wake. The fact that Carly Rae Jepsen made it to album number three is a feat in and of itself. It was lead by the great (though reductive) single"I Really Like You", and its two-year gestation period--as opposed to the two months that Jepsen was given to complete "Kiss"-- certainly signals a carefully thought-out career move. Since her last album set such low expectations, it was crucial to appeal to the critics this time out, to show that Carly Rae Jepsen is a true pop artist capable of making a solid front-to-back album. That, and not replicating "Call Me Maybe"'s success, is the principal goal of "Emotion".

So, it's no surprise to hear that much of "Emotion" is fun only in the critical sense: technically proficient but utterly devoid of true joy. Jepsen isn't really covering any new ground here; she still sings solely about relationships, her voice still sounds like a 16-year old girl, and any wisdom that she could offer through words is at odds with the cheesy 80s fetishism in the music. Songs like "All That" and "Let's Get Lost" don't sound like synthpop throwbacks, they sound outdated; quite frankly, they're indistinguishable from the all the other 80s rip-offs that have plagued the 21st century. Unfortunately, these aren't the only songs that adhere too closely to MTV: "Gimmie Love"'s staccato beats undo its dance leanings, "Boy Problems" is more irritating than anything Jepsen or other synthpop artists have released to this point, and "When I Needed You" tries desperately to be a triumphant closer but is too clanging and cluttered for a proper send-off. "Emotion" flirts with modernity--explicitly so in "LA Hallucinations"--but its clear that unless Jepsen is surrounded by neon clothes and disco balls, she can't make a great pop song without over-calculating every element so it pleases the critics. Even if "Emotion" is more consistent than "Kiss", it winds up being a clinical exercise in synthpop, rather than the knock-out pop record that it thinks it is. Early reviews of this record in June showered it with acclaim, but it's important to note that "Emotion" is easy to overpraise considering that no one bothered listening to "Kiss" all the way through, ignoring pop gems like "Turn Me Up" and "Sweetie". "Call Me Maybe" had such potency, that it was impossible to give Jepsen any credit for her other work. As good as the idea of "Emotion" reads on paper, the actual result isn't better or worse than the overall impression that "Kiss" made. 

What makes this record good, then, is the handful of songs that strike a balance between the past and the present. The best cut here is, of course, "Run Away With Me", the first song on the album. It splashes in with an infectious saxophone loop and gets even more fun the more you play it. "Making The Most of the Night" is inspirational, while the title track nods to HAIM's 2013 debut. The low synth wobble of "Warm Blood" is definitely appreciated, and "Your Type" is pop that benefits from its simplicity. Those songs highlight the album proper, but the biggest injustice "Emotion" makes is saving all its best material for the deluxe edition. All five of these songs are thrilling listens: "Black Heart" is sparse and upbeat, "I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance" is pure house, "Favourite Colour" goes back to Mariah Carey in her prime, "Never Get To Hold You" glides on a nocturnal pulse, and "Love Again" is the synthpop blitz that the rest of "Emotion" wanted to do but never actually achieved. It's the better deal, to be sure, because it hints at what really could have been the best pop album of the year. But without those tracks, this record really doesn't meet the initial goals set by Jepsen and her handlers. Maybe "Emotion" will get better critic reviews, and maybe it will convert some non-believers, but like last time, Carly Rae has got to get out of the 80s if she wants to make the masterpiece that the mainstream needs. More songs like "Run Away With Me" and "Love Again" will surely do the trick.

Recommended Songs:
"Run Away With Me"
"I Really Like You"
"Making The Most of the Night"
"I Didn't Just Come Here to Dance"
"Love Again"

Marina and the Diamonds-"The Family Jewels" Review

As if we needed another UK indie-pop diva, Marina Diamandis, otherwise known as Marina and the Diamonds, joins the likes of Amy Winehouse and Florence Welch with her operatic and neo-Baroque debut "The Family Jewels". Though unlike most of her peers who do everything possible to aggrandize themselves as dramatic soul/torch singers, Marina comes across as something more attainable. While she's every bit as ornately artistic as Florence or Kate Nash, her sound is settled in the bouncy new-wave/pop that would've fit well on the radio circa 1982. Thankfully, Marina is sensible enough to update these  slightly cliched production techniques with layered string arrangements, deep synths, even some Worldbeat rhythms and harmonies, setting "The Family Jewels" somewhere on the spectrum between Lily Allen and Sara Bareilles. Marina's voice is versatile and powerful enough to carry dauntingly big hooks, while her words are delivered with the backhanded niceness that prevents this record from taking itself too seriously. This doesn't always work to her benefit, especially when the songs get too demure and don't elicit any strong response one way or the other. However, this sense of self-awareness is something that mainstream pop desperately needed in 2010. It's terribly refreshing to see Marina so earnest in her craft, even when she stumbles. There's certainly a lot that's interesting about "The Family Jewels", whether it be the squeaky synth in "Girls" or Arabian flourishes in "Hermit the Frog", but there are several moments where the album feels like it could have used more of this imagination in the melodic hooks, which are often too on the nose of irony. Other than that, there's really nothing here that feels contained to any certain style or genre, nor is there any pretense that the ambitious production is a result of anything more than the ambition of a classically trained and eager to experiment artist. As far as debut albums go, there are definitely worse ways "The Family Jewels" could have gone, so it's important to point out that this record succeeds more than it fails. Still, there's definite room for improvement once Marina and the Diamonds has had enough exposure and continues to expand and refine her music. All in all, this isn't a bad start, and is likely to only grow in stature come the next few years.

Recommended Tracks in Bold
1. Are You Satisfied?         2. Shampain                           3. I Am Not A Robot

4. Girls                                      5. Mowgli’s Road                   6. Obsessions

7. Hollywood                       8. The Outsider                      9. Guilty

10. Hermit The Frog              11. Oh No!                             12. Seventeen

13. Numb                               14. The Family Jewels

Kacey Musgraves-"Pageant Material" Review

Maybe on some other planet, Kacey Musgraves' 2013 debut "Same Trailer Different Park", a stellar synthesis of neo-traditional country and mid-tempo bluegrass, would've made her Country's breakout star. It didn't even come close--despite winning a Grammy and going Gold, the album surely didn't place her on equal footing with Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, and Miranda Lambert. However, this lack of hits or less than enthusiastic response at Country radio was definitely not at the fault of Musgraves herself, since her music was humorous, confident, and gripping. Even if the Country marketplace didn't want to embrace a more progressive social view while trading in bro-country for neo-traditionalist styles, there's no merit in dismissing her great talents as a songwriter and artist. Proving her musical prowess is her equally entertaining sophomore record, "Pageant Material". It's not too far removed from Musgraves' debut, but it succeeds in ways that "Same Trailer" faltered. The tempo is still set for walking, but this time there are luscious strings and more vocal harmonies to accentuate the instantly memorable melodies. Themes stay grounded in acceptance, love, and small-town squabbles, but they're continually expounded on through anecdotes about Musgraves' own childhood experiences. There's a certain intimacy in "Pageant Material" that "Same Trailer" lacked, regardless of the fact that no character in these songs are mentioned by a specific name or trait. Additionally, the irony that serves as the heart of Musgraves' words is layered with shrewd metaphors and blunt honesty, making for a much more engaging listen. Best of all, the album winds its way through 46 minutes of music with an ease so effortless, it's hard not to give it a few more spins. Satisfaction is instantaneous, and there's never a point on this record where the notes get dull or the words become corny. Every song provides something for everyone, not because "Pageant Material" is Musgraves selling out to the conformities of Country radio, but because of her careful construction of these songs and diligence in crafting universal anthems that sound good no matter how they are packaged. She kicks the sophomore slump in the ass and instead improves on virtually every aspect of her debut. Even if she never gains the monetary success of her peers, there's no denying that her albums provide richer and more substantial rewards.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. High Time                           2. Dime Store Cowgirl           3. Late to the Party

4. Pageant Material          5. This Town                           6. Biscuits

7. Somebody to Love             8. Miserable                        9. Die Fun

10. Family is Family         11. Good Ol’ Boys Club        12. Cup of Tea

13. Fine

Owl City-"Mobile Orchestra" Review

Since Owl City had already sold his genuine authenticity down the river, it didn't seem that he could scrape the bottom of the pop barrel any further. If it didn't follow "The Midsummer Station", the embarrassing realization of this sentiment, then "Mobile Orchestra" would be Owl City's worst album. Adding insult to injury is the "Ultraviolet" EP in 2014, which brought a brief moment of relief and suggested that Adam Young was trying to reconnect with the spirit of his earlier, and best, work. But since that is not the case with OC's first full-length in three years, "Mobile Orchestra" plays out like a botched attempt at a career rebirth after a tragic failure at finding pop crossover success. What's worse is that Adam Young continues to offer the same excuse for his pop ventures, stating that he makes music he believes he should make, rather than what others tell him to make. Not only is this argument transparent--"Good Time" featured Carly Rae Jepsen because Republic Records told him that it should--but it also implies that Young realized that "The Midsummer Station" was not only contrived, but it also sanded down his core star-making audience. "Ultraviolet" has already made this apparent with its mix of "old meets new", and in light of "Mobile Orchestra", that 2014 EP now appears to have been lip service to OC's original fan base. Now in 2015, he's back to making shallow and paint-by-numbers mainstream pop, drafting "Wake Me Up!" singer Aloe Blacc for first song/lead single "Verge", which seems to be designed as "Shooting Star" meets Blacc's own solo hit "The Man", while resurrecting 90s one-hit wonder Hanson for "Unbelievable", a flat-out terrible song, the worst that Owl City has ever recorded, which streamlines BuzzFeed's nostalgia craze into three minutes of stomach-lurching cliches. So derivative are these two songs, that it's excruciatingly baffling why anyone in Owl City's camp would continue to think that these pop hand-me-downs would work in the hands of an artist that can't convincingly sell these gimmicks. 

But even when "Mobile Orchestra" revisits classic OC territory, mainly the Christian-pop cuts "My Everything" and "You're Not Alone", it still doesn't work because these songs are also recycled and bland. The momentary detour into country music, the Jake Owen-assisted "Back Home", doesn't fail as a song but is also not a persuasive testament to Owl City's ability to pull off the production and style. The only time that "Mobile Orchestra" succeeds in any collaboration or genre is when lower-profile artists reside in the passenger seat (see the lone highlight "Thunderstruck", featuring Trance singer Sarah Russell) or when subtlety is favored over the obvious (such as the song "Bird With A Broken Wing", perhaps a more fitting title for this record). Partnering with big-budget singers and songwriters is not, nor has it ever been, an appealing outfit on Owl City because when under the thumb and control of others, his imagination is stifled, which makes his on-record presence weak and hollow. And that's the most pertinent problem with "Mobile Orchestra", because if it had been presented with some sense of humor or frivolity, then it would've been easy to laugh at and with it. There are actually a lot fun songs here, but  because Adam Young's heart isn't in it, they become faceless and boring. His lack of soul and pizzazz turns these songs into the worst kind of pop music: the type that has great potential, but is predictable, unenjoyable, and could have been made by anyone. What would've been Owl City's worst album is then something that's interestingly tragic; a disappointment to long-time fans who've waited for a half-decade to return to his creative roots, but its shortcomings don't associate with the Owl City name when it doesn't remotely feel or sound like Owl City.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Verge                       2. I Found Love                     3. Thunderstruck

4. My Everything      5. Unbelievable                      6. Bird With A Broken Wing

7. Back Home            8. Can’t Live Without You   9. You’re Not Alone

10. This Isn’t The End