#231 — Miley Cyrus — Bangerz (2013)
Ok, this was actually way too hard to write.
I’ve been trying to write this review for six weeks and I’ve been finding it difficult because every time I try and listen to this album, it slides out of my mind and attention and I always find a reason to stop listening to it and then once it’s paused, it disappears entirely.
There’s artistic value in everything, there’s a purpose and a meaning behind every piece of art, and in this case it’s about an artist trying hard to shed their tween-pop image with both a musical and performance status.
We all want to do this, in some ways. To draw a line between the then, and the now. The old, the new. No, that was the old me — that’s not who I am any more. When you’re a musical artist, a successful one like Cyrus is, that’s even harder. You’re still going to hear Party In The USA, you’re leaving a sonic trail of your life and the decisions you make, or have made for you, across culture.
This album is R’N’B, it’s got all the hallmarks of a mix of that dirty-south production that was really prevalent in the 2010’s but was probably already done by the time this album came out. But it all sounds by-numbers, or trying-too-hard, and nothing in-between those.
However, the best thing on it is Wrecking Ball, and that’s because it’s the sort of track that allows Miley Cyrus to do the big sweeping emotional tracks that she’s extremely good at doing.
I think that’s what makes this a difficult one to focus on, because since this album she’s recognised where her talents lie — she’s continued to experiment, and mostly what she’s produced is heaps better than Bangerz.
But you can’t get there, without going through here.
Miley Cyrus — Bangerz (2013)
Best Track: Wrecking Ball. No contest.
Underrated Banger: Wrecking Ball. Really John? Yes. However good you think it is, it’s better.
You can find Miley’s YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@MileyCyrus/playlists
