Artist: Miley Cyrus
Album: Bangerz
Release Date: October 4, 2013
With the entire media buzz focused on Miley Cyrus in the past couple months, many are wondering if it was to attract attention to Cyrus’s new album Bangerz. If so, her tactics worked. Critics everywhere from Rolling Stone to Spin Magazine are criticizing Bangerz. I’m going to jump on the bandwagon. Cyrus’ voice sounds “affected and perfected by software,” according to Jessica Hopper of Spin, and I couldn’t agree with her more. Auto-tune is prevalent, and it doesn’t do Cyrus’s unique voice justice. I also have found myself only taking a liking to only two of the new songs: “Love, Money, Party” and “Do My Thang,” In both tracks, I think I was just attractive to the catchy beats and repetitive hooks common with the typical pop song. Overall, Bangerz isn’t worth twerking to. Sorry, Miley.
Artist: Kings of Leon
Album: Mechanical Bull
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Mechanical Bull marks the return of Kings of Leon. With lead singer Caleb Followill’s iconic, hoarse voice and pedal-drenched, guitar drifting around dreamy hooks, Mechanical Bull is superb. A track on the album such as “Comeback Story” highlights Kings of Leon’s strength in songwriting and has a silky melody that makes you want to sway with the guitars. This album sounds much like the group’s Only By the Night, which had chart toppers like “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody.” If you enjoyed Kings of Leon’s previous albums, you are going to absolutely rave over Mechanical Bull.
Artist: Lorde
Album: Pure Heroine
Release Date: September 30, 2013
I had to save the best for last. I became a fan of Lorde the second I heard her first single “Royals” on the air and had high hopes for her premiere record, Pure Heroine. I wasn’t disappointed and ended up falling in love with her work even more. Her low, sultry voice sounds as someone way older than the sixteen year old singer and is hauntingly beautiful. Her album not only showcases her voice but also her songwriting skills. Her lyrics capture the drama and angst of being a teenager with subjects such as gossip, boredom, and not wanting to grow old. My favorite track on Pure Heroine is “400 Lux” with its pulsing bass, layered vocals and popping percussion. If you’re looking for a new album of listen on repeat for weeks, Pure Heroine will do just that.
Written by Ciara Fekete’14
