Album review: Miley Cyrus – ‘Bangerz’

Words by:
Dan Bull
Follow @DanBull7609

It might have escaped your notice – she’s not making a big deal of putting it out there – but Miley Cyrus has grown up. She hasn’t been Hannah Montana for some time now, but she isn’t even the Miley Cyrus of her previous three albums anymore. The hair has gone, the clothes have gone, so exactly what can be expected from Bangerz-era Miley? (Aside, of course, from an almost permanent impression of The Rolling Stones’ logo and constantly working “twerking” into our everyday vocabulary.)

Debut single, and surprise number 1, We Can’t Stop ensured there was a strong base for Cyrus’ new sound; a laid back anthem that hinted at a more mature sound, but did suggest that the first rule of her party – where she could do what she wanted to – was to confirm that it was not a Party In The USA sort of do. Of course, a certain performance of the song would emphasise the control Miley now feels she has over her career (she acts as Executive Producer on the album, and has co-writer credits on 10 of the 13 tracks).

Surprisingly for an album with a title that appears to brag of big, bold, erm, banging anthems, it actually opens with a ballad; the stark and simple Adore You. It’s successful in highlighting Cyrus’ undeniable strong vocal, which, following a line about “standing with a man armed with weapons”, is perhaps the weapon she has brought to bang with. There are more Balladz in the form of second single Wrecking Ball, with a video Miley claims to be influenced by Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares To You, however the track that precedes it, My Darlin’, has more in common with the iconic power-ballad; albeit an updated version in sound and context. A recent war of words means we probably won’t get an unlikely duet from the two.

The actual banging Bangerz kick off with the Britney featuring SMS; a bass-heavy track with hints of grime, however its lack of a strong melody makes it the sort of grime you might wash away and forget about. With the big names behind her, the Bangerz bang better; 4×4 (feat. Nelly) merges his country grammar with her country music roots, #GETITRIGHT (written and produced by Pharrell) features an undeniable Neptune-esque repetitive beat, while Do My Thang (a will.i.am collaboration) is another highlight, following their duet (Fall Down) from his latest release. With strong hints of each collaborator’s trademark styles merging with Miley’s vocal, too many cooks obviously works on this Bangerz broth.

Drive, with it’s droning undercurrent, could have been a Stronger-era Britney single, and with the absence of her driving so fast she pisses herself (see 4×4) could fare well as a single. With an intro to rival I Will Survive and the angry keyboards stabs of Delilah, FU is one of the more original Bangerz; another duet, this time with French Montana (no relation to Hannah, apparently) and one of the more memorable moments.

While the album’s release has been surrounded by controversy, there are moments that remind you that Miley Cyrus is young – yet experienced in the world of showbiz, a product of Disney – yet clearly talented when it comes to hearing a hit, and able to make her own decisions – no matter how many open-letters are written by Sinead O’Connor or anybody else. “I’ve turned into someone else” she sings on closer Someone Else, a downbeat future-disco anthem with electric ticks and a bass-heavy breakdown. It’s one of the better Bangerz, though yet again, not a conventional one.

Bangerz is successful in reinventing Miley Cyrus, and is one of the strongest, and most publicised pop releases of the year to date. How it will be remembered now depends on Miley (or, perhaps, the team behind her), and whether her controversy means she’ll be belting out the Bangerz on a Gaga-sized tour, or banging cars with an umbrella a la Britney.