Miley Cyrus has evolved (YESSS). I heard her cover versions the past months: going from The Cure (Boys Don't Cry) to Blondie & Garbage. I picked up There would be some Dua Lipa and some Billy Idol. Yup, I was sold. But Would I love it or would I trash it?
Well at first: there is no The Cure on this album (sadly), however not everybody was positive about it. But I was and I liked it as it felt like totally out of the box thinking. There was some courage needed and I like people who change and transform, a bit like David Bowie did in the past.
Let’s start with her WTF Do I Know: a post break up track. It’s a cool and catchy rocker. I like her raw voice and straight forward and edgy feel. The lyrics are a bit brutal, but that’s just how one could feel after a bad break up. The guitar licks are pretty cool. Ok, it’s a bit of a commercial sound, but I love it and you can bang me for it as I don’t care! Next one is a bit more layered down: Plastic Hearts. The backings gives it a poppy 80’s touch. The sound is overall poppy and catchy. It makes you wing a bit and clap with your hands. This song gives me a happy feeling and a touch of a ray of light in this sad and scary 2020 year. The bongo’s (or at least the percussion thingie) sound a bit like the sound I hear on Sympathy for The Devil (Rolling Stones). It’s again a good one! Time for a smoked voice and a ballad called Angels Like You. I just wander if it was really needed to use the auto tune for that short fraction as I know she can sing like the greatest. This might be the next hit on wedding parties (once we can have them again like we used to have them). Prisoner (feat. Dua Lipa) has a bit of a disco versus pop wave touch with backings that sound like robots at some point. It’s not the kind of track I have on my i-tunes but I don’t skip it and can even listen to it until the end (even more then once). I think I’m getting bold here.
A heavy bass starts Gimme What I want. It sounds a bit like Closer from Nine Inch Nails, but changed fast into a poppy track. Some part of the drums reminds me of Phil Collins beating on them like only he can do it. It’s a very sensual and sexual orientated song with an attitude! Here comes the track I have been waiting for: Night Crawling (feat. Billy Idol)! When 2 very sexually heated persons record a song together you are sure there is some heat and here the firemen are needed: urgently! I like the retro 80’s touch and Billy’s influence! It’s hot, sexy and catchy! Midnight Sky starts like a funky disco minded track. I hear a bit of autotune. The chorus is catchy and goes well with her voice.
High sounds like a country & Western ballad with a Dolly Parton touch. Hate Me sounds like as if it’s the last song she will ever sing for us, floating on some sort of Christmas feel. I can compare it to a song from The Cure: The End. I like the short outburst and the honest lyrics. Somehow it always feels like it’s too short and that is always a good sign. Bad Karma (feat. Joan Jett) is a great track that demands more exposure! It’s cool, sexy and very appealing! I see this track during events like the Super Bowl, Grammy Awards … The music mixes pop and rock in a nice way. Never Be Me is an honest ballad telling her life story in bits and pieces: the rebuilding and struggling. I like the honesty in the lyrics, just as the sadness. Golden G String is yet another kind of a ballad. Once again I get this Christmas feeling and it feels like too short again. It’s not a bad ending at all!
These are the extra’s I got:
Edge Of Midnight (Midnight Sky Remix feat. Stevie Nicks) is a very catchy one and the duet really sounds like perfect! It’s clearly an earworm. I love the 80’s New Wave (with a slice of rock). I can hear it on the dancefloors all over the world (hence once we can all finally get out and party).
Heart Of Glass (Live from the iHeart Festival) hearing her sing this Blondie song is really great. I can imagine a lot of people love her live version of this golden oldie.
Zombie (Live from the NIVA Save Our Stages Festival) is the last one and will give you goosebumps! It’s a really good version with cool guitars and her vocals fit the song!
Well reviewing this album was a cool thing to do, although I have the feeling I miss some inside stories and I’m pretty sure the hardcore fans might want to correct me (please do so) on certain things. I’m new to this artist and the fact that she got me into this means she got my attention, next to New Wave, metal and artists like David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Neil Young ... Her level comes close to another artist within this genre that I appreciate a lot: PINK! She did a great job and keeps on amazing me and that is always a great thing!
