By Genre: Pop
Favorite Tracks: “Party Up The Street,” “The Most”
What makes Cyrus’ most recent output so riveting is how often she navigates different genres, from 2015’s MILEY CYRUS & HER DEAD PETZ, an experimental foray into psychedelic electronic music with the Flaming Lips, to 2017’s soft-rock influenced YOUNGER NOW, which saw the singer dabbling in sounds not regularly tackled by a young pop star. Now, in a move similar to what John Mayer attempted with his last set, 2017’s THE SEARCH FOR EVERYTHING, Miley Cyrus, now arguably pop music’s most fascinating figure, is back with SHE IS COMING, the first in an upcoming collection of EPs that will ultimately become her next album era.
This new set of music returns Miley to a style similar to 2013’s BANGERZ, the hip hop-tinged pop sound that defines her modern stardom, effectively ridding her of her Disney image. The collection of brash pop songs was hit-or-miss overall, but suggested a singer coming into her own musical identity. Ultimately, the album was a huge success and paved the way for the aforementioned diverging styles leading to SIC. And despite her pop origins, it seems Miley is more at home with the hip hop-influenced sound; EP opener, “Mother’s Daughter” sounds like a welcome return to form for the singer. The song plays almost like a battle cry, with Miley reclaiming her seat at the forefront of pop culture:
Don’t fuck with my freedom,
I came back to get me some
I’m nasty, I’m evil
Must be something in the water or that I’m my mother’s daughter”
Despite her seeming comfort, it appears the narrative in Miley’s career is still fighting to freely express her sexuality and adult image. Songs like “Unholy” and “D.R.E.A.M (featuring Ghostface Killah)” see the singer definitely describing late nights and bad trips. Both songs work very well, despite an uninspired verse from Ghostface Killah on the latter track, but it begs the question: Where does this Miley story goes from here? “Cattitude,” a ballroom-inspired duet with RuPaul, finds the two singers rapping over a pulsating beat about their sexual appetite while simultaneously mocking the public’s interest in policing Miley’s image. It doesn’t work for the most part, somewhat due to the laughable lyrics, but equally the low timbre of Miley’s voice plays very much like a twisted Kidz Bop track—you won’t miss anything by skipping this track altogether.
Things take a turn for the better with “Party Up The Street,” a breezy duet with Rae Sremmurd’s Swae Lee that finds that perfect balance of allowing Miley to express herself without the heavy-handed defiance of this EP’s earlier songs. From 2009’s “The Climb” to 2013’s “Adore You,” Cyrus has always been at her best when she’s her most vulnerable, and closer “The Most” does this to great effect. It shows a young woman grappling with her sexual and artistic freedom while simultaneously showcasing her fears of pushing the ones she loves away while she navigates this new space; it’s a fantastic way to end this new set of music while offering a glimpse into what could be coming down the pipeline as this new album era begins to take shape. Hopefully, Miley continues to find that balance of strength and vulnerability that allows her vocal prowess and charisma to shine equally. SHE IS COMING, while not a grand slam, is a welcome return that proves she’s well on her way to a true gem of a pop record.
Comments