Miley Cyrus has finally released the rock album that everyone on the internet was begging for.
I was incredibly excited for this album to be released. I have a sot-soft in my heart for 80s glam rock, so when I saw this was the direction Cyrus was taking, and with a voice perfectly designed for rock, I was looking forward to seeing what she had to offer.
Cyrus channels many older rockstars, even bringing Billy Idol and Joan Jett on to the album himself, but what really makes this album work is Cyrus's ability to channel herself.
Many of the tracks on Plastic Hearts are full-throttled fun, such as Prisoner featuring Dua Lipa (another artist to embrace the sounds of the 1980s) and Gimme What I Want and the two tracks which feature stars of the era that Cyrus is replicating, Night Crawling (ft Billy Idol) and Bad Karma (featuring Joan Jett).
There's a reason 'Midnight Sky' was chosen as the lead single from plastic Hearts, and it's because it's absolutely one of the stand-out tracks. With its sample of Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks, the track has the feel that you've known it for years yet still feels fresh and modern. This perfectly summarises the feeling the album as a whole presents too.
However, the real standouts of the album for me were the slower, more heartfelt, borderline ballads. I can't believe I'm saying this, but the track titled 'Golden G String' was actually the most emotional and honest feeling track on the album, all about Cyrus's personal experience with fame and feminism. Along with this is 'Never Be Me' where you easily melt into Cyrus's raspy vocals and heartbreaking lyrics, with a track behind it that feels as if it pulsates deep in your soul.
Overall, this era of Miley Cyrus is her best era yet. Historically, Cyrus doesn't hang around in one style for too long, but I hope we see more of this retro-rock feel as this really suits not only her voice but her entire ~vibe~.
If she keeps going at this rate, with this sound, I'd say Miley Cyrus could head towards becoming a real rock artist, rather than a pop star who's dabbling. But, who knows what she has up her sleeve next?
RATING: 4/5
BEST TRACK: NEVER BE ME/GOLDEN G STRING
WORST TRACK: PLASTIC HEARTS