It's hard to believe that it's been 10 years since Miley came in like a wrecking ball (and literally on a wrecking ball) with her fourth studio album, Bangerz. Released on 30 September 2013, the album was a critical and commercial success, earning Miley her first US number one and a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album. I love Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan's praise for the album's "wide-ranging production", and his reference to it as a "Rihanna-meets-Gaga-meets-Pink-meets-Britney party grenade of a record" - what more could one ask for in a pop album? Mikael Wood from the LA Times described Bangerz as "an album beyond its years" with We Can't Stop being the "calmest, most clear-eyed rebel yell since Janet Jackson's Control".
The second single, Wrecking Ball, went on to become Miley's first number one single in the US. The video, featuring a naked Miley swinging on a giant wrecking ball and licking a sledge hammer, was a bold and provocative visual reminder of her evolution as an artist and as a woman, something that earned her praise from some and condemnation from others (see her "controversial" twerking-filled performance of the song at the 2013 VMAs).
Some of the other personal highlights on the album are: We Can't Stop (the catchy and carefree sentiments of the bridge - "So la-da-di-da-di, we like to party / Dancing with Molly / Doing whatever we want" - are enough to make this a Miley classic), SMS (a duet with Britney that's a little all over the place in the best possible way), 4x4 (another bizarre collaboration, this time with Nelly, that has Miley proclaiming herself to be a female rebel) and Maybe You're Right (a song that sees Miley doing some introspection after the end of a relationship). Tracks that I do not care for, perhaps because they lean too far away from the pop side of the record to the spheres of hip-hop and RnB: Love Money Party (featuring Big Sean) and Do My Thang.
The deluxe physical version of the album was released with four additional covers - one with Miley in a black jacket, a headshot of Miley with roses, one with a topless Miley covering her breasts and one with her wearing a white sports bra and black-and-white checkered pants (the version I opted for) - and included three bonus tracks, namely Rooting For My Baby (one of my favorites on the album), On My Own and Hands In The Air (featuring Ludacris). The deluxe release also included cute Bangerz-themed stickers:
As a big fan of Miley's (and Bangerz), I couldn't resist pre-ordering the tenth anniversary release of the album on vinyl. The updated packaging includes never before seen photos and a bonus track, 23. I opted for the Urban Outfitters exclusive version on sea glass vinyl, which was a little pricier than other versions but totally worth it. The vinyl's tracklisting is as follows:
DISC 1
Side 1
1. Adore You
2. We Can’t Stop
3. SMS (Bangerz)(Feat. Britney Spears)
4. 4x4 (Feat. Nelly)
Side 2
1. My Darlin’ (Feat. Future)
2. Wrecking Ball
3. Love Money Party (Feat. Big Sean)
4. #GETITRIGHT
DISC 2
Side 3
1. Drive
2. FU (Feat. French Montana)
3. Do My Thang
4. Maybe You’re Right
Side 4
1. Someone Else
2. Rooting For My Baby
3. On My Own
4. Hands In The Air (Feat. Ludacris)
5. 23 (Mike WiLL Made-It Feat. Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J & Miley Cyrus)
Comments
Post a Comment