Album Review: Miley Cyrus - Something Beautiful

An artist 'finding their voice' is usually a metaphorical statement about them discovering the particular focus that lets them get the most out of their talents. In some cases, though, it's a literal statement. That's how I felt about Miley Cyrus, who found her voice when "Flowers" became the song that let her make the transition to full-fledged adult pop star. The album that followed suit was a mixed bag, with two distinct halves that did not work together at all, but the whole thing was an interesting dynamic in how the unexpected can be exactly what we need.

Let's be honest about something; Miley's voice is not what it once was. How much of it is natural versus abuse is a question to debate (she has explained a medical condition), but her tone has become rougher and grittier with each passing year. I would not argue with anyone who says her voice is damaged and lessened, but her new tone fits my tastes better. "Endless Summer Vacation" was the first time I found Miley interesting.

That brings us to today, with this musical experience being presented as a 'visual album'. That's a phrase I hate, because there is something almost offensive to me about the idea of needing to stare at a screen to get the full experience of music. Maybe there's something of an inverted version of synesthesia, but crossing visual and aural pathways feels unnecessary to me, and a bit like an artist telling us in advance they aren't sure the music can stand on its own.

That worry was exacerbated by the title track, which is a slow burning torch song that explodes into a modern electronic drop. Her vocal runs through filters as the song lurches to get started again, and the resulting melody was nowhere near exciting enough to smooth over the rough edges of the composition. "End Of The World" boomeranged us in a different direction, with an almost disco swell behind its pop grandeur. That song hits the right marks, letting Miley shine as she delivers a song that sounds like it has life in it.

'Cinematic disco' is an apt term to describe the sound of the record. The combination of beats and strings pulls from the glossy heyday of the 70s, and ironically feels more current than the modern pop that has sucked all the color and energy out of what used to be fun music. Miley is painting with a wider palate, but the thicker brush makes the details harder to get just right. While the sound is bigger and bolder, and the record gives off the air of being a statement, the songs themselves can't consistently live up to that standard.

After the one-two punch of "End Of The World" and "More To Lose" showing us the best side of Miley, the remaining tracks push harder into dance-pop, rather than soul. For my money, Miley is better suited for the more emotional and confessional approach. When we get to songs with spoken interludes and synths at the forefront, I struggle to embrace the vision she and her producers have in mind. Rather than sounding like Miley putting herself forward, the impression I'm struck with is a sound that is putting her in the background of her own album.

The differences between this album and "Endless Summer Vacation" are more in structure than in sound. They mine much of the same territory, but in different ways. "Something Beautiful" is more focused, and more decided on what it wants to be. Ironically, that works against it, because it was the dichotomy of the previous record that let me enjoy as much of it as I did. If she had committed to pop throughout the whole of the last record, I would have been disappointed, because it was the torch songs that defined that one. This album has fewer of those moments, and so while the pop bits might be better this time around, they make up a bigger portion of the pie.

With all that, I'm left feeling disappointed that Miley wasn't able to find a way to combine the glitz and glamour of the production with vocals and melodies that bring out the best in her. I know it can be done, but this record doesn't quite get there.