An intriguing yet imperfect pop declaration...
If Miley Cyrus's career has shown her fans anything, it’s that unpredictability is to be expected. Just as comfortable with a pop hit as she is on a Flaming Lips psychedelic journey, she has emerged as a cultural maverick, constantly challenging both herself and her audience. ‘Something Beautiful’ represents a departure from the sensual pop of her 2023 album ‘Endless Summer Vacation,’ instead presenting a finely crafted array of melodic depth. While the intricacies sometimes lead to dead ends, the high points—and the overarching aim—offer captivating listening.
This 13-track project, produced by Miley and Shawn Everett, is brimming with concepts. It opens with ‘Prelude’—a vivid piece of dystopian sci-fi soundscape—transitioning into a conceptual journey that, while stylistically engaging, doesn't always cohere seamlessly. The title track ‘Something Beautiful’ begins as a stunning slow ballad before bursting into gritty electronic distortion, while ‘More To Lose’ serves as a weightless anthem, anchored by Miley's purposeful intent.
However, there are instances where the ideas seem to overshadow the songs. Two interludes interrupt the album’s continuity, and something like ‘Easy Lover’ could easily fit—given a slight rearrangement—on the glossy pop album ‘Plastic Hearts,’ while the bright ideology of ‘Pretend You’re God’ stands apart, venturing beyond what fans might be accustomed to.
This, perhaps, is the entire intention. ‘Something Beautiful’ presents itself as a self-contained world, a notion bolstered by the accompanying full-length visual album. While tracks like ‘Walk Of Fame’ or ‘Reborn’ are engaging and pop-oriented, the record also accommodates the vivid, psychedelic exploration found in ‘Golden Burning Sun.’ There’s a sense that ‘Something Beautiful’ is striving for a coherence that remains unformed, while also lacking some of the soaring highs characteristic of Miley’s more commercially-oriented projects. It’s a compelling one-time endeavor; ‘Something Beautiful’ adds another dimension to Miley Cyrus’s narrative.
6/10
Words: Robin Murray
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