Miley Cyrus has recently been on a self-explorative journey that has seen her re-discovering who she is as an artist again. Finding herself continually reinventing her image to keep up with current trends that built her early career, to representing her transition into adulthood, each album has always seen a different side of her artistry taking centre stage. But no album has felt as authentically comparable as her seventh studio record, ‘Plastic Hearts’.
As a body of work, this record feels like the sequel to ‘Can’t Be Tamed’ with heavier guitar and synth foundations lifting the pop sound into a mature direction. There’s a real sense of nostalgia that drives the 80’s inspired rock-n-roll riffs and synths that immediately draws comparisons to the likes of Blondie, Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett, with a pop edge injected. And to further highlight that inspiration she’s collaborated with Billy Idol, Dua Lipa, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.
From the angsty opener ‘WTF Do I Know’, she immediately captivates your attention with a punchy hook that plays as her final words to her ex husband. “Am I wrong that I moved on? And I, and I don’t even miss you. Thought that it’d be you until I die, but I let go” she honestly sings. Setting the tone for the rest of the album, the title track ‘Plastic Hearts’ then plays up to the rock n roll persona, while ‘Gimme What I Want’ is the horny masturbation track you didn’t know you needed so badly.
‘Prisoner’ featuring Dua Lipa, ‘Night Crawling’ featuring Billy Idol, ‘Midnight Sky’, and the personal favourite ‘Bad Karma’ featuring Joan Jett & The Blackhearts keeps the energy high and creates riotous moments for her future live shows. But in amongst all of the rock n roll aesthetic is some more delicate moments of reflection like the self deprecating heartbreak tracks ‘Angels Like You’ and ‘Never Be Me’ where she takes blame on herself for why some relationships haven’t worked out.
‘Plastic Hearts’ is the album that fans have wanted desperately to hear from the singer-songwriter. It captures Miley Cyrus in an authentic, playful and honest light that celebrates the 14 years that she’s had in the industry. No longer hiding from her Hannah Montana ego, the artwork inside the physical edition of the album embraces that part of her history, and highlights her growth as she comes into her late 20’s.
This is one of her strongest albums yet, and will rightfully become a fan favourite alongside ‘Bangerz’.