Free from convention
Christina Aguilera Liberation Sony
AT some point during Christina Aguilera’s Liberation, one wonders: What exactly is the pop star breaking free from?
As far as artistic control is concerned, the former Mouseketeer pretty much did it with 2002’s Disney-defying Stripped.
Since then, the 37-year-old has taken one artistic gamble after another, from the nostalgia-tinged pop of Back To Basics to the forward-thinking gems of Bionic.
Perhaps the freedom alluded in the title of Aguilera’s eighth studio album is in the form of melodic expression.
Lead single Accelerate packs together bits and pieces of at least three great songs into one hell of an eccentric track. The result is polarising at best, but one that certainly cements Aguilera’s reputation as a risk taker. Unfortunately, that adventurous streak is a lightning-in-a-bottle moment in this 15-song collection.
That’s not to say that Liberation merely goes through the motions though.
Far from it, numbers like Sick Of Sittin’ and Fall In Line push the agenda of feminist movement. Although, many would think the former is a jab at Aguilera’s former stint on The Voice after that infamous interview with Billboard.
And then there are also those well-publicised associations with hip-hop and R&B. The come-hither Like I Do bears the sultry brilliance of some of Beyonce’s deeper cuts from the post-4 era.
But if anything, Liberation comes across more like a conglomeration of genres: airy tropical pop (Right Moves), heart-rending soul (Twice), head-banging rock (Sick Of Sittin’) and of course – hair-standing powerhouse ballads (Unless It’s With You).
Individually, they sound great. As a collective though, it does seem as if Aguilera is clutching at straws to return to her former pop glory.
While the standalone quality of each track works great in the era of music streaming, chances are Aguilera’s experiments might be lost on the younger streaming demographic.
But if the liberation intended here is about breaking free from commercial expectations, then the real question is: Does the former pop princess even care about pop success anymore?
BTS
Love Yourself: Tear BigHit Entertainment
AND so K-pop finally did it – blasting its way to the top of the elusive American music charts. But is BTS’ historic success merely a construct of feverish fan reception?
Soul-baring intro Singularity immediately dispels detractors. Vocalist V is all mysteriously husky as he croons over a smooth R&Besque melody. The track is a 180° swerve from the group’s usual frenetic fares. Its addition to the 11-track collection is proof that the boys are no one-trick ponies.
As a whole, Love Yourself: Tear feels more cohesive compared to its predecessor Love Yourself: Her. But part of that is probably because the tracks here play like proper K-pop instead of the current trend of Westernised K-pop, especially lead single Fake Love, with all its explosive hook-heavy glory.
The boys are not dumbing down their music to fit an international palate. Instead it’s forcing the charts to conform to the eccentricity of the genre.
That in itself feels especially momentous for K-pop fans.
There’s a more obvious maturity here: both thematically and sonically. Delving into the messages of grief and separation, Love Yourself: Tear excels when it does the unexpected.
The reunion with prolific DJ Steve Aoki on The Truth Untold churns out a ponderous ballad instead of the usual EDM fare.
The bossa nova-tinged 134340, which follows next, keeps things fresh.
Elsewhere, the seductive Paradise and honeyed Magic Shop show that the heartthrobs are on track to becoming heart-breakers.
For the most part, the record reins in the euphoric beats. That move does make for a more sombre listening experience, but hey, whatever drives the message forward, right?