Rating: 4/5
Just seven months after announcing a set of three EPs that would kick-start a new era in her career, Miley Cyrus changed directions and released a full-length rock album instead. Cyrus’s new album, “Plastic Hearts,” exudes a level of self-awareness that many other artists her age have yet to reach. While effortlessly establishing herself as a rock artist with her seventh studio album, she also delivers the best record in her entire discography.
Opening up the album with “WTF Do I Know,” Cyrus delivers an anthem about moving on from a past lover who emotionally tied her down. In the chorus of the song, Cyrus boldly sings, “I’m alone / ‘Cause I couldn’t be somebody’s hero / You want an apology? / Not from me / Had to leave you in your own misery.” Cyrus confidently departs from a seemingly toxic relationship and, in doing so, creates a powerhouse of a song that embodies emotional vulnerability.
On the fifth track, “Gimme What I Want,” Cyrus assertively sings about her sexual desires. Cyrus powerfully purrs, “Sweat drippin’ down to the floor / Bite marks like an animal / You might be insane / But maybe we’re the same.” In this track, Cyrus presents herself as a sexually-empowered, unapologetic, and confident woman, which adds to the rockstar image she’s been veering toward with this new era.
On the sixth track in the album, Cyrus teams up with the punk rock legend Billy Idol. In this track, the two artists growl over an infectious, electro-pop beat that perfectly radiates the ‘80s nostalgia that TV shows like “Stranger Things” try to encapsulate. Harmonizing together, Idol and Cyrus sing, “I found the meaning / Just what I needed / Cut on the bathroom wall / In my reflection / Cravin’ attention / Under the disco ball.”
In the most emotional and self-aware track on the album, “Never Be Me,” Cyrus gorgeously vocalizes how she could never be a person suited for her partner. She sings, “But if you’re looking for stable / that’ll never be me / If you’re looking for faithful, that’ll never be me.” Owning up to her faults in a failed relationship, Cyrus embraces the idea she might never be a person who can satisfy her partner.
In conclusion, I recommend listening to all of “Plastic Hearts.” The album is her best work to date and includes fun collaborations from other artists, including Joan Jett and Dua Lipa. This album gets a solid 4/5.