Justin Bieber has created a strong, devoted fan base, known as Beliebers, in his short time on the music scene. The 18-year-old Canadian artist has not even released that much original material with only an album and a half and a holiday record under his belt so far. The singer is not slowing down though, currently promoting his third album, Believe, preceded by the hit song “Boyfriend”. Critics worried how the young artist would develop into a male force in the music industry. With a mature voice and many producers, Bieber has crafted an album that shows he is not a boy anymore, but it does not show he is a man just yet either.
The album opens strongly with the Ludacris-assisted “All Around The World”. I have never been a fan of Bieber, but his performance on the track even won me over. The song was made for the club with its electronic production being one of the track’s strongest aspects. The writing does get a little repetitive, knocking it back a step, but Ludacris comes to save the day on this nice track of universal love.
The albums current lead single, “Boyfriend”, is one that I cannot find too many positive comments to describe. Yes Bieber’ voice does sound better than his annoying adolescent vocals, but he is trying to be something he is not. The rap intro is one I cannot stand and his use of fondue and Buzz Lightyear makes me not take him seriously as a real artist. Girls love it, but I can only laugh.
“As Long As You Love Me” kicks off with some dubstep influenced production that I must say I am getting tired of hearing already. Justin sounds good here, the slow pace actually works for his vocals for once. Taking a real listen to the lyrics, “I’ll be your platinum, I’ll be your silver”, makes me want to slap the writer. Big Sean’s verse is unnecessary, but I enjoyed his small part.
Fast-paced beats take a back seat to smooth instrumentals on “Catching Feelings”, a song showing Bieber getting a bit nervous when the girl of his dreams walks by. The track would have fit in perfectly on his debut and his vocals do sound a little young, qualities girls will be screaming over. I not a fan of Justin’s slower ballads, but this track works for the better.
On “Take You”, the guitar-driven, tropical feel at the beginning really draws a listener in. When the chorus drops in however, all interest is lost as Bieber moves toward a heavy pop beat and loses his vocals behind mediocre production. The artist actually sounds bored on this effort, maybe it was one of his off days, but I see the song as nothing more as filler. Just skip it.
Bieber calls on rap heavyweight Drake to lend his skills on “Right Here”. The song embodies a strong R&B vibe, the genre of his mentor Usher. However, the genre does not fit Bieber. The artist seems to be trying to grow up to fast and I would like to see him take it a bit slower musically. Drake outshines the young artist and he is the reason I would hear the song twice.
Justin has me singing his praise for a moment. “Fall” is another slow to mid-tempo ballad that succeeds the previous efforts. The song is a cute song of love and romance, talking about someone letting down their wall and insecurities before they can really understand the feeling. Bieber’s voice is sultry, a good sign of his maturity and I was surprised to like it as much as I did.
Released as a promotional single to generate buzz for the album, “Die In Your Arms” had the opposite effect on me. Sampling the late Michael Jackson’s “We Got a Good Thing Going”, I was already a bit skeptical going into the track. The old, retro vibe is boring and I could really never get my support behind the song. Sampling the king leaves a big chance to fail. This song failed.
Big name producer Diplo shows his skills on “Thought of You”, a song describing just how much Bieber loves the girl on his mind. The track progresses nicely, it kept my interest, until the altered high notes came crashing in. I know Bieber cannot hit notes like that, so it upset me to see that producers were trying to make young listeners believe he could. Nothing above average. One of this year’s craziest collabos comes to light on “Beauty and a Beat”. Bieber’s soft vocals are paired with the crazy antics of hip-hop/pop queen Nicki Minaj. I am always impressed with Minaj’s featured spots rather than her own material, but I was torn here. Bieber sings about taking his girl to the year 3012 and I knew it could only get cheesy. Not a bad effort, but was expecting way more.
“One Love” starts off slow and innocent and dips its feet into the same subject matter that has been littering the entire effort. You would think I would have had enough of the sappy, love songs, but this cut has to be in the better half of the album. The chorus is simple and sweet and I feel that Bieber is singing heartfelt lyrics with immense talent for a nice effort.
Bieber shows off producing talents of his own on “Be Alright”. The raw, acoustic track does a great job at showcasing the artist’s vocal abilities. While the song is not one of my personal favorites, it shows that the singer does not need heavy production, guest rap stars, or club-ready beats to prove he can create a solid track. The song is just alright, nothing good or bad.
The standard edition of the album closes with its title track. “Believe” is the typical, uplifting, male heartthrob song of empowerment. For the title track, I was expecting a loud pop track, so was shocked to hear a sing-along worthy piece. The choir chanting found in the middle is a great addition, probably my favorite part. To close the album, not the best choice, but a job well done.
Believe shows the transition of a young adolescent into a mature male pop artist. However, with the inconsistency found on the album, Bieber is heard stuck in between both stages of his life. Critics have been comparing the effort to that of Justin Timberlake and I would have to completely disagree. Bieber tries at an R&B or rap sound failed, while his pop performances left me with a lackluster impression. Bieber’s vocals are good, the songs show what could have been and could be in the future, but everything did not come together here. The album receives an okay 72%.
Tracks to Hear: “All Around the World”, “Fall” and “One Love”
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