Plastic Hearts wears its influences on its sleeve
In fact they might be the sleeve itself
RCA Records, released November 27, 2020
In the Cyrus lore, just as humanity has moved through several eras for the past couple thousand of years, Miley has gone through equivalent transformations in little over a decade. There was Hannah Montana Miley, Can’t Be Tamed Miley (arguably Hannah Montana Miley Pt. II), Bangerz Miley (the one that probably got the most love and the most hate), Dead Petz Miley (let’s not), Younger Now Miley (if you weren’t on the Miley bandwagon by then there’s not much I can say to make you hop on now but I’ll still give it a shot), SHE IS COMING Miley (nipped in the bud before we could really make out if it all was about to be as messy as the first EP) and now she has arrived: Plastic Hearts Miley is even surer of herself and sounds more self-aware, careful and carefree at the same time. In the past couple years, the woman has had a home burst into flames - but don’t cry for her Argentina, she’s still a Cyrus and it was time for an upgrade anyway -, has divorced from a Hemsworth, has decided to go sober - but gladly admits slipping from time to time - and has had to deal with the loss of a grandmother. It’s a lot of change for anyone but Miley is the ultimate shapeshifter - and has a whole discography to show for it. Plastic Hearts is a new commitment for Miley but not really anything new for those used to artists she lists as influences (Blondie, The Cranberries, Nine Inch Nails, Joan Jett but also Britney and the main pop girls) - actually, with Plastic Hearts, the appetite for her announced upcoming Metallica cover album is already quenched.
What’s truly rock’n’roll about the record is Miley’s unequivocal response to outside criticism - both from her inner circle and the OUTSIDE outside: she’s heard it all and she doesn’t really care anymore. In particular, she sounds unfazed by those she left behind - most probably especially her former husband - closing a chapter with the icy “You want an apology? Not from me / Had to leave you in your own misery” in the memorable ‘WTF Do I Know’. There’s also the cutthroat title track that sees her longing for something real, far from the “black hole conversation”[s] - the type the LA scene is rumored to have its fair share of. Hypocrisy also takes a beating in ‘Golden G String’, where Miley wonders how her choices as an entertainer seem to offend more than the soon-to-be US ex-clown-in-chief whose position used to be associated with decorum once upon a time.
For every moment she brushes the unnecessary criticism off, there’s another that demonstrates how much Miley is in touch with herself and honest about what she wants - no matter how it comes across. She acknowledges her tendency to take more than she’s willing to give in a relationship several times, whether it’s in the remorse-tinged ‘Angels Like You’, the neat ‘Bad Karma’ (and its apathetic-sounding “I’ve always picked a giver ‘cause I’ve always been the taker / I’d rather just do it, then I’ll think about it later” chorus) or the heartfelt ‘Never Be Me’. The latter sees Miley reaching deep, mining gold out of self-awareness. She shows her hand upfront, singing “If you’re looking for stable, that’ll never be me / If you’re looking for faithful, that’ll never be me / If you’re looking for someone to be all that you need / That’ll never be me”.
For a while now, Miley has garnered all the right kind of attention for her strong cover game. There’s plenty to pick from: The Cranberries’ Zombie and Blondie’s Heart Of Glass that made it on the digital version of Plastic Hearts but also songs from Britney, Pink Floyd, Billie Eilish, Roberta Flack, Etta James, The Beatles, the list goes on. (Not so) Oddly enough, a good part of the new album almost feels like a continuation of the tradition. Plastic Hearts wears its influences on its sleeve, hugging them close (oh so close), perhaps out of fear of the unknown and the risks that come with experimentation - we’ve seen it turn sour in the past (let’s say Dead Petz is not a record I plan on re-visiting any time soon). Nine Inch Nail’s ‘Closer’ lives on in ‘Gimme What I want’ - a tribute of sorts that has something very performative about it - and Olivia Newton-John left an indelible mark on ‘Prisoner’ (Dua’s second song out this year heavily based on 1981’s ‘Physical’ - bit much innit?) and to a lesser extent on ‘Night Crawling’ - which goes far and beyond the inspiration and makes for a truly great song. As for ‘Hate Me’, the track feels like a docile execution of the pop rock song recipe à la Camp Rock to a T, from the melodies to the instrumentation to the production style.
Yet when the stars align and inspiration strikes, Miley’s cool and humble demeanor works wonders alongside industry veterans. Miley’s ability to create space for others and then fill what remains is especially noteworthy. The pulsating ‘Night Crawling’ and its driving guitar keeps the tension going throughout with Billy Idol and Miley performing alongside one another with undeniable chemistry - amounting to a truly exciting piece of the Plastic Hearts puzzle. And one only matched by the imperturbable ‘Bad Karma’, another effortless collaboration - this time with Mark Ronson, Joan Jett and Angel Olsen. The track’s attitude is on a whole other level and it’s really up to the listener to come and meet it there. That’s maybe the key to keeping up with Miley: be willing to go where she goes and meet her there. Don’t expect to camp out in the same place for long, Miley is constantly on the prowl for what’s to come - I couldn’t tell you what that would be now but I also don’t think Miley could tell you herself.
Favorites: WTF Do I Know, Night Crawling, Midnight Sky, Bad Karma, Never Be Me (6/10)
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