Camila
After her departure from Fifth Harmony in late 2016 to launch her solo career, people were excited to see what she'll bring to the table.
It wouldn't take long for her to release music as her debut single 'Crying In The Club' didn't take long to come out. Another track called 'I Have Qiestions' was released short after. Yet, no word on the album was told. In between these releases and her next double release of smash single 'Havana' and 'OMG', her former group members released their self-titled album which poorly performed. The success of 'Havana' mostly fueled the release of this album, which can easily be called the first major pop album of the year, being released on January 12. Does the album live up to its hype?
I, for one, enjoyed both 'Crying In The Club' and 'I Have Questions' a lot (the latter being one of my Top 10 favorite tracks of 2017) and was also a big fan of 'Havana', so I was excited for her full-length debut.
1. Never Be The Same 7.25/10
She kicks off the album with this rather interesting number. The song starts with bizarre sounds and has a very interesting and different production. Vocally, she experiments a lot even going almost falsettos in parts of the song. It is very beautiful but just misses something. I also like the different approach of the topic she chose for the song, although I'm not happy with some of the lyrical choices, such as comparing love to various drugs. Still a good opener and solid track overall, setting the tone for what's about to come.
2. All These Years 8.5/10
Yes, this song follows the same concept as many others have done it as well and could be called just another 'Love Yourself' clone, but there is something special about it that makes it stand out. I like how she delivers the lines in both the verses and the chorus and think even the lyrics are ok and not even cheesy. Also, I like this song vocally and how she ends the song as that is pretty different from usual songs of this caliber. Overall, already a stand out in my opinion.
3. She Loves Control 8/10
On first listen, I found this interesting until the Reggaeton beat came kicking in. I usually am a big fan of Latin vibes but this song was too much for me at first. After multiple listens, I found this to be very catchy and definitely single material. Furthermore, I really liked the lyrical content as it was different to most of the other songs on the album. This is what I'd call a bop! Let's not fool ourselves though, as this will sound dated in two years time.
4. Havana 8.25/10
The instrumental to this is just phenomenal and one can't help but start dancing whenever this comes on as it's catchy! Even Young Thug sounds decent on this and the whole 'heart in havana' has been used a lot already but this song still works a lot nevertheless.
5. Inside Out 6.75/10
Yes, the beat is catchy and I love the tropical vibes on this very much. But everything else? The lyrics are very cheesy and I have heard so many songs with the same topic and maybe even same choice of words. I do like the Spanish part of course but overall the song doesn't really go anywhere. Cut her vocals and put this one some video game's soundtrack and we're fine.
6. Consequences 9.25/10
Wow, let's go with a beautiful piano ballad then! The way the piano compliments her vocals is haunting! She sounds great on this and pretty raw and I also enjoy the little echo effect on her her voice much! Lyrically, it's not totally new either, but at least she tries something and I do love the concept. The only unnecessary part of the song is her moaning in the bridge but that doesn't ruin this wonderful song!
7. Real Friends 7.5/10
2nd 'Love Yourself' clone on the album but that doesn't make it any less catchy. I also like songs of this vein lyrically because it is relatable. Some production choices seem odd but overall it is a pretty good song and she even delivers vocally.
8. Something's Gotta Give 6.75/10
This is cute. I like the instrumental but it is nothing compared to track 6. It is a cute ballad but the lyrics are pretty basic and therefore boring. She sounds good on the song, though. It really is not too exciting but I can enjoy this somewhat anyways.
9. In The Dark 8.5/10
Now we're talking! I'm a sucker for great production and this one is very interesting. Especially the vibe-y sounds in the chorus make this one a stand-out! Her voice fits the tone of this song perfectly, as well! The lyrics aren't too special but still ok. Overall, great tune!
10. Into It 9/10
Verses - Charli XCX, Pre-Chorus Carly Rae Jepsen, Chorus - Lorde
This is how she sounds on this song. And that's a great thing! That is a huge plus, as well as the production especially on the chorus wow! Lyrics are enjoyable in my opinion and this is a real highlight on this album!
Overall, this album is full of catchy songs and I think she really out out a good debut album and my high expectations might have destroyed the experience for me quite a bit because there is no outstanding song on this album. I enjoy this album quite a bit though!
Favorites: Consequences, Into It, All These Years
Final Score: 7.75/10
