Album- Fight or
Flight
Artist- Emily Osment
Back in the days of the popular Disney Channel show and teen
franchise Hannah Montana, singer and actress Miley Cyrus was definitely the
star of the show, releasing her own solo album during that time and really
becoming a worldwide pop star in her own right. However apparently there was
more than one potential star on that show, as Emily Osment showed she had some
vocal talent. Yet the singer hasn’t gone to the same musical heights as her
fellow Disney channel star. Is this because this was a bad album? Or is Emily
Osment actually better that Miley Cyrus?
Track 1- Lovesick
Opening the record is the albums second single Lovesick that
saw popularity in the UK through its use in advertisements for the spring season
of the TV channel ITV 2. The song lyrically focuses on Osment telling this
person how they make her feel in a way that is robotic and powerful, with the
lyrics having a cheesy and clichéd quality that makes this very simple teen
pop. However the song has vibrant quality that makes it appealing, with the
contrast of the softness of the verses complimenting the faster paced and intense
chorus nicely. The synth and dance beats of the production are simple and fun,
giving the song this nice vitality. The vocal performance of the track is
questionable in the way that the singer’s voice is heavily distorted. However,
in terms of the lyrical content of the track the vocals blend well with the
songs ideology, and so as a whole this is a fun and quite silly track that is
quite enjoyable in a weird way.
3.5/5
Track 2- Get Yer Yah
Yah’s Out
Continuing in the same dance pop, have a party and dance vibe
of the previous track, Get Yer Yah Yah’s Out finds the singer telling us off
how she is in this positive mood where she forgets her troubles, and asks us to
party and get our yah yah’s out. Even for a teen pop sound this track lyrically
feels really stupid, and ultimately falls flat in getting the party started.
The lyrics feature many clichés, and the song is furthermore ruined by the
annoying vocals. This is because this time the use of Auto Tune doesn’t have a
cool quality but just makes the track come across as annoying and stupid. The
dance beats and heavy sound of the production is also clichéd, and so this is
very much a poor track that feels like it was recorded right after the last
track and tried to annoyingly emanate that song.
1.5/5
Track 3- 1-800 Clap
Your Hands (The Water Is Rising)
Things become a bit more interesting with the sound of this
record that utilises a simple, forceful drum beat and funky guitar rhythm to
create this psychedelic, funky pop sound with a touch of rock. However the
sound is ruined a little in the post chorus with the simple dance pop sound. We
find the singer talking about the water rising and being in this state of
dreaming, lyrical content that is intriguing but is ultimately just weird. The
vocals here also just feel a little bit whiny and don’t have this light
personality that would make this a nice song, although the lack of Auto Tune is
a positive thing.
2.5/5
Track 4- Marisol
The first of the albums down tempo track has much more of an
emotional intensity than the previous tracks and has this heartfelt quality.
The track finds the singer describing this girl who has had a tough time in
life but now she is going to shine and become great. The lyrics are stronger
than the previous offerings and have a poetic quality is appealing. The light
beats of the production and more acoustic tone is a sound that suits the
singer’s voice and makes the song come across as sincere. And although the
vocal could be more passionate, the singer gives a stronger vocal than her
previous tracks and feels more invested in what she is singing about.
3/5
Track 5- The Cycle
The Cycle brings back the record to an up tempo energy with
the dance floor ready sound, but the song has slightly more of an alternative
pop feel. This alternative perspective comes through in the use of grittier
sounding electric guitar mixed with the electro pop beats, whilst the tracks
bass has more of a forceful quality that makes things more vibrant and unique
feeling. The song finds the singer continually telling this guy of his
predictability, but the repetitive nature of the lyrics and the lacklustre ‘da
da da da da’ hook makes it seem like she is the predictable one, with the vocal
performance having a simple youthful quality but yet lacking this true sense of
vibrancy and enthusiasm .
2.5/5
Track 6- All the Boys
Want
Keeping with the last track in terms of shortness and
electro pop energy, this track is a typical teen girl guy track where the
singer tells us what girls want and boys want in the opposite sexes, with
lyrics that feel like they are a cut outs from all the teen pop songs of the
past just cobbled together to make some song. The production has a light synth
and electro pop energy with a simple bassline that gives the song a nice
groove, but whilst the sound is vibrant, without some strong lyrical content
the song feels pointless. Furthermore, the singers vocal performance does
nothing to help the song, as the use of Auto Tune just makes her voice sound
robotic and lifeless. 2/5
Track 7- Double Talk
Osment brings us a track that has a powerful sound and a
feel good message, keeping the dance quality of the record going. The song
focuses on the singer once again seemingly brushing a guy off, as she tells
this person that what they say feels like lies and a lot of random rubbish. The
message of the track feels less cliché but is packaged into this teen pop package
where things become repetitive and blend. The singers vocals have slightly more
of a feisty quality but ultimately still lacks passion, and the production of
the track with the feel good synths and fast paced quality is really the only
thing going for the song.
2.5/5
Track 8- Truth or
Dare
Another simple dance pop tune but with slightly more of an
atmospheric and dark quality in the lyrics and vocal, this track has more of a
catchy quality and although still stereotypical pop for teenager, the song has
a cool intensity that makes it a stand out on the album. The song finds the
singer playing this game of love with this boy, whilst basically asking him if
he is ready for her. The song finds the singer in a comfortable groove vocally,
and the vocal for once has this fun personality to it that makes things
interesting. The heavy dance beats of the track and fun energy is a typical
sound of the record, but the bass is slightly stronger and there are these
dubstep esque flourishes that make this track more unique and intriguing.
3.5/T
Track 9- Let’s Be
Friends
Fight or Flights lead single and the only track on the album
not to be produced by Nellee Hooper, Let’s Be Friends is a fun pop rock orientated tune that feels
like more of a teen pop tune. However the lyrical content shows a bit of a
transition for the singer, as the lyrics have this more mature feel. This is
because the content focuses on the idea of friends with benefits, with the
chorus finding the singer wanting this person to be a friend she can just make
out with. The mischievous and flirtatious quality of the track makes this a
standout song, with the singer giving us a vocal that plays well with the
lyrical content and has this vibrant, flirty personality, although the bridge
is very annoyingly distorted. Whilst not produced by Hooper, the tracks
producer Toby Gad keeps in line with the dance pop feel of the rest of the
album with the heavy electronic sound, with a slight tint of rock making the
song more appealing but not being too prominent to make this song sound weird
on this album.
3.5/5
Track 10- You Get Me
Through
A further ballad that seems designed to balance the fun pop
tracks and show maturity from the singer, this song finds the singing in a
quite an emotional state, as her vocals have this vulnerable quality thatis
appealing, with the vocal layering hiding the weakness of her voice and making
the track sound more powerful. The lyrics find the singer telling this person
how with them the dark times are something she can get through, and she is
happy to have them in her life. The sweet simplicity of the track is nice,
although the chorus is a bit repetitive. However, the problem with this track
is that the blend of the steady drum beat, electronic swirls and piano
instrumentation is too powerful and commands our attention away from the vocals
and lyrics.
2.5/5
Track 11- Gotta
Believe In Something
Osment ends the track on a simple electro pop tune that
finds her being a little inspirational as she sings of feeling fine and good as
long as you believe in something. The lyrics are simple and catchy if clichéd,
whilst the vocals are also simple but could have more passion. The techno pop
rhythms and drum beats are also okay and slightly pop rock feeling, but
ultimately is familiar and just another pop song.
2.5/5
Final Review
With this record Osment doesn’t establish herself as a
strong Disney star or pop singer, but instead just highlights the fact that
Miley Cyrus was rightly the big star of their Disney Channel show. The album is
simply designed with a commercial sound for young listeners of the Disney
Channels music to ask their parents to buy, with the singer giving vocal
performances that really lack soul or personality. The lyrics are also terribly
clichéd, and so Fight or Flight should remain her only studio album, and she
should just stick to the acting.
2/10
Best Track-Lets Be
Friends
Worst Track- Get Yer
Yah Yah’s Out
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