In her most recent project, pop singer Rebecca Black released a full-length album titled “SALVATION” on Feb. 28. The new release made me thankful that she never gave up on her music. With this new album, Black completely reinvented herself as a certified pop girl, tailored for the new generation of idols amongst singers like Addison Rae and Tate McRae.
Black’s title track’s music video brings to mind Charli XCX’s “Good Ones” music video. The bumping 1980s bass and smooth pop production were also similar. Black mixes sweet and sultry in this track; it’s a sexy song comparing getting hot and bothered to salvation, which is unexpected. Outwardly, Black’s vocals sound sweet and angelic.
“TRUST!” continues with raunchy themes and refers to the trust you must instill in your partner when in a relationship. The song makes me think of Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” album and Rina Sawayama’s “Hold The Girl” album because of Black’s highly polished vocals and the western guitar elements at the beginning. The guitar riff sounds like the one from Sawayama’s song, “This Hell.”
Sexy, fun and stylish, this dance-pop track will make you want to get up and party. Whip sound effects and “amen” breaks are sprinkled throughout, adding a touch of spice to the track. The “ooh la la/get me going like ga ga ga” is fun and flirty and will get stuck in your head for days. It’s a fun single but doesn’t quite hit the mark. It just barely misses the threshold of pop perfection, with a chorus not loud and punchy enough for my tastes.
However, “Sugar Water Cyanide” is my favorite out of the three pre-release singles. There’s the super catchy high-pitched hook, which contrasts with the smooth vocals of the chorus. Somehow this track finds a way to smoothly blend the two into a near-perfect pop dance track. I absolutely love the part in the bridge where the hook repeats and the song breaks down into a heavy bouncing bass. This song tastes sweet and sour, like neon pink, which I guess makes it really like sugar water cyanide.
“American Doll” is a snappy, bass-driven feminist pop anthem. The first few lyrics seem to speak to the societal expectation of female subordination. However, I’m not a fan of the chorus, and Rebecca Black’s drawling monotone delivery of “American doll, American doll / smashin’ her head against the wall” doesn’t quite do it for me, unfortunately.
“Tears in My Pocket” starts a bit more emotional but then cuts the tranquility with a sharp synth and a speedy “amen” break. The synth bit feels sharp, like cascading glass shards. Black’s vocals wind and weave through this track so well. Songs on this album are constantly running, racing and building up to their big punchy choruses.
“Do You Even Think of Me?” is a similar track to “Tears in My Pocket,” complete with glitchy drums and bass. It seems to be an emotional breakup song contrasted by a punchy dance-pop beat, which is an interesting change of pace. The chorus makes me feel like I’m running away from something, perhaps a broken heart. In my opinion, “Do You Even Think of Me?” is better than “Tears in My Pocket” because of the satisfying drop moments that make the song feel fuller.