On her debut album, actress and model Suki Waterhouse delivers addictive indie pop that promises a charming career. After her 2017 single (Good Looking) went viral on TikTok in 2022, Suki had more eyes on her music than ever before. She followed that unpredicted success with I Can’t Let Go—a record that shows she’s evolved without losing the authenticity that appealed to so many. The choruses on Moves and The Devil I Know contain great melodies, and the honesty of Bullshit On ... read more

If you’ve been searching for a new indie-rock artist to check out, meet Blondshell. Her self-titled debut album is an edgy, witty collection of slow jams and chant-worthy lyrics. It feels familiar—yet fresh—but also surprisingly young. The instrumentals are straight out of the best garage band you heard growing up. While there are some lyrical lows, most of the songwriting is honest and clever enough to keep you engaged. Singing about disappointing love interests, getting ... read more

It’s rare that a music group cracks the code for both addictive, commercially successful tunes and music of substance that stands the test of time. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac is a musical breakthrough and a cultural icon. For its time, it was a more intimate (folkier, poppier) version of rock and roll. While certain tracks stand out more than others, the standouts are enough to eliminate any negative criticism from me. From the gorgeous songwriting on Dreams to the head-banging guitar solo ... read more

It seems that Maggie Rogers has found her space within the indie pop world. Don’t Forget Me is the work of an artist untroubled by industry expectations--she’s just going to make what feels good—and this record feels really good. It’s the perfect soundtrack for a summer car ride with the windows down. On her third full-length album, Maggie reflects on past flames and longs for real love and belonging. The songwriting is relatively simple, but there’s enough thought ... read more

On her debut album, Girl in Red was struggling with intrusive thoughts and begging for someone to “put her in a field with daisies”. On I’m Doing It Again Baby!, she’s sitting in that field of daisies. She sounds confident, secure, carefree, and more in tune with the pop genre. The record is a brief 10 tracks, and while it still hosts her typical chant-worthy choruses, it's different from anything she's released before. The album kicks off with a collection of upbeat and ... read more

Emails I Can’t Send is Sabrina Carpenter’s best work yet— it’s lively and fun—but also more vulnerable than we’ve ever seen her. In 2020, Sabrina’s name was dragged through the mud on the Internet over a teenage relationship. The name-calling and unfounded hatred threaded its way into the seams of this record. In Because I Liked A Boy, Sabrina addresses this head-on—referring to herself as a “homewrecker” and a “slut”. She ... read more

In Singular Act II, Sabrina Carpenter keeps her pattern of infectious R&B-inspired pop alive. Her playful attitude is all over the lyricism and melodies—“I like your soul when it’s shirtless” she laughs on Take Off All Your Cool. Her flow is very Ariana Grande-esque. It’s a decently solid pop record, but it doesn’t contain anything outstanding.

- Lyricism 17/30
- Production & Instrumentation 16/20
- Creativity 3/10
- Authenticity 4/10
- ... read more

On her third album—the first half of a 2-part project—Sabrina Carpenter is a self-assured pop princess. She’s graduated from her Disney-era of empty love songs and into adulthood—where she parties, flirts playfully, and tells off her ex. Singular Act I is reminiscent of early Ariana Grande. While production is still rather amateur at times, Sabrina is nearing the recipe for pop radio perfection.

- Lyricism 17/30
- Production & Instrumentation 13/20
- Creativity ... read more

EVOLution is a brief collection of mostly generic electro-pop tracks. It has a much more mature sound than her debut, but it’s still heavily manufactured. Sabrina has a minute role in songwriting, and other than a few outliers (ex. Thumbs), there is little depth beyond surface-level love songs. Sabrina’s soulful voice is the standout element of this record—and it’s obvious that she has more to offer than this.

- Lyricism 17/30
- Production & Instrumentation 11/20
... read more

On her debut album, former Disney star Sabrina Carpenter sounds playful and upbeat. Eyes Wide Open is fit for a summer drive—pure positivity and young love. While she wasn’t doing much writing, it’s clear that Sabrina had vocal talent. Her confidence shines through the commercial-style ukelele and guitar. While it’s far from a creative project, it’s actually relatively promising for a teen-pop record.

Lyricism 17/30
- Production & Instrumentation 12/20
- ... read more

Endless Summer Vacation is exactly what you’d expect—a fun, upbeat, summery pop album. While I miss the rock sound of Plastic Hearts, this is the best pop record that Miley has released thus far. Some moments feel a bit too generic and catered for radio, but a lot of it manages to pleasantly surprise me (ex. Rose Colored Lenses, River). The album does lose momentum a little after the halfway point, but it’s still solid overall. This version of Miley sounds like a completely ... read more

Plastic Hearts is a multi-genre piece of work with impressive collaborations (ex. Stevie Nicks, Billie Idol, Joan Jett, Dua Lipa). It’s the first record from Miley Cyrus that feels created with intention. Her musical talent is executed better than we’ve ever seen it--each track is exciting and produced true to her influences. As she comes to terms with the end of a relationship, she reflects with vulnerability and self-love. It seems that with age, her music matures gracefully with ... read more

As she announces on the album opener, Miley Cyrus has opened her eyes. On Younger Now, she sounds at peace. She’s ditched the heavy trap beats and psychedelic production and begun embracing her country roots. She even has (her godmother) Dolly Parton on a track. While the lyricism is more mature than we’ve seen from her, it still has trickles of her personality to it. She appears in love and inspired—no longer craving the approval of strangers or concerned with her public ... read more

Miley’s fifth project is her most divisive. It’s experimental, and she hops through different genres and vocal inflections. Production is pretty solid—and it’s the most enjoyable element of the listen. The lyrics are shocking. Bang Me Box and Milky Milky Milk will likely be the most questionable tracks she’ll ever make. The songs that catch your attention are followed with ramblings and nonsense that make you wonder who approved of sending this into the world. It ... read more

When Bangerz was released in 2013, it sent shock waves around the music world. With promiscuous lyrics and matching music videos, Miley Cyrus had finally waved goodbye to her Disney persona. She’s not shy in addressing living the high life—love, drugs, sex—and she does this with a list of impressive collaborators. She’s recruited Britney Spears, Nelly, Future, and more. While most tracks are forgettable, there are a few gems. Wrecking Ball is an addictive pop number that ... read more

On Can’t Be Tamed, Miley Cyrus is once again desperate to shed her child star image. From the first track, she’s announcing that she’s “going on a liberty walk”—she doesn’t want to listen to the expectations of spectators. She sings openly about partying and constant attention from guys to blaring pop beats. Permanent December is a shock—hearing 17-year-old Miley sing about “sexy boys” and “being a Lolita” sent parents ... read more

On her second studio album, Miley Cyrus sings of letting loose, ditching school, and high school breakups. While it attempts a more grown-up sound than her debut, it ends up sounding almost exactly the same. There are some fun pop-rock moments and cool instrumentals, but it’s still heavily manufactured. The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun cover teeters on the line of being engaging and hard to listen to, and Wake Up America comes off as explaining environmental issues to an elementary schooler. ... read more

Miley Cyrus—formerly known as Hannah Montana from the hit Disney show—has showcased immense talent from a young age. On her debut album, she’s creating music for an audience of primarily children, but there are telling indications that she will be more than just another child star. The pop-rock influences in tracks like See You Again and Start All Over have enough personality to make them fun to listen to even years later.

- Lyricism 13/30
- Production & ... read more

Melanie Martinez’s third full-length project is outrageously weird—but what else would you expect from her? On Portals, she’s a fairytale creature living in the woods and using magical metaphors to convey her inner turmoil and relationship troubles. There are many interesting ideas and production styles, and she even incorporates pop-rock elements. Her lyricism fluctuates heavily throughout—and the lows are very low. For example, “Give me your vitamin D,” she ... read more

Similar to her debut album, K-12 sees Melanie Martinez use childish metaphors to explain her thoughts about fame, growing up, and societal issues. With her light and airy voice, she glides over pop beats and nursery rhyme samples. As you’d expect from Melanie, it’s unusual and sometimes unsettling. However, it’s a bit less dark and insensitive than her previous work, resulting in a more polished version of the same idea. While I appreciate the thought behind concept albums, I ... read more