Bionic

note: this rating & review accounts for the deluxe tracks, as i consider them part of the album

Bionic is a sprawling, delightfully messy, not at all cohesive, though surprisingly quite consistent pop album. it’s tracklist shifts through phases of campy dance pop, tear-stained balladry, and sexed-up RnB slowjams, though it manages to succeed at almost every turn. ‘Not Myself Tonight’ is a wonderfully european banger, ‘Glam’ is an irresistible slice of ballroom couture, standard edition closing track “Vanity” is BRAT before it was cool, deluxe track “Birds of Prey” is sleek electro perfection, and ballads “Lift Me Up” and “You Lost Me” help form a moving centerpiece to this otherwise freewheeling record. but, as is the case with many 20+ song albums, it doesn’t come without duds. “Sex for Breakfast,” while not terribly executed, is a poor song concept (and not in a fun way, like the outrageous “Bobblehead”), “Monday Morning” tries to be kooky but somehow reads as plain, and “Stronger Than Ever” is a dense, misplaced power ballad that unfortunately ends up overwrought. but, in the end, whether you’re looking for some diverse background music, or you’re in the mood to absorb a bloated pop epoch, Bionic shapes up to be a generally successful record for the pop music listener who wants quality AND quantity!

93/100

favs: not myself tonight, you lost me, vanity, birds of prey