Justin Bieber
Believe
Island Records
By: Nevra Azerkan
Rating:
Believe from Justin Bieber has got to be the biggest surprise in music in some time. From the first song to the last, I was eagerly awaiting each track and I was pleasantly surprised with each one. It’s pop, it’s R&B, it’s dance music and everything in between.
“Boyfriend” was an instant favorite of mine and at first I thought it was the other Justin, which is an easy and common mistake. The song was written by Bieber and Mike Posner which explains a lot. “All Around The World (featuring Ludacris) is an absolute hit. With all the heavy dance hits especially those that implement electronica elements, this one is a no-brainer single. It’s always a risk to include so many collaborations on a record, but “As Long As You Love Me” (featuring Big Sean), “Right Here” (Featuring Drake) and “Beauty And A Beat (featuring Nicki Minaj) all have a spot on Believe without overdoing it. Rather each one of them is so good they could all be singles. The best part about them is that even with such big names attached, Justin still shines.
Other standout tracks on Believe are: “Take You”, “Die In Your Arms”, “Thought of You” and “Believe”.
The bonus tracks found on the deluxe edition are keepers especially “Out of Town Girl”. I absolutely love that track and it will have anyone jamming to it from beginning to end. “Maria” is obviously written after the paternity scandal he had and this is his response. It has a striking similarity to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” which was no doubt an influence. “She Don’t Like The Lights” is another catchy tune, but to be honest, you can’t really go wrong with most of the songs featured on Believe.
Believe showcases Justin’s vocal range and wide array of styles. He co-wrote every single song on the album with the exception of “Beauty And A Beat”. He has come such a long way from his hit “Baby”. If you thought his fan base was huge before, Believe will only garner him more.
Full track listing is as follows: “All Around the World” (featuring Ludacris), “Boyfriend”, “As Long as You Love Me” (featuring Big Sean), “Catching Feelings”, “Take You”, “Right Here” (featuring Drake), “Fall”, “Die in Your Arms”, “Thought of You”, “Beauty and a Beat” (featuring Nicki Minaj), “One Love”, “Be Alright”, and “Believe”. The Deluxe Edition also includes: “Out of Town Girl”, “She Don’t Like the Lights” and “Maria”. iTunes version includes one extra bonus track: “Love Me Like You Do”.
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