It’s definitely not too late to say sorry
December 1, 2015
I hope it’s not too late for Justin to say sorry, because the masses are crumbling to the core with Bieber Fever. Sparking a delightfully awkward tension on the male pop star circuit, Bieber’s fourth studio album, “Purpose,” hit stands the same day as One Direction’s, “Made in the A.M.”
Lucky for Bieber, the Nov. 13 release date brought only good fortune and sent him to the top of the charts.
Bieber was able to release “Purpose” on Friday the 13th because a supernatural force stronger or more majestic than this album just merely does not exist.
I could not even accuse someone of living under a rock if he or she had not yet heard the pre-released singles, “What Do You Mean?” and “Sorry,” because they have been blasting from every car window, dorm room, Snapchat story and viral hoverboard-related YouTube video, all the way down to earth’s core.
“Purpose” presents an overall enriching, cohesive, yet completely diverse sound. It is a novel exposition marking a fresh comeback by Bieber, which kickstarted at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards.
Remember his emotional breakdown at the end of his “What Do You Mean?” performance?
I would cry too if I had “Purpose” sitting in my recording studio and had not yet bestowed it upon the public.
The uniqueness of these tracks grips your attention, and the sincerity of the lyrics and the emotional inflection keep you hitting repeat.
For as get-up-and-dance upbeat as the most notable singles from the album are, Bieber brings more than just a modern synthesis of energized pop and sincerity that flourishes over subtle EDM baselines (largely at the influence of major contributions by Skrillex and Diplo).
“Purpose” displays a strong lineup of slow, but resonating, hits, such as “Life is Worth Living,” “I’ll Show You” and the opening track, “Mark My Words.”
“Purpose” tells a story, giving every plotline a human heart could hope for. You get to dance with “What Do You Mean?,” “Sorry” and “Where Are U Now” the central contenders in the homage to Selena Gomez we were all expecting, but whose execution we could never predict. You get a stab at hope for the future with the endearing “Children.”
You get a fairytale incorporation of mystic female vocals from Halsey, on “The Feeling.”
You get the carefree and fun Justin-Bieber-being-the-21-year-old-Justin-Bieber-that-he-is with “Company.”
You also get the token hate-anthem, “Love Yourself,” which just absolutely destroys an ex-fling.
“My Mama don’t like you, and she likes everyone.” That stings more than getting an 89.45 B+.
I want to feel bad for the mystery girl, but I also would also like to thank her, because the ironically and intoxicatingly track assembled as a slow, nearly acoustic and intimate melody, is gradually becoming my new favorite song.
One criticism of “Purpose,” which I just so happened to overhear in Bartley, is that the album features too many slow songs.
Yes, “Purpose” is host to more elongated beats. Let me also highlight that there is a one-hour loop of “Sorry” on YouTube with close to 2.5 million views.
This is the only proof I need to demonstrate how the select dance songs, besides being chart-topping hit singles, are striking enough to stand on their own–at least for an hour.
The tempo might be slower on many songs, but they are by no means subdued. Each track truly brings its own energy. I run to these “slow” songs every day! I take “Purpose” for everything it is. This is Justin Bieber and his voice. The elongated melodies are a reflection of the direction he is taking with his resurfaced, modernly mature sound. It is evident that Bieber put his heart, soul, sweat and, as we know, tears into “Purpose.”
Plus, there is the absolute power-move to release a music video for every single song at one time! With every criticism on this album, I only see it as the hard work Bieber put into this and the respect for his fans and the dedication he has for being true to his artistic voice.
The Purpose World Tour has its first stop on March 9 in Seattle and will be making a total of 58 tour dates that will end at Madison Square Garden on July 18.
I might have to make the executive decision and drop out of school next year to pay for 58 Justin Bieber meet-and-greets, but hey, we all have a “Purpose,” right?