Demi Lovato has been making music for quite some time. From her days at Disney until now, she has made six studio albums, starting in 2008. She has made some major changes all around in her music, whether to lyrics or sound, as she has become more of a mainstream pop star. For her newest album, Lovato manages to narrowly avoid becoming just another ordinary pop singer.
“Tell Me You Love Me” has some major negatives. My biggest issue with the album is that it’s lyrically confusing. The first track and radio single, “Sorry Not Sorry” shows Lovato’s confidence as a person coming out of a relationship and says that she’s not someone to be messed with. However, the next track (the title track) immediately detracts from that statement by opening with Lovato apologizing several times. The rest of the album seems to jump from confidence to self-consciousness, which causes it not to have any coherent meaning. The lyrics really take away from the album.
With that being said, what makes this album enjoyable are a few key tracks. The title track backs Lovato’s vocals with an orchestra and electric guitar, which creates an anthem-like sound. The third track, “Sexy Dirty Love,” is a fun electronic song that would be incredibly easy to get up and dance to. “You Don’t Do it for Me Anymore,” and a couple of other tracks, channel Lovato’s powerful voice into some truly soulful pieces. My favorite track on the album, “Cry Baby,” makes me think I’m listening to the soundtrack of a James Bond film due to its dramatic mix and vocals. The rest of the songs, unfortunately, sound like “just another pop song,” and don’t really have any unique qualities.
The paramount element in this album is Lovato’s voice. Especially in the slower songs, Lovato’s technique and overall power truly shine all the way through. I’m not going to lie, “Cry Baby” is my favorite song because of the way Lovato’s howls to the moon gave me goosebumps.
If you’re looking to listen to some pop music that’s just fun to listen to, go ahead and throw in Demi Lovato’s “Tell Me You Love Me.” It’s an album driven entirely by its sound, and in the end, it’s just enjoyable, and that’s important in music.
Check out this album if you liked: “Lust for Life” by Lana Del Rey
