Already on her third studio album, the Hannah Montana actress is still struggling to break away from her squeaky clean child star persona. There's a musical shift to go with her image change, as Miley takes on more upbeat dance pop tracks than usual. Sadly, they fall flat most of the time.
She's been in the limelight so long it's sometimes hard to believe Miley Cyrus is still just 17. Since breaking away from the Disney machine, she's been trying to ditch her child friendly image for something cooler, something sexier. But if Miley wants to have a credible career in music, she needs to get some better songwriters on board. Even with a multitude of professionals to help her pen Can't Be Tamed, the only thing more tired and humdrum than these melodies is the clichéd, transparent lyrics about young love, growing up, breaking the mould and asserting your individuality.
Going for a currently fashionable dance-pop sound that's produced to within an inch of its life, the likes of 'Liberty Walk', 'Who Owns My Heart' and 'Permanent December' roll along to the throb of drum machines, while Cyrus' voice is Auto-Tuned, sped up and generally distorted, with the occasional Ke$ha style half-rap thrown in just to make you feel uncomfortable. The title track is probably the catchiest and most dancefloor friendly number here, and yet it's still lacks even a hint of originality.
Miley also tips her cap to the country pop and emotive ballads that launched her career. She warbles twee and trite lines like "Every cowboy sings a sad, sad song" alongside a naff 80s guitar solo on 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn', and "The only thing that are hearts are made of are the acts of forgiveness and love", on the cheerless and embarrassingly corny 'Forgiveness and Love'. Yep, there's a reason Miley's trying to sell this one with her perfectly toned bare stomach. 'Cause the songs are utter s***e.
