Albums of the Week
MILEY CYRUS
“Bangerz”
★★
She may be America’s new favorite spectacle, but Miley Cyrus’ musical talent is still developing. The Twerkinator’s attempts to harness the sound of modern hip-hop on her fourth album, “Bangerz,” don’t do much to advance her standing in that respect. Plastic dirty-South beats and feeble Nicki Minaj impressions dominate “Love Money Party” and the almost tragic Britney Spears collaboration “SMS (Bangerz).” For all her provocative posturing, it’s actually the breakup songs that work best. The Lady Gaga-inspired “FU” puts an enjoyably camp spin on proceedings, while “Maybe You’re Right” uses layered harmonies and Cyrus’ much underrated voice to deliver a standout moment. But “Bangerz” still falls short of satisfaction, and when we all tire of the open letters and Twitter spats (won’t be long now), Cyrus will need to figure out another way to hold everyone’s attention.
PUSHA T
“My Name Is My Name”
★★★
Most modern hip-hop fans know Pusha T as Kanye West’s protégé. But the Bronx-born rapper has clocked more than a decade in the game (mostly as half of forgotten duo Clipse) and it’s what makes so much of his debut solo album sound so unflinchingly confident. Ice-cold flows combine with stark, yet cinematic beats throughout the album, and Pusha rolls pretty deep when it comes to guests, too. Ab-Liva adds an extra menace to the Pharrell Williams-produced “Hold On,” and the streetwise “Nosetalgia” brings another fine performance from Kendrick Lamar. Kelly Rowland’s contribution to the more R&B-inclined “Let Me Love You” seems like a misfire comparatively, but “My Name Is My Name” is otherwise packed with bullets of brilliance.
Downloads of the Week
CAGE THE ELEPHANT Feat. Alison Mosshart
“It’s Just Forever”
★★½
The Kentucky quartet does a middling job of expanding their sound on third album “Melophobia,” but it’s on this dark and sexy collaboration with the Kills lead singer that they do their best to break out from indie rock convention. Mosshart snarls like a maniac while Cage the Elephant frontman Matthew Schultz matches her with his own unsettling falsetto. Delightfully creepy.
SLEIGH BELLS
“To Hell With You”
★★
On Sleigh Bells’ new album, “Bitter Rivals,” the New York duo’s bubblegum-metal trick feels pretty old. Luckily, there are shades of variation, such as this album cut, which sees them stripping back the obnoxious riffs, allowing a smoother swing to surface. But it’s not enough to save them from feeling like an act with strictly limited powers.
ANGEL HAZE
“Echelon (It’s My Way)”
★★★½
With no firm release date for Haze’s debut album, every teaser track makes the wait more exciting. “Echelon (It’s My Way)” is one of the ex-New Yorker’s best yet. A bouncing club-rap anthem, based on a wavering synth hook, the track is also topped off with Haze’s deft rapping, which combines the best of her gritty roots and a newfound slickness that hints at future pop fame.
LAURYN HILL
“Consumerism”
★★★½
She’s back, and she sounds pissed. To mark her release from jail last week, the tax-evading ex-Fugee has released a track that sounds like a laundry list of her grievances with the modern world. Back by a stuttering beat, an enraged Hill spits out her words like one of the Last Poets, and it’s the most excitingly urgent she has ever sounded.