*Sorry so long for a review! College here at UT takes a lot out of you!
Not even a year has passed since the release of their debut album, “Kiss & Tell” , but Selena Gomez & The Scene are back with their second studio album, “A Year Without Rain”, which was released on September 21st. The Disney pop princess explores a different side to her music with this effort and the results are good. Preceded by two hit singles, “Round & Round” and the title track, the album is sure to get Gomez and her band many new followers. The record is a huge electropop production that shines bright many times. Good album all around.
When the album begins, the up-tempo track “Round & Round” bursts its way out of the speakers. The track is an early example that the sound of the album is very different than the first. The track is fun and really catchy, and personally one of my favorites. Gomez vocals come out nicely on a song that would go great in a club or on the radio of your car. The track list plays both singles off the album back to back as the title track starts. Since the beginning of her singing career, Gomez has not been heard singing a slow song, but that changes with this track. Gomez’ voice works perfect and allows the song to become a great success. Best song on the entire album. “Rock God”, which was written by Katy Perry, is a nice departure from Gomez’ sweet side, but is nothing too extreme. The lyrics give the track a surprising kick and some attitude comes through to show people she is an actual artist. This is a great direction for the singer and the band. The album continues with “Off The Chain” which is a beautifully crafted performance. The song is something that is not being playing on the radio at the moment so it is a fresh, new sound in my opinion. Gomez’ Disney stardom works on this song which sounds innocent and sweet. Very successful in every way. “Summer’s Not Hot” is a track that would have found success in the summer season. It is a good song, but some listeners may find it a bit annoying when it begins to play. My praise goes to Selena for incorporating a bit of Spanish into the song, gives it a much needed boost. It is nothing amazing, but it works for the album and her target audience. The very addicting and upbeat song, “Intuition”, is a fun song that wants to be blasted in every car radio. It is a great sing-a-long track featuring a guest that gives the song a little something extra to become anything but ordinary or dull. “Spotlight” is an anthem that will get anyone on their feet dancing. It is a catchy and cute song that is definitely a bright moment on the album. With a reference to Angelina Jolie and a breakdown towards the end, the song is very unique but it does not feel out of place on the track list. The only track I consider to be a ballad comes in the form of “Ghost of You”. Gomez forgets the techno background and beats to give a very simple and beautiful performance. Her vocals are great and work well with the lyrics. It is a perfect example to showcase how her music has progressed and matured. “Sick of You” is the first mediocre track included on the album. The vocals are not bad, the lyrics are good, but there is something about the finished product that seems forgettable compared to the rest of the album. It is good, but I think that is what is wrong, it’s just good. The album finishes up with a track that was released over two months ago, “Live Like There’s No Tomorrow”. The song is decent, but it disappoints me that it was included on the album. I feel they just threw it out to make the track list longer. Nothing really new or special. Overall the album works and provides a cohesive set of tracks, a few bumps along the way but nothing too bad.
“A Year Without Rain” is a great sophomore album. Selena Gomez & The Scene have showed the talent that they have and I feel they have put out a record that they should feel proud of. The album is filled with pop perfection and songs where emotion is felt. Unfortunately, there are also tracks on the album that sound just like fillers and with a short track list of only ten songs, I feel like it was rushed. The album also comes in a deluxe edition, but this review is not for that version. Besides a few mistakes, the album is a success and will gain the band more fans. It is fun and catchy, contains great beats and receives an 84%.
Tracks to Hear: “A Year Without Rain”, “Spotlight”, and “Ghost of You”
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