Review: Demi Lovato, DEMI

Following up her ground-breaking third album Unbroken and a successful run as a mentor on the second season of The X-Factor, Demi Lovato took to the recording studio once more and released her latest work DEMI last week. The album itself sees Lovato returning to the edgier sound she emerged with but it is much more polished this time around with electronic elements thrown in for good measure. If anything, DEMI emphasizes Lovato's growth as an artist and highlights her keen ear for what it takes to make a potential hit.

Unlike most of her pop contemporaries, Lovato isn't afraid to use live instruments on her music rather than relying on synthesizers. She marries rock with pop so effortlessly on the lead single "Heart Attack," utilizing an acoustic arrangement laid on top of an electronic one. She belts out the chorus flawlessly and the song itself opens the album on a high note. The album is buoyed nicely by a series of upbeat songs varying from love songs ("Made in the USA") to kiss-off tracks ("Something That We're Not"). While she indulged in elements of R&B on Unbroken, Lovato takes a more traditional approach to these uptempo pop songs. "Really Don't Care" featuring Cher Lloyd stands as one of the most infectious tracks on the album with its pulsating beat and Lovato's slick vocal delivery. It's full of the sass that makes Lovato's music so fun to listen to. Even Lloyd's bratty verse becomes endearing after a couple of listen-throughs. Another standout is the dance cut "Neon Lights." Punctuated by a piano and fluctuating beats, it is a club anthem that sounds like a summer hit. The midtempo track "Without The Love" features incredible vocals laid over a fantastic acoustic composition and "Two Pieces" has a great drumline with a plucking piano arrangement. However, Lovato truly outdoes herself on the poignant ballads present on DEMI. "Nightingale" pairs a haunting piano arrangement with Lovato's vocal clarity to create an ethereal listening experience while the "Skycraper" sequel "Warrior" is a powerfully moving ballad with a simple orchestral composition and golden vocals that speaks of Lovato's survival and personal growth. The strongest song on DEMI, however, is the incredibly touching ballad "Shouldn't Come Back." Its acoustic arrangement is gorgeous and Lovato's agonized vocals are supernaturally affecting. It is precisely the kind of song that demonstrates Lovato's incomparable vocal prowess and emotiveness as a musician. It would be remiss not to address a great flaw in DEMI's armour. Though the album is a fantastic listen, it may leave quite a few pop aficionados with a feeling of deja vu since some of the music plays too closely to what is expected of other female singers. "Made in the USA" sounds suspiciously like a cross between "Party in the USA" and "Price Tag" (both Jessie J compositions), "Something That We're Not" oddly comes across like a Katy Perry/P!NK mash-up, and "Never Been Hurt" is strangely like "Stronger" by Kelly Clarkson. Luckily, Lovato owns the material so confidently that she makes the aforementioned musicians seem irrelevant (almost). Interestingly enough, these songs also happen to be among some of the best on the album.

DEMI is yet another solid offering from pop dynamo Demi Lovato. It features just the right mixture of pop ear candy and moving ballads that have made Lovato one of the most underrated musicians currently in the business. In fact, the album is almost entirely composed of songs that could theoretically be hits for Lovato. For this, Lovato should be praised and rewarded.

Recommended Listening: "Heart Attack," "Made in the USA," "Without the Love," "Neon Lights," "Two Pieces," "Nightingale," "Really Don't Care," "Something That We're Not," "Shouldn't Come Back," "Warrior."

Rating: A-