Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Miley Cyrus, Hazard, Robert
Full Circle - Miley Cyrus, Cutler, Scott
Fly on the Wall
Bottom of the Ocean
Wake Up America
These Four Walls - Miley Cyrus, Cutler, Scott
Simple Song - Miley Cyrus, Littleton, Jesse
Goodbye
See You Again [Rock Mafia Remix]
7 Things [Ek's Baleric Mix]
7 Things [Daishi Dance Remix]
UK pressing of the 2008 album from the teen sensation features one bonus track: `See You Again' (Wideboys Club Remix). On Breakout, the music is infectious and the hits are undeniable! Features the mega hit single '7 Thin... more »gs', the perfect follow up to her Top Five radio Smash Hit 'See You Again' ! With three albums released by the age of 15, Miley has already had the level of success that most artists only dream about with over 10 million albums sold! 13 tracks. Polydor.« less
UK pressing of the 2008 album from the teen sensation features one bonus track: `See You Again' (Wideboys Club Remix). On Breakout, the music is infectious and the hits are undeniable! Features the mega hit single '7 Things', the perfect follow up to her Top Five radio Smash Hit 'See You Again' ! With three albums released by the age of 15, Miley has already had the level of success that most artists only dream about with over 10 million albums sold! 13 tracks. Polydor.
CD Reviews
Embarrassed to like this CD? No way...
afreric | Indiana | 07/22/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Ok, so I'm 32 and have NO KIDS, yet I bought this album, much to the surprise of my husband. I admit I've watched my fair share of Hannah Montana episodes and I even have a Hannah Montana ringtone. Do I get flack about this from my oh-so-grown-up friends? You bet. Do I care? Not really. The truth is Miley Cyrus, dressed up as Hannah Montana or in her own persona, is adorable. She exudes a charm that has preteen girls and their moms alike captivated. She's somehow managed to suck me in, as well. I can't explain it, but I had to purchase this CD the day it was released.
Having already been hooked on 7 Things I was a little disappointed that none of the other tracks have quite the same infectiousness of her lead single. But that's not to say there isn't plenty worth listening to. The title track, Breakout, comes closest to 7 Things in energy and attitude and made me relive my high school days, longing for the freedom that only 3:30 knew. Miley is at her best here, embracing her youth and singing about what she should know well. Several of the other tracks, notably Full Circle and Bottom of the Ocean, showed an unexpected maturity - so much so that I was suprised to see her name amongst the writing credits. However, because of this maturity they felt a little disjointed. How could a 15 year old have anything worthwhile to say about heartbreak, after all? But you just have to remove yourself from the knowledge that this girl is so young and a product of Disney. Try telling yourself that this is a brand new artist and you know nothing about her. It's easy to believe that this singer, with her deep voice, heartfelt vocals and expereienced vocal interpretation, is appropriate for the adult contemporary audience. Sure, there is a notable lack of sexual undertones and profanity common in this genre, but I for one felt somewhat refreshed by that. I don't need to hear the F-word to know I'm a grown-up. Nor is my adult status challenged by the success of this teenage phenomenon.
I'm not sure why some haters out there feel the need to scrutinize everything this young lady does. The truth is she is far more talented musically than Britney, Hillary or many of the other teenbots that have graced us over the past decade. Give the girl a chance to learn and grow into the artist she has the potential to become. In the meantime, accept her music for what it is - fun, youthful but with enough substance to listen to without kids in the car."
Over the hill (and far away)
Amanda Richards | Georgetown, Guyana | 08/10/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If you're over the hill (i.e. past your tween years) then this probably isn't your kind of music. Like the Jonas Brothers et al, this is bubblegum pop, targeted at a new generation of music fans - after all, each generation needs SOMETHING to raise the hackles of their parents.
Cyrus co-wrote eight of the twelve tracks on the album, and two of the remaining four are covers. Surprisingly, after a few dozen listening experiences from the confines of the car, there are a few tracks that have grown on me, or perhaps I've grown accustomed to her voice.
The safe tracks are "Breakout" (one of the tracks she didn't write); "7 Things"; "Full Circle"; "Simple Song" (another one she didn't write); "Goodbye" and "See You Again". (Actually, the ones I've picked are the ones where she sounds like Avril Lavigne). There's also "Fly on the Wall" which sounds like a G-rated Pussycat Dolls song.
Warning!! If you're a fan of `80s music it's advisable to skip track four, as you don't wanna listen to this version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (Trust me on this one)
Rated:
For tweens 4.5 stars
For old coots 3 stars
Recommended as a gift for that special tween on your list
Amanda Richards, August 9, 2008
"
A true step up
Philosopher23 | Chicago | 07/23/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The true test of a tween pop album is how much it grows on you. And while this album isn't exactly tween, it definitely passes that test with flying colors. In the first listen, I didn't quite catch its magic, but even by the second listen it had begun its move up to one of my favorite cds. It certainly does show that Miley is growing up, and it showcases her talent in a way the Hannah Montana albums could not. Typical tween is about catchy melodies and snazzy production, and Miley's done that well in the past, but in this album we find that hidden behind all of that is a voice that can carry the kind of depth and emotion that makes an artist. It also reveals a kind of maturity that didn't show up on Hilary Duff's albums until she was 20.
The first track, Breakout, is less than exceptional. It's basically in the same vein of "We've Got the Party" and could have come straight off of a Hannah Montana album. Which is good enough in itself, but it doesn't quite fit into this album that's strength is the way in which it moves beyond the typical tween.
7 Things is, of course, one of the most highly addictive songs out there, and Fly On The Wall is right up there with it. I really like the edge both of these have, and I would love to get more like these from Miley in the future.
As far as the cover of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun goes, Miley is of course no Cyndi Lauper. But Miley's version is sung with some kind of feel of pathos or desperation that was totally missing from the original, which may not be what she intended, but it makes for a very interesting track.
The cover of These Four Walls is definitely far better than the original. In comparing Miley's cut to Cheyenne Kimball's, the real depth and emotion that Miley's got becomes totally apparent. Despite the fact that Miley's is much younger, she sings with a great deal more maturity and artistry. And the country feel of this track really suits Miley.
Full Circle and Simple Song are two of the gems of this album. Simple Song in particular is very beautiful and a little heartbreaking. It both makes you admire Miley's talent and mourn a little for what she's lost because of it.
All in all, what Breakout shows is that Miley is not just another tween pop sensation, but a true artist with a real capacity for growth. I do wish we could give her the grace to grow a little more out of the spotlight. But this album does show that Miley's fame is not just the result of Disney marketing and a Wal-Mart product line. She's got real talent. And this is one adult fan who can't wait for more."
Better, but still not good
Anne & Brooke | Maryland, USA | 08/25/2008
(2 out of 5 stars)
"In my opinion "Breakout" was a major improvement over previous music recorded by Cyrus. There isn't a trace of Hannah Montana on this album which is a plus for me but I'm guessing will be a minus for others. The stupidity and shallowness of songs like "G.N.O (Girl's Night Out)" and "Let's Dance" disappeared too. Also a plus. I was glad to see at least an attempt at depth and meaning, which was more than previous albums had. There were even a couple of songs I actually liked ("Simple Song" and "Goodbye") even if there were others I couldn't stand ("7 Things", "Full Circle", "Bottom of the Ocean", and "Wake Up America".) The vocals were o.k, but most of the songs could've been a lot better had they been sung by someone with more vocal ability.
1. Breakout--
It really sounds like Disney wrote the song for her (It could've been written by the same person that wrote "What Time is It?" from HSM2). It's not unique at all. I could hear Demi Lovato or any other Disney diva doing the exact same song. There were also a number of little things I took issue with, such as "getting up at 8am's crazy." Around here students at the local public high school wake up around 6am to go to school. Most working adults have to wake up even earlier. Don't get me wrong, I hate it if I have to wake up any earlier than 9, but I don't call it crazy because I realize lots of people have to. Second, isn't Miley homeschooled? I thought I heard that somewhere. Third, the chorus takes place "after the bell rings" right? That would be in the middle of the afternoon, right? So why on earth do they have to "wake up everyone they know"? Fourth, why are they breaking hearts? Isn't this supposed to be a happy song? It just doesn't fit with the song, but it rhymes, so I guess that's good enough. Overall though, I'd say this was a good song to kick off the album. It's nice and upbeat, the kind of song that gets people excited. It's certainly not the worst song you're going to hear on the album, but certainly not the best either.
2. 7 Things--
I guess it's a creative idea for a song. That's the only good thing I can say about it. She shouts the chorus. The "sha"s are just plain stupid. And my biggest issue with this one is that I think it sets a bad example for all the little girls the look up to Miley as a role model. According to the first chorus this guy is vain, plays games, is insecure, likes other girls even though he's in a relationship, hangs out with a bunch of jerks and tends to act like them. In my mind, that makes him a total I.P.H (Insert Profanity Here). But Miley decides to go out with him anyway, and her reasons for doing so were pretty shallow: his hair, his eyes, his old levi's, and when they kiss, she's hypnotized. What kind of a message does that give to sed little girls? It's fine to date a total I.P.H as long as he's cute and is a good kisser. I kind of understand Miley's point though, that sometimes you love people who really don't deserve it. I wouldn't mind it as much if she wasn't trying to pass herself off as a role model.
3. The Driveway--
This one was a sad song, and Miley did a good job of expressing the sadness. It was very heartfelt, and it needed to be. I would've preferred if they hadn't used the echo-type effect that they did on her voice. The lyrics were good, also heartfelt although I didn't get the line "no disgrace about face" or what "the driveway" had to do with anything. It's about mourning the end of a relationship, and how "the driveway" was the end of the road. I think there's supposed to be some symbolism there, but I didn't get it. So far though, it's been the best song on "Breakout."
4. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun--
The new arrangement actually wasn't all that bad. I might've felt differently if I had gotten used to the original, but I never listened to the original enough for that to happen. I liked the strings. The problem is not the arrangement so much as Miley's voice. There's no doubt Cyndi Lauper could run circles around Miley in the vocal department. Miley cannot hit those high notes that Cyndi could but she tries anyway which makes the song unbearable at some points. There are so many other songs that would've been so much better for her to cover. I also just can't imagine Billy Ray asking her "What are you going to do with your life?" which subtracted from the authenticity the song had when Cyndi sang it.
5. Full Circle--
This song is obviously about a guy, but other than that I have no clue what she's singing about. I can't decide if he's an actual boyfriend, an ex, or just a crush. I don't know what it means to have your "heart like a wheel." I don't understand what "full circle" has to do with anything. It just sound like some random words thrown into the chorus to make it longer, as does "I can't jump the track." She's invented all these analogies that make no sense simply because she needed rhymes. In case you haven't noticed already, I hate it when people do that. I'm trying to say something positive about every song if I can though, so I guess I'll say that it has a catchy tune and is not that bad if you don't pay attention to the lyrics. But I do, so in my opinion it's bad.
6. Fly on the Wall--
This song was kind of fun to listen to at first but now I find it annoying. It's certainly like nothing Miley's ever done before. There's a weird effect on the voice again, which usually bugs me but on this song it works. I'm sure some Miley fans will hate this song and others will love it. It was not particularly creative lyricwise. She basically says "if you would stalk me, you would be better at flirting with me." (I think.) It was one of those songs where the second verse pretty much paraphrased what she said in the first, another thing songwriters do that bugs me. The bridge (where she says "a little communication" etc.) didn't really go with the rest of the song although she actually sang it rather well. Once again, not really the worst but certainly not the best.
7. Bottom of the Ocean--
Miley's voice sounds a lot better when there's lots of drums and guitar drowning her out. The "doo doo doo"s bugged me. When you doo doo doo as much as she did in this song it really makes me think you were just too lazy to come up with real words. Not only that, this song was just flat out boring. It could put someone to sleep. It's forgettable too, certainly not the catchy pop tune that's stuck in your head for days after you listen to it whether you like or not that we're used to hearing from Cyrus. To be positive, I will say it had good lyrics save for the doo doo doos.
8. Wake Up America--
Don't you love it how she says "I don't know what all this means" and then continues to preach to us about it anyway? I don't. I hate it. I hate how we're the ones that are supposed to spare several moments of our consideration when she's the one that doesn't even know what global warming is! We also once again have the dreaded "forced rhyme" (the rhyme that doesn't make sense but rhymes so therefore is in the song.) When she says "leading up to the final destination" (Wasn't that a horror movie about a roller coaster? And what does it have to do with sparing moments of consideration?) And then again when she says "Wake up, it's not a fire drill." (I could be wrong but I didn't think fire drills were usually events one was supposed to sleep through.) The only thing she got right was when she said "I know you don't want to hear it." You're right! We don't want to hear it! So shut up and let Al Gore give us crap about the environment on his own! Positive things... I really don't think there are any. At least none that aren't completely overwhelmed by negatives to be worth it. Oh well, I guess I'll give you one of them. Like "Full Circle," it was an o.k song as long as you ignore the lyrics.
9. These Four Walls--
Unlike the previous cover ("Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.") nothing in the arrangement was really all that different than the original version (sang by Cheyenne Kimball.) The only difference was the voice. I would say I preferred Cheyenne's voice on the softer verses (because Miley sang them through her nose) and Miley's voice on the chorus (because Cheyenne sounded like she had just inhaled helium.) Both girls sang it with a lot of feeling, which is %100 necessary on an emotional song like this. You know who would sing this song really well? Carrie Underwood. But that's besides the point. It's a country song, but I think Miley's voice works well on country music. Once again, a song that isn't like anything Miley's done before. I think it was a much better song for her to cover than "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." One thing I will say though is I'd like to see her sing this song live. I really don't think she'll be able to pull it off, or at least she wouldn't sound anything like she did on the studio recording. The song was good too, very well written (probably because Miley didn't write it.)
10. Simple Song--
This is without a doubt my favorite song on the album. It's well-written, well-sung, and pretty much everyone can identify with it. It has a sort of country-ish vibe but definitely more pop than "These Four Walls". I especially like the piano. It not only sounds beautiful, but also helps to make the song stand out from everything else on the album. If you're one of those people that's not enough of her fan to buy the album but does want to download a few songs from it, make this one of those songs.
11. Goodbye--
Another beautiful song. It almost made me cry, but it didn't. It's very heartfelt and I really don't have anything bad to say about it. Another one you should download if you plan on downloading any "Breakout" songs.
12. See You Again (remix)--
It's basically the original with a few extra sound effects thrown in (but I guess that's pretty much what a remix is.) I actually like it better than the original but I do think they really only put it on here so they'd have an excuse to charge more money for the album. It really doesn't add anything. Obviously no one is going to buy the cd for a new version of an old song. I guess it doesn't really subtract anything either.
Miley did a lot of growing up on this album. On one hand, her older fans will like that she is catering more to them than the elementary school crowd, but on the other hand the elementary school crowd that fell in love with the Miley of previous albums won't be able to identify with "Breakout" at all. Maybe a few songs (the first and last tracks on this album, and pretty much nothing in between, except maybe the Cyndi Lauper song.) There's nothing wrong with that. She's supposed to grow up. To sum it all up, the songs got a lot better but the voice stayed the same. And it's really not that great a voice. I might be able to get over the not-that-great voice if she can come up with more songs like "Simple Song" and "Goodbye" and get rid of songs like "Full Circle" and "Wake Up America." I give it two stars out of five.
"
Impressive for a 15 year old girl
Gerald Rains | 07/31/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'm almost totally oriented to classical music and pre-arthritis played classical (and other) guitar, clarinet, and piano (poorly - I took it up less than a year before the arthritis set in.)
If Miley Cyrus were to be trained in opera for a few years, I think that her range would expand to at least 3 1/2 octaves and the squeakiness in her voice would disappear. It's a shame that, after she had almost completely gotten rid of her Southern accent, Disney, Inc. insisted that "Hannah Montana" needed it and she now has more of a Southern twang than ever before. As well her time spent in Nashville is very bad for her.
Now the plusses. She has a terrific band and together they have a cohesive unit. Her songs are based on her ideas but the lyrics and music are written by her father. She has good ideas but is not a songwriter. She's certainly more professional than anybody her age has a right to be. She almost always hits her notes and her sense of rhythm is excellent. Of all of the CDs that my daughter is occasionally allowed to play on my big system, this is certainly the best. It's not totally my cup of tea - Mozart is. But all things being equal she is heading in the right direction and she's way ahead of schedule. She comes out a big winner when compared to most of her competitors. FOUR STARS!!"
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1