Rating: B+
Showing one’s true feelings and exposing one’s inner emotions is a difficult task for many. It’s scary to be in a state of vulnerability. Often, one feels confused and frustrated, but sometimes it’s necessarily to just let it all out. Justin Bieber shows that he is not afraid to show his sensitive side with the release of his new album “Purpose.”
The opening track, “Mark My Words,” clearly demonstrates how crazy Bieber was about his first love. By constantly saying, “Mark My Words,” he seems insistent that he will put his all into a relationship. With the echoing vocals in the background, it also sounds as if Bieber is almost whining, further emphasizing this dramatic period in his life.
Bieber sends a message to his fans with his next track, “I’ll Show You.” He appears to break down, and reveals how it feels to live his life. The fact that he had previously lashed out during one of his concerts shows how “sometimes it’s hard to do the right thing when the pressure’s coming down like lightening.” The song sounds similar to Ellie Goulding’s music with the integration of an Electronic Dance Music (E.D.M.) beat.
The album starts to pick up a bit in sound with the singles, “What Do You Mean?” and “Sorry.” These songs still expose Bieber’s broken heart, but he is able to demonstrate his broken heart with pop influences. These songs contain exciting rhythms, and leave you feeling a little bit better about a breakup.
The second half of the record illustrates the feeling of starting to “Love Yourself.” This half of the album makes the listener realize that the album’s track listing strategically illustrates the different stages of grieving over a breakup. First Bieber starts out with sad songs, then gradually shifts to more upbeat ones, and slowly transitions into powerful songs such as, “Love Yourself,” “Life is Worth Living” and “Children.”
