Hilary Duff
Breathe In. Breathe Out. (Sony Music)
Breakdown: Breathe In. Breathe Out. may be Hilary Duff’s fifth studio album but the former Disney queen hasn’t released an album since 2007’s ‘Dignity’. Since then, Hilary got married, had a child, got divorced and appeared in a new TV show. Now, the songstress is putting everything back into her music. The lead single, ‘Sparks’, has shot her back into the spotlight and Hilary plans on sticking around.
How Many Good Tracks: 9 of the 14.
What I Liked: This is exactly the album I was hoping Hilary would deliver. It’s silly pop music but exactly the market she should be targeting. There are a few pop gems on this album which could become huge hits for Hilary. Many of the tracks are club bangers and something radio stations around the world would eat up. The album is light-hearted and preaches fun, love and self-confidence – something Hilary Duff avoided on her previous album. Hilary teamed up with writers such as Ed Sheeran and Tove Lo and awesome producers on this album, proving that she’s incredibly serious about her return to music – and that her label believes in her just as much as she does. This album packs a punch and while it has its flaws, its pure pop and fans will find this album magical. There are many tracks I’ve had on repeat all week.
What I Didn’t Like: When you listen to this album, you won’t be able to shy away from the fact that many of the songs are cheesy as fuck. This doesn’t mean the songs are bad at all, just that Hilary has gone back to basics and is now targeting the old and new Disney crowds which is actually a smart move on her behalf. Vocally, Hilary struggles on some of the songs but hides them with heavy beats and a bit of autotune.
Best Track: Tattoo
Rating: 3/5
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