Demi Lovato, Rolling Stone Top 100 Recs
It’s Not That Deep - #98
Goosebump Meter: 2/10
There is no hesitation when I say I’m a big pop girly. Man’s Best Friend was one of my top five albums of the year for context. I listen to most pop releases, and I have a real appreciation for a good pop record. I love how quickly it can get stuck in your head, how simple the songs are, and yet how universal they become.
This was not that record in the slightest.
I haven’t listened to a lot of Demi Lovato; her voice and brand are typically the flavour of ice cream I’m willing to try once. Sadly, it’s not much different with her latest record. To be candid, I didn’t even know she had a new album out until this list. I understand the instinct to create a dance-driven, fun album that’s ripe for club remixes, but none of these songs had any staying power for me.
A weird issue I had throughout the record was how much it sounded like other artists. I kept hearing an overwhelming amount of Dua Lipa for some reason. The album felt like a collage of artists smashed together to produce something fresh—but it grew stale the further I got into it.
I do have some flowers to give and they’re mostly for the technical production. It’s very well mixed, and sonically this is as clean as pop music can sound. The drums are punchy, the synths are engaging, and the vocals are crisp. The album cover is also cool and did intrigue me.
I wish I had more to say, but the songs flowed in one ear and out the other, and before I knew it the record was over and I barely had anything to comment on. Neither amazing nor poor—I was simply whelmed. I know all music is in conversation with other sounds, but this felt like watching a movie where I can predict the entire plot and genre from the first scene. No surprises. I guess she’s right: it’s not that deep.
I will say, there’s a chance I might listen to “Kiss” ironically—which, if I listen enough, might even become unironic. So far that hasn’t happened, and I don’t expect to return to this record any time soon.
