It isn’t Friday anymore: A review of Rebecca Black’s new album 'Salvation'
Some thoughts on the newest album by infamous "Friday" singer Rebecca Black.
By Ebun Lawore
When most people hear the name Rebecca Black, they are instantly transported back to 2011, while picturing a music video with a thirteen year old girl singing “Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday.” That song, titled “Friday,” was Rebecca Black’s very first single. People hated it so much that she is still being bullied on the internet for it to this day. When people debut that tragically they usually follow up by leaving the music industry in pursuit of something else. But not Rebecca Black. Since “Friday,” she has released many singles, and two albums. Her most recent album, Salvation, came out on February 28th, and it sounds nothing like “Friday/”
The sounds of Salvation can only be described as ultra-maximalist hyperpop. And while it can often be difficult to make high quality music in a genre where you're constantly layering on sounds, Rebecca Black succeeded in making Salvation a really enjoyable album. Every beat, bass line, synth, and layered vocal feels intentionally chaotic, almost as if she means to increase the heart rate of the listener as every second passes. Rebecca Black often works as a DJ when she isn’t releasing music, and it is obvious that this album is made for people who want to dance.
The album begins with a track sharing the same title as the album, and it is an excellent introduction to the album. Black starts the song with some non-melodic vocals, similar to the likes of Charli xcx or Shygirl. But then the driving bass takes a pause to make room for Black’s powerfully belting out the lyrics, “I don’t need you to save me, I already saved myself.” The song successfully draws you into the newfound independence and self-empowerment that Black is trying to express. The next song, “TRUST!”, is really one to keep your heart rate up. That aggressive synth combined with the eerie guitar riff in the beginning of the song really set you up for an incredibly satisfying beat-drop. My favorite moments in this song are the sections between the hook, where her non-melodic vocals really emphasize the energy and aggression embedded into this song. The third track, and my personal favorite from the album, “Sugar Water Cyanide,” really feels like the central song to the album. This is one of those songs in which you have no idea what’s coming next. With every verse and chorus, the beat, instrumentals, or vocals will switch up in a way that can only make you desire for the song to go on forever. The rambunctious chaos of this song really scratches a part of your brain that desperately needs to be itched.
The next song, “American Doll,” is one that I would say definitely has more basic instrumentation than the other songs on the album. But Black’s vocal layering during the chorus of the song is definitely enough to keep the listener interested. Then in the 5th song on the album “Tears in My Pocket,” Black picks the tempo back up, and reintroduces the chaos back into her sound. Black does overdo the hook a bit in this song, making it feel a bit repetitive, but she redeems herself with “Do You Even Think About Me?” This song is almost a perfect hyperpop ballad. Through the lyrics and Black’s performance you can feel all of her emotions rushing onto you as you listen, but at the same time you don’t want to do anything except dance your heart out. Black then goes on to end her album with “Twist the Knife.” This song serves as an amazing ending in the way that it reintroduces the ideas of independence that were given to us in Salvation. But it ends on a hopeful note with a burst of joyous instrumentation and the repetition of the lyrics “Dancing ‘till I die,” as the album comes to a close.
Now the album is over, and you may be thinking, “That’s it?” Yes, it is. Unfortunately, Salvation is only 21 minutes long. But although the journey was short, it was full of some life changing music. I’m really hoping to hear songs from this album all over social media and at future parties. Rebecca Black deserves the recognition, because it definitely isn’t Friday anymore.