Album Review: Selena Gomez - Rare
I hesitate to say that Rare, the latest effort from Selena Gomez (her third ‘solo’ album and sixth overall if you count her material billed as Selena Gomez and The Scene) is a ‘difficult’ album; it’s pop music—it shouldn’t be difficult. But it’s frustrating. It’s a frustrating album, from beginning to end, that is capable of both great things, and cringeworthy, cloying things.
It is, however, that dichotomy, that keeps you listening.
Her first record in almost five years, Rare is an album, whether intentional on the part of Gomez or not, full of contrasts; and it’s an album that almost goes where, deep down, I think it wants to go. But in the end, maybe it, as well as Gomez, were just not ready to actually get to those places, and really get into those themes—instead, as a consolation prize, the record just skims the surface, while attempting to keep things moderately light.
It is, after all, pop music. It shouldn’t be difficult, or dark.
But it can be; it could be.
*
Who, exactly, is Selen…
It is, however, that dichotomy, that keeps you listening.
Her first record in almost five years, Rare is an album, whether intentional on the part of Gomez or not, full of contrasts; and it’s an album that almost goes where, deep down, I think it wants to go. But in the end, maybe it, as well as Gomez, were just not ready to actually get to those places, and really get into those themes—instead, as a consolation prize, the record just skims the surface, while attempting to keep things moderately light.
It is, after all, pop music. It shouldn’t be difficult, or dark.
But it can be; it could be.
*
Who, exactly, is Selen…
