Miley Cyrus’ eighth album Endless Summer Vacation has finally been released. This is her first studio album post-pandemic since 2020’s Plastic Hearts, and the two could not be any more different.
The album is recognised by its bright cover which sees Cyrus hanging off a metal bar in the sky.
Rumoured to be about her past relationship with ex-husband Liam Hemsworth, the full album consists of 13 songs including an extra demo, and is the full release after her top hit Flowers.
This first song currently racks up an astounding 686,999,851 streams just on Spotify since its release on January 13, 2023.
The album is set to be her first number-one album in ten years.
Many say the album has the ‘top self-love anthems of the year.’
With Cyrus’ music, it won’t be a direct case of ‘I like it— I don’t.’ From her Disney Channel days as Hannah Montana, to country music in Younger Now, to a rebellion pop in Bangerz, she proves to be versatile in every way.
Because of this, the album can appeal to a much wider audience in its experimental mixture of every era and sound she has produced in her career. Those who latched onto Malibu when she first released it in 2017 can now enjoy similar music through Endless Summer Vacation.
What songs are featured?
Miley doesn’t shy away from revealing her true self in this album. She doesn’t hide behind a rock-star persona or someone straying from a famous childhood figure.
The various songs range from slow, emotional piano pieces such as Wonder Woman and You, to strong, and women-empowering rock pieces like Wildcard and River, songs you could listen to on repeat.
The album covers 43 minutes and 20 seconds of music, but it feels nothing like an hour’s worth. The lyrics are light and airy, and the instrumentals flow intrinsically well together.
Lyrically, ‘Wildcard’ is the strongest in the album. “I’m a wildcard, loving you is never enough”, she sings, reflecting on her ex-husband.
Other songs like ‘Handstand’ act as fillers in the middle of the album, less substantial and unsung; poetic, spoken-word pieces. This song’s different electronic beat hums throughout, not matching the others.
Miley is also unafraid to swear in this album, with a heavy flow of swear words in ‘Muddy Feet’, a song featuring SIA where Miley accuses an ex of cheating.
It was a truly enjoyable album, and the balance between songs is one of the key parts of it.
In an interview for her Backyard Session documentary, Miley mentions that she chose to divide the album into two parts: AM and PM to represent ‘an act’.
“The AM to me is representing the morning time where there is a buzz and an energy, and there is a potential of new possibilities- it’s a new day,” she says.
“… In the evening it’s a great time for rest- it’s a time to recover, or it’s a time to go out and experience the wild side.” She recalls it all being very inspiring.
The album stays true to its name; you’ll feel like you’re on an endless summer vacation.
It’s strong, it’s emotional, it’s different – anything and everything that we expected from Ms Cyrus herself.
You can stream Endless Summer Vacation on all music platforms.
Featured Image Credit: Miley Cyrus / Columbia Records
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