Puppy love kicks into high gear with the release of My World 2.0, the second half of rising pop star Justin Bieber’s debut album. All things in perspective, this album is very good though the content here is slightly deeper than on his previous release, but only slightly. Expect more poppy love songs seasoned with a bit of R&B flavor, and more of Bieber’s refreshing teenage innocence. Overall, the 10-song-release is feel-good and lighthearted, perfect for the spring and making this his second consecutively solid release.
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The album’s lead single Baby pairs Bieber with Ludacris, an unlikely duo that surprisingly works to create a sound reminiscent of the late 90’s boy band era. Young girls everywhere will swoon over the smooth lyrics on Somebody To Love (“For you I’d write a symphony, I’d tell the violins it’s time to sink or swim…”), a dance/love song perfect for springtime with some really fresh vocal harmonies in tow. Bieber takes on a slightly bluesy disposition with U Smile, which I think could be a smash hit if it gets a slower acoustic makeover. Similarly Never Let You Go is an unforgettable favorite and illustrates the playful schoolboy crush. For his first male/female duet, Justin is paired with Jessica Jarrell on Overboard, a carefully crafted power ballad where the duo’s voices mesh almost perfectly. Up is a pretty amazing song that has that lighters-in-the-air feel, which stands out because the vocals are simpler yet just as appealing. That Should Be Me closes the album heartbreak-style with production that delivers a world-ending type of dramatic feel through the strings and we hear more strength in the vocals
