After undergoing a life-altering past couple years, which included his marriage to Hailey Baldwin and being diagnosed with Lyme disease, Justin Bieber surprised no one by titling his latest album Changes. It’s also no surprise the teenage heartthrob’s first album in half a decade makes listeners forget why they ever fell in love with him in the first place.
Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows how the Canadian superstar rose to fame: After being discovered by talent manager Scooter Braun via his song covers on YouTube, Bieber was signed to RBMG Records in 2008. In a blink, Bieber’s name and iconic flippy hair became the two most recognizable entities in the world.
After being arrested for three different charges in 2014, and, not to mention, perpetrating other crimes to the point that over 270,000 people petitioned to have him deported from the U.S., Bieber refined his behavior and sound for his 2015 album, Purpose. Though his etiquette is better now, his music has lost its touch.
With the 17-track Changes, the pop singer immediately forged a spot for himself on the list of artists trying to be something they’re not with the release of the repulsive single “Yummy.” Bieber sounds like he’s trying to be a chill hip-hop artist with no bars on “Second Emotion (feat. Travis Scott).” Getting your eyes gouged out would be more enjoyable than anything, especially Lil Dicky’s verse, on “Running Over.” It’s quite clear prime Bieber is long gone because, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end eventually.
Here are the best five tracks from Changes:
5. “At Least For Now”
As the true closer of the album — since the only track after is Summer Walker’s remix of “Yummy” — “At Least For Now” is Bieber’s way of telling the world he’s done with immaturity. Backed by a soothing bass and keys, Bieber reveals he knows his wife isn’t entirely content with his actions.
He pledges to better himself in the coming days, though he could still change his mind: “At least for now, trying to avoid disappointment / At least for now, one finger at a time, I turn the pages.” Bieber’s falsetto in the outro is executed perfectly, and it shows a flash of the flair we’re used to from him.
4. “Available”
Most of the instrumentation on Changes sounds like a bad video game, but “Available” is an exception. Surrounded by a trap beat and manipulated background vocals from producer Poo Bear, Bieber promises to cancel his plans any time, any day for his wife. He wants to be with her 24/7, and he gets anxious when she’s busy: “It’s like, do you even miss me? / Feelin’ less than priority / You got me convinced, convinced I’m the only one trippin’ in my head.” He sounds as genuine as ever, lyrically and vocally, here.
3. “Intentions (feat. Quavo)”
Though “Intentions” includes one of the worst lyrics ever written, “Shoutout to your mom and dad for makin’ you,” its overall catchiness and pure theme earned it a spot on this list. Bieber is letting his wife know she’s flawless, dishing out wholesome compliment after wholesome compliment: “When I create, you’re my muse / The kind of smile that makes the news.” Quavo’s verse is unnecessary, and the instrumentation possesses the same irritating video game vibe as the majority of the album, but it’s still a lovely song through and through.
2. “Come Around Me”
“Come Around Me” is pretty straightforward: Bieber wants his wife to have such passionate sex with him that it’s like she hasn’t seen him in years. Alongside breath-like harmonies, Bieber doesn’t hold back at all: “Let’s not miss out on each other / Let’s get it in expeditiously / All that I want for you is perfection / Pull me down aggressively.” In the bridge, he reuses lyrics from his 2017 track “Stress,” and the outro sounds like an outgoing FaceTime call, but Bieber’s infectious vocals are some of his best work to date.
1. “All Around Me”
Sasha Sirota does wonders on the guitar, blending with Bieber’s gorgeous vocals in an absurdly perfect fashion on the album opener “All Around Me.” Bieber confesses he didn’t know how he lived before meeting his wife, and she’s the reason he’s a changed man: “Never thought I could be loyal to someone other than myself / I never thought I could ever be a spoiler / Guess anything is possible with your help.” The track ends with a baby making noise, possibly hinting at an impending announcement that Bieber’s going to be a dad. The track is as soothing as can be, and it’s the best on Changes.
Rating: 2/5
