Miley Cyrus built Younger Now around a simple idea: she wants to sound grown-up. The record is a pop album dressed in soft focus and warm light, a portrait of a woman who has traded the stage for the couch and the microphone for a glass of wine. It is also, at times, very thin.
Opening With the Title Track
The album opens with “Younger Now,” a slow-burn ballad that sets the tone. Cyrus sings about feeling young again, but the melody stays flat and the arrangement piles strings over nothing underneath. It is pleasant, but it does not say much.
Malibu Carries the Weight
“Malibu” is the record’s best moment. Cyrus writes about her home, her partner, her sense of belonging, and the lyrics land harder than anything else here. The production is stripped back, letting her voice carry the weight.
Rainbowland Through Week Without You
“Rainbowland” is a strange detour, a track that leans on psychedelic imagery without earning it. “Week Without You” follows, and it is one of the weaker cuts, a standard breakup song that adds nothing new to the formula.
Miss You So Much and I Would Die for You
“Miss You So Much” is a slow-burner that tries to build tension but never quite gets there. “I Would Die for You” is the shortest track on the album, a quick burst that feels more like filler than a statement.
Thinkin’ and Bad Mood
“Thinkin'” is a mid-tempo cut that coasts on a hook that never fully arrives. “Bad Mood” is the closest the album comes to energy, a track that snaps into focus for a few seconds before fading back into the haze.
Love Someone and She’s Not Him
“Love Someone” is a quiet plea that never quite becomes urgent. “She’s Not Him” is a more interesting listen, but it relies on the contrast between the title and the subject matter rather than on anything the music delivers.
Inspired Closes It Out
“Inspired” ends the record on a note of gratitude, but it is a gentle fade-out rather than a strong closer. The album ends where it began: pleasant, forgettable, and a little unfinished.
What Works Here
- “Malibu” stands as the strongest track, with writing that matches the emotion of the situation.
- The production is clean, even when the songs beneath it are thin.
- Cyrus sounds comfortable in her own skin, which counts for something.
What Does Not Work
- Too many tracks run together, with similar tempos and arrangements that blur into one another.
- The songwriting rarely digs below the surface.
- The record never finds a way to balance its desire for maturity with actual depth.
Younger Now is a competent pop record that never quite becomes a great one. Cyrus is clearly trying to grow up, and she mostly succeeds in sounding like a woman at ease with herself. But the songs themselves remain small, and the album never rises above the level of a pleasant mood. It is a record that will be forgotten quickly, remembered only for its highlights.
- Younger Now4:09
- Malibu3:52
- Rainbowland4:25
- Week Without You3:44
- Miss You So Much4:54
- I Would Die for You2:54
- Thinkin'4:05
- Bad Mood2:59
- Love Someone3:19
- She's Not Him3:34
- Inspired3:21
