Attention: Miley Live Album Review
Blonde wigs, zebra printed skirts and glittered gun microphones; this was Miley Cyrus in her tween prime as she starred in Disney’s famed series Hannah Montana. We all wanted to look like her and we all wanted to be her. But, as the show grew to an end, she did everything in her power to stray away from the Disney-esque persona she had been built into.
By 2010, she was already dancing in cages for Can’t be Tamed, introducing her undeniable fearlessness and sexiness to the world - which was met with criticism. Miley was finally delving into the realm of experimentation: she no longer wished to be depicted as the “cute clean pop princess” she had been portraying for years. This further evolved into 2013’s unforgettable twerking and tongues out Bangerz era. She stormed through 2015’s marshmallow acid glitter throw up album Miley Cyrus’ and Her Dead Petz, 2017’s country pop Younger Now and 2020’s nostalgic, electro rock piece Plastic Hearts.
Attention is the summary of all these phases, including songs from her Hannah Montana days, which she has recently come to embrace - probably due to the fact that Y2K is insanely “in” as of right now. The singer’s first live album includes only two new songs, among them studio version “ATTENTION,” a saturated screamo pop song with a crunchy guitar in which Miley repeats the same lines “Attention, attention / I need attention / Can I have your attention? / You've got questions? / I need answers / Wrong answers only.” It is a very metal track that does not really fit in with the rest of the songs in the album, considering that the other new track “You” is a melancholic, love ballad. Nonetheless, we get a variety of mashups including “Mother’s Daughter X Boys Don’t Cry” featuring Brazilian sensation Anitta - the track is overwhelmingly pop, but the singers belt out along with the rock band, giving it an 80’s Bon Jovi vibe (which some people enjoy, I personally do not).
One of the highlights of the album has to be Miley’s cover of her godmother’s - Dolly Parton - “Jolene.” Miley’s raspy, raw vocals take the song to a newer, faster tempo: awesome enough for a good ol’ mosh. The track ends with a little monologue from Miley’s part, telling the audience how “you never need to choose who you want to be,” which is fitting to the album. Essentially, the project doesn’t make sense all together, but it doesn’t have to because that doesn’t matter. Miley is anything she wants to be, and this is refreshing.
ATTENTION is her way of telling the world that she is everything she has ever been and anything she is now - she is a contradiction, but who says she can’t be one? And, why does it matter anyway? Simply put, she really doesn’t give a fuck and that is inherently Miley Cyrus.
And there is nothing more “I don’t give a fuck” than the live version of “Dooo It!” - the first song off of Miley Cyrus’ and Her Dead Petz album. This track is not the most popular among masses, considering that its lyrics start off as “Yeah, I smoke pot / Yeah, I love peace / But, I don’t give a fuck / I ain’t no hippy.” Yet, the piece is a dissonant, silly, drum-filled paradise that makes the most ridiculous counterpart of fans go crazy, like myself.
The album ends with the legendary “Fly On the Wall,” which Miley wrote back in 2008. This version is way more arty garage metal and, of course, grown up - it almost feels like a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song. You can really sense Miley’s present day likes and influences, as she gives a little spin of her own to each track on the album.
Yet, is this Miley’s way of commercializing her past selves, inspirations and aesthetics and just putting them all together in one project? I mean, I don’t even know if I should be asking that question because at the end of the day, she simply wants to let us know that she doesn’t give a fuck. Good for her, honestly.
