Demi Lovato

 After ending 2010 in the worst possible manner - we don't need to remember what Demi did, but only state she recognized her mistake and apologized to that person, Disney star Demi Lovato is ready to return to the music scene with a new album, her third, titled "Unbroken", which will be released worldwide on September 20th, 2011. I guess the title "Unbroken" fits perfectly how Demi feels right now. After the Alex Welch incident in late 2010, the nervous breakdown, and being in the media spotlight for months, I think any person would have broken down. Haters pointed an Demi but instead of retaliate she did the best by checking into a treatment facility for physical and emotional issues. There she solved her 'issues', bulimia and self-injury among them. In January 2011 Demi completed the treatment, and it felt like Demi was reborn, and thankfully she was 'Unbroken', and stronger than ever.

'Unbroken' has a bit of everything, ranging from slow, emotional ballads to club fillers. Unfortunately, it starts with the least interesting songs, all designed to be singles, devoid of any depth. All of them featuring some guests from the high profile Timbaland and Missy Elliot, to the newcomer Dev and Jason Derulo. "All Night Long" and "Who's That Boy" are catchy enough but they don't suit her as much as her peers. She always had a penchant for sweet pop tunes and ballads, not mindless club fillers. So after a full album stream, the listener will only find out how these songs are just random mainstream radio songs dragging the album down. However, songs like "Unbroken" and "Hold Up" are fun and give a new twist (a progress) to her signature pop roots, being a bit edgier. There's a clear difference between these and the pop rock numbers from her last effort, 'Here We Go Again'. These should be released instead, not the songs mentioned above, which will most likely be singles.

The album gets better from the fifth track, "Lightweight", a nice ballad about how a lover needs to take it easy on her, because she is sensitive and fragile. The instrumental mimics an orchestral arrangement but her voice brings the song to life. If there were actual instruments used, the song could've been even more powerful.

"Fix A Heart" stands out as one of the best songs here with minimal drumming, a lovely piano and Demi's more delicate voice on top, never going full power, only for the chorus. On the majority of the tracks she sings her lungs out, so this one is more of a break from all those. On contrast, the powerful first single, "Skyscraper", which describes her emotional issues and how she managed to move on and recover, shows her amazing voice building up throughout the song, with a subtle melody behind her bursting out at the end. Being sung with such sincerity the song easily strikes a chord with any listener.

Arguably the best tune here is "For the Love Of A Daughter", a song about her relationship with her alcoholic father who didn't seem to see her as a good enough reason to stop drinking and be there for her when she needed him. Demi again sings with so much sincerity and passion that she really gives the song life and meaning. This is her best song yet and a great closer to this heartfelt album.

What may be tiring however, is the fact that she sings the hell out of almost all songs here. This goes well with the slow and emotional tracks, but sometimes on the upbeat ones Demi sounds like she is trying too hard.

'Unbroken' is her best effort yet. Ignoring the first 4 songs, it's a great album, filled with songs that have meaning and more important, are better than the a lot of the mainstream crap. The ballads on this album, many for a pop record, push forward further expectations from her and really showcase her strengths. This way, she steps up above all her peers and even a lot of contemporary pop stars. 'Unbroken' has enough for her usual audience, but also for a more mature one, to which she aims for.


Highlights - "For The Love Of A Daughter", "Fix A Heart", "Unbroken", "Skyscraper"

1. All Night Long (featuring Missy Elliott and Timbaland)
2. Who’s That Boy (featuring Dev)
3. You’re My Only Shorty (featuring Iyaz)
4. Together (featuring Jason Derulo)
5. Lightweight
6. Unbroken
7. Fix A Heart
8. Hold Up
9. Mistake
10. Give Your Heart a Break
11. Skyscraper
12. In Real Life
13. My Love Is Like a Star
14. For The Love of a Daughter
15. Skyscraper (Timbaland/Wizz Dumb Remix)