Review Summary: The star of Fifth Harmony debuts with an LP that surpasses the group's discography, yet jumps into a crowd of corny moments.
I wanted to love Camila - the debut album from popsinger Camila Cabello - so bad, but I need to be honest; I am disappointed. This does not live up to the hype everybody’s giving it. Only a little. I was anticipating an album full of hitpotential and well-written slow burners. Cam and her fanbase pretend the album is waaay deeper than it is. Yeah, nothing says deep like Young Thug being the only feature - which by the way is the biggest issue due to “Havana", one of the better tracks here.
Right from the beginning of her career, it was made clear that Camila's voice isn't for me personally. I don’t think she’s using autotune or anything, but as thin as it sounds, it’s kinda difficult to sit through the songs. "Never Be The Same" may be catchy to the average mainstream music-listener, but as I wrote this, I couldn't - and still cannot - remember any lines nor the melody. Only that it's like she’s mumbling more than singing into the up-beats.
I also had to torture my ears and relisten to "All These Years", 'cause I wanted to clarify what she was singing. Now that I know "Your hair's grown a little longer / Your arms look a little stronger / Your eyes just as I remember (oh) / Your smile's just a little softer” …so what? Plus the production is cheap as heck. From the inescapably clichéd cut-out in the guitar every line, to the plagiation of Justin Bieber’s Love Yourself in the riffs.
The production is the most well-executed of the first three on "She Loves Control", but Cam's vocal is painfully overproduced. Obviously, this is the sound she wanted to have when she went solo from Fifth Harmony, but I rather see it as a way of distancing herself from them, than defining her tune.
Now I hate to state this, but "Inside Out" sounds like a throwaway song from Fifth Harmony's latest album, just without the four other members. Even the half-hearted songwriting "Sky high, sky high / Oh my, oh my, oh my, my / 'Cause once you're with my love (yeah, yeah, yeah) / There will never be enough, never be enough”. Seriously, when will she either pick a great songwriter, or try to write some quality herself. "Real Friends" is close to being passable, if it wasn't for her earlier appearance in 5H: on the first two albums, she and the rest of the group, made themselves look like money greedy chicks, who's mission in life is to comfort boys. Ahem, that's not being real. Nor is that corny post-chorus. Overall, this song would have sounded better as a one-take recording in the studio...or a demo. And there's absolutely nothing interesting to say about "In The Dark". It's thin, it's filler, it's forgettable.
The album closes off with possibly the worst song of the year so far. Before "Into It" came, the album chilled at a 2.5 for me, as of there's nothing too commercial on here ( - was going to be a ‘pro’). But "Into It" not only sounds too commercial, but the “ooh”’s on the verses is some of the most corny piece of pop music I've heard all year. After that, Cam and her 10 other producers and writers snappingly removed a rating.
The sound of wanting to achieve a qualifying goal musically, while simultaneously not wanting to flee from the chart too quickly, is one of the record’s biggest cons.
If I should state a pro off the LP, is that, it sounds realer and more focused, compared to 5H’s discography, and even a handful of trash pop-works released last year. Not only that, but two specific tracks raises above average, and show some heartful, atmospheric pop with very good taste; “Consequences” and “Something’s Gotta Give”. “Consequences” not only has a songwriting that melodically is on par with a sister of Lorde, but also her falsetto swings pretty over the piano (with well-written material like "Hesitation, awkward conversation / Running on low expectation / Every siren that I was ignoring / I'm paying for it”), but low-key scaling a new bar for ballads this year. “Something’s Gotta Give”, arguably the only song where the vocals, lyrics and melody completely match, without disasters. And compared to the rest of the bunch, the entire track (bridge especially) hits hard with lyrics such as "If it doesn't hurt me, why do I still cry? / If it didn't kill me, then I'm half alive”. The personal and gorgeous photos in the booklet are also kinda pretty - shame the album quite isn’t as good (all in all).
Camila, if I should give you some advice, then go back to the studio, rewrite some works with more depth and versatility. Challenge your falsetto to more intensity, soul presence. Maybe invite Sheeran, for composing catchier songs, and an actual skilled MC to frame your deeper songs (what about MGK f.x?). Then come back with a meaningful varied record. I'm looking forward to it, and I believe in ya.
Favorite/Recommended: Havana, Consequences, Something’s Gotta Give
Least: Everything else
