I am really enjoying this album. It is as good as When the Sun Goes Down, but I will have to keep listening some more as the previous record is perfect electro-pop effortlessly done and it is hard to beat. However, there are amazing songs here to add to her discography ( I don't listen to Kiss & Tell much as it is too pop-rock for my tastes and sounds like it could be a soundtrack for Clueless that kind of American high-school vibe).
She is channeling her inner dance goddess and has more confidence to try different things vocally on this album. We hear the 'high voice' a lot more and those 'ad libs'. I am a fan of Selena's deeper, speaking voice on tracks and gorgeous, sexy pronunciation (Love You Like a Love Song & Outlaw are examples).
There is definitely amazing chemistry going with Selena and Rock Mafia and I love most the tracks they have produced together and they manage to bring out the best in her vocals. Stars Dance is epic, dreamy and magical and it ends so beautifully and kind of like the fade out of a really great romantic movie with that satisfied feeling of a perfect closure. Selena's strength is in those big romantic dance ballads. Each album has had its standout with Naturally/Off the Chain/Love You Like a Love Song/Stars Dance.
The alternative tracks take a while to get used to as they are way out of her usual style. I like the verses on B.E.AT, and the "sexy, sexy, sexy" part of Like a Champion and chanting vocals on Birthday. Though they will take more spins to really judge them in the long-run. The rest of the album is exactly what I was hoping from Selena after she teased that it would be a BIG.FUN.DANCE album and that's exactly what she has given to her fans.
I don't know why people complain that it's basic and generic (yawns) because she did say exactly what it was going to be and so we did know it was not going to be some off the wall record promising something new on the music scene, but this is a feel good album, it's great to dance to and it has those lovely big romantic moments that are always epic on her tracks. I am not disappointed at all by Stars Dance.
The Music Feels Better with You Selena...
Faves in no order:
Stars Dance
Music Feels Better
Undercover
Save the Day
Write Your Name
Forget Forever
Nobody Does it Like You
get them 5 copies Selena