March 14, Unbroken by Demi Lovato

Genre: Pop
Year: 2011
Runtime: 52:36
Total tracks: 12, including an extra version of “Skyscraper”
Singles you might know:
– “Give Your Heart a Break”
– “Skyscraper”

My prior relationship with this album: While I had never listened to this album in its entirety, I do remember friends liking it when it first came out and having me listen to certain songs. That is to say, I knew slightly more than “Give Your Heart a Break” and “Skyscraper.” I’ve always seen this as the album that transformed Demi from just another Disney kid into a bonafide pop star so it’s worth looking at closer.

My impressions this time around: I have mixed feelings. There’s some super high quality tracks on here, including the aforementioned “Skyscraper” and the equally emotional “For the Love of a Daughter.” There’s also the tastefully cheesy “Together” (ft. Jason Derulo) which very much sounds like a Disney Channel song but just palatable enough to appeal to adults.

However, there’s also a fair amount of pop music that’s very middle-of-the-road to me. We’re talking songs that aren’t bubblegum-y enough to be fun in a guilty pleasure sort of way, but also not interesting or inventive enough to stand out from the rest of pop music. I will give Demi credit for actually having above average vocals that outdo many Disney Channel acts, but I just wish every track on here reached the same standard as “For the Love of a Daughter.”

Who would enjoy it? I think that if you’re a pop music fan who never gave this album a chance because of Demi’s Disney status, you should. You’ll probably be pleasantly surprised. However, it’s not for everyone, and definitely not for people who put a strong emphasis on originality.