★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 out of 5
It seems unreal when you come to realize it's been a painful eight years since pop princess Hilary Duff released the fan favorite, criminally overlooked collection of dance hits that made up 2007s brilliant Dignity (we will look past her Best Of record in 2008, which featured "Holiday", her greatest achievement).
However, while the artist was still on top of the teen world, selling over 15 million albums in the process, she decided to take a break from it all. She decided to focus on family and a personal life, while devoted fans salivated over any new music news for the past few years.
Now in 2015, prayers have been answered, souls have been sacrificed and Duff returns to rid the pop world of any unnecessary bad blood. Breathe In. Breathe Out., the fifth studio album from Duff, has undergone many transformations during its production. Initially set as a folk-pop experiment -- singles "Chasing The Sun" and "All About You" unfortunately made no chart impact and are left off the album -- the effort now takes on a glossy, dance life, preceded by infectious single "Sparks", co-written by Tove Lo. The eight-year wait was worth it. Rejoice!
Co-written by Swedish pop heavyweight Tove Lo, new lead single "Sparks" takes listeners back to the dance/pop sound of Duff's last proper studio album. The song is a thrilling, fun and sensual release that carries a necessary radio friendly hook demanding massive amounts of airplay. After a perky, attention-grabbing whistling intro, the artist chimes in with a low, seductive vocal performance that calls for some touching in the dark. Mature yet not quite scandalous.
"My Kind", obvious second single choice, is the brightest highlight on the new album, and the apparent fan favorite. As Duff sings of enjoying the company of a man for just one night, a synth-heavy dance beat accompanies her sultry vocal performance that would get anyone moving and grooving to the radio-friendly effort. The artist has grown up, so has her fan base, so hearing Duff sing about her single life is tantalizing and enjoyable.
With the assistance of Tove Lo once again, Duff proclaims her female strength on the empowering, ex-bashing "One In A Million", yet another dance gem tagged onto the new album. "You're going down without me, wishing that you had someone like me, I'm on in a million," she powerfully belts on the poptastic track. Lovesick, slightly bitter former lovers will resonate with the sass and confidence of the solid songwriting.
The metaphors that make up the premise for "Confetti" may come off a tad bit silly and amateurish, but the track is all about positive, lovey dovey feelings and pop radio attraction, so silly isn't necesarily a bad thing. Duff sings with delight of floating through her feelings of love, the confetti reference, while a contagious dance beat carries the track to exciting heights. The added "Heaven is a Place on Earth" by Belinda Carlisle sample is an unexpected, welcomed surprise.
The title track is the mantra Duff now swears by. "Breathe In. Breathe Out.", a somber breakup anthem tangled in soothing Matthew Koma-produced beats, finds the artist making a necessary Top 10 list of all the things she misses about a former lover, his lying eyes and lips are nowhere to be found. At times sounding like an 80s pop classic, the tender, slightly heartbroken vocals from Duff are what carry a bulk of the song's positive aspects.
With an intro similar to parts of "I'm With You" by Avril Lavigne, the deliciously repetitive structure of "Lies" finds Duff calling out a lover for being shady with the support of a catchy midtempo beat mixed with unexpected horns, for good measure. With the song boasting Duff's first writing credit on the album, it's clear why the song sounds personal and fragile. "Why do we hold on to broken things, when this has gone too far," she questions on the track.
Matthew Koma pops up again on "Arms Around A Memory", a dazzling, electro-leaning pop ballad where Duff sings of placing blame and what once was in a relationship. There's a sense of despair heard within the artist's vocals when Duff remembers all the good times and the song succeeds in setting itself apart from the rest of the track list for the softer performance that wouldn't sound out of place alone in your bedroom or dancing away on the club floor.
If one song will trigger the listeners' childhood memories of Duff and her early 00s teen bop dominance, "Stay In Love" would be it. The track is wrapped in dreamy pop/rock production similar to that of her debut album, but the artist's edgier vocal performance is reminiscent of the change heard on her sophomore effort. It appears the singer is fed up with the current man in her life, discovering the relationship is no better than all the others.
"Brave Heart" is yet another unfortunate break up number drenched in mixed emotions of sadness and confidence, packaged with a radio-friendly hook provided by a member of One Republic. While the song is a nice addition, it keeps the momentum moving forward, the finished product is ultimately not as exciting or groundbreaking as some of its predecessors. It does showcase Duff's radiate vocal delivery, a sincere vibe, but it gets lost in the crowd.
Though Ed Sheeran is not featured on "Tattoo" as previously announced, his songwriting presence is clear and pronounce as Duff sounds calm and collective on her own. The guitar-driven effort carries the initially folk/pop essence described by the artist when the project was in its early stages and showcases growth and musical maturity from the "Come Clean" singer. "You're under my skin, running in my bloodstream, these scars are the way that you loved me," she beautifully sings.
Every album has that one low moment. Unfortunately it's the Duff-penned "Picture This". While there are some bright and memorable pieces included, the whistling and fast-paced bridge are signs of perfection, the track is weighed down by Duff overreaching with her vocals on the chorus and the unimaginative, slightly confusing songwriting. The song is still an enjoyable, carefree slice of sugary folk-leaning pop, but far from a star.
The standard edition of the album closes out with "Night Like This", a duet with former Big Time Rush member Kendall Schmidt. Both artists trade verses about sharing a romantic cab ride with a stranger before uniting on the sweet and adorable chorus. "Our hands fit just the right way, our legs tangled up in this small space," the two sing before things get hot and heavy for artists with immediately noticeable vocal chemistry. A positive way to end the album.
Opted for the Target deluxe edition? "Duff inspires listeners to dream big on "Belong", an encouraging, fun effort that truly embodies the folk-y direction the album could have ultimately become. Fans will gravitate towards the message, while critics will commend the new, intriguing sound. "Rebel Hearts" is not a Madonna cover, but the Duff-penned track sounds like another early track with its Mumford & Sons-sounding progression. It's uplifting, fast-paced and Duff with a banjo is pure magic.
"Outlaw" is rewarded to those who purchased the Fanjoy box set. Originally featured as a snippet on her hit show Younger, the song is an unexpected, slightly vulgar creation from Duff and it's quite amazing. The bonus track is outlandish, bold and filled to the brim with sass while showing a new side of the artist.
Breathe In. Breathe Out. was a very long time coming, to the point where it appeared that a fifth album from Hilary Duff would never materialize. Thankfully, the former teen queen has crafted an enjoyable album with current pop heavyweights that will relabel her as the successful comeback queen. While it may not live up to the instantly iconic pop status of Dignity (nothing ever will), the new project effortlessly shows Duff's impeccable ear for current radio trends, catchy radio-friendly hooks and her vastly improved vocal abilities. The singer has never sounded more confident or at ease then she does over the 15 new songs. Sure, the songwriting may come off as cheesy at times, but pop music is supposed to enlighten, inspire and form a connection. Duff succeeds in this area. After eight years, it's good to see the artist has not lost her touch.
Tracks to Hear: "Sparks", "My Kind", "One In A Million", "Lies", "Tattoo" and all the bonus tracks.
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