'WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN' review

Review of Allbout.com... It rated Selena's album 4.5 stars out of 5..!!!

The story of teenage singer Selena Gomez's music so far has been a gradual maturation from the world of Disney tween pop to something more appealing to adult pop fans. On her third album with her group the Scene, When the Sun Goes Down, she takes on themes related to going out and the nighttime, but maintains a light touch. This insures the widest possible audience for her songs. She does not alienate the young fans, but on tracks like "Hit the Lights" she expresses a more adult approach to life situations. "Outlaw" takes on the concept of men that need to be tamed. It is all wrapped up in smart pop melodies, electropop flourishes, and winning emotional engagement.

An Accomplished Voice

This is Selena Gomez's best vocal album yet. She proves here that she has moved beyond her teen peers such as Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. This fact may be most obvious when you listen to the songs here that are co-written by Britney Spears and Katy Perry. "Whiplash," with its edgy electro bounce sounds like a Britney Spears track, but there is significantly more resonance to the voice of Selena Gomez. "That's More Like It" includes the trademark sliding into high register of a Katy Perry song, and Selena Gomez handles the vocal difficulty with admirable skill. Selena Gomez's voice is a pleasurable instrument that is just reaching maturation.

 

Top Tracks On 'When the Sun Goes Down'

•"Love You Like a Love Song"

•"Hit the Lights"

•"That's More Like It"

•"Middle Of Nowhere"

 

The rise of Selena Gomez as a pop star is probably one of the more underrated current stories in pop music. She is a consistent hitmaker and now her artistry matches the commercial success. Mainstream pop fans should take When the Sun Goes Down to heart instantly. There isn't a bad track here. It is utterly charming to hear Selena Gomez end the album embracing her ethnic heritage on a Spanish language version of the hit single "Who Says."