HEADLINE PLANET REVIEW: Miley Cyrus' "7 Things"

After riding the fame from her success on the "Hannah Montana" television show to launch one of the most buzzed about concert tours in recent memory and two multi-platinum soundtrack albums, Miley Cyrus finally propagated the mainstream music world with breakout single "See You Again." With a catchy beat and chorus, undeniably youthful lyrics and Miley's recognizable voice, the song became one of those singles that no one could hate; the singer-actress' primary demographic of young girls could rock out to the song in public and at concerts, while older teenagers, young adults and parents could appreciate the song as a guilty pleasure.

But, while there was no hating the song, there was also no worshipping the track. With a generic dance beat and an opening line that bears a striking melodic similarity to the opener of Corey Hart's "Sunglasses at Night," combined with a few unbelievably corny lines of lyrics ("My best friend Leslie said, 'Oh, she's just being Miley.'"), the song was at best 'too safe' to become an all-out classic and at worst a bit too gimmicky and cheesy to be taken seriously. It worked as an introduction song to Miley Cyrus, the singer, but it did not necessarily cement her as a viable competitor for the breadth of successful female acts that includes names like Rihanna, Carrie Underwood and Avril Lavigne.

Those rooting for Miley Cyrus are hoping that "7 Things," the lead single from new album "Breakout," helps extend her credibility. The single—and album—are the first solo endeavors to have no direct connection to "Hannah Montana," so while the singer will still benefit enormously from the exposure she gained from the Disney show, quality will be more important than ever. This is a real album.

Set against clashing instrumental backdrops—pleasant, acoustic-driven verses and frenetic, rock choruses—the song asks Cyrus to show more heartfelt artistry than on many of her previous recordings. The chorus is the money part—it oozes with the energy and youth that makes Cyrus so appealing to her young fans—but her work on the verses is what will determine how seriously radio, and the music community at large, will take the song. She succeeds there as well.

Miley sounds very much like "Pieces of Me" era Ashlee Simpson with an added country twang, but something about her voice sounds rawer and thus less deliberate. One gets the impression (likely due to familiarity with her unique speaking voice on "Hannah Montana") that she is singing completely as herself, which helps her come across as endearing even when the phrasing resembles that of an "annoying" teenage girl. Adding to the experience is the fact that Miley Cyrus injects far more emotion in the words than should be expected of a fifteen-year-old singer, doing something that not even the red hot (and older) Rihanna can consistently do on her tracks.

Those familiar with the singer's work on "See You Again" will not find any surprises on the energetic choruses (though they do feel more natural and tangible than her "dance club" work on the previous single). Despite coming off nowhere near as edgy and hard as singers like Gwen Stefani and even Avril Lavigne (who is consistently mocked for NOT being hard), the delivery is far more real and youthful. One can listen to Miley Cyrus and not feel the need to comment about how she's making a lame attempt to be "punk" -- she's simply a young girl having fun. That sense of fun and purity is often missing from the manufactured female pop of 2008 (Jordin Sparks is a far better singer than Miley Cyrus, but her vocals often seem old-fashioned and distanced), and it is a breath of fresh air to hear a teenage girl sounding like a fifteen year old girl. One over the age of eighteen is not "cool" if he rocks out to "7 Things," but he or she is certainly not uncool for appreciating the quality of the music.

The same argument applies to the lyrical aspect of the song. In terms of depth and maturity, there are few songs as lacking as "7 Things." Nothing cracks the surface on this song; it is unbelievably shallow. But, for Miley Cyrus, that is ideal. Fifteen year old girls in the 21st century do not think like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, so poetic, introspective lyrics are just not appropriate. A fifteen year old girl would, however, resent an estranged boyfriend for apologizing via text message, so the lyrics, no matter how lame they may seem to someone over the age of twenty, are effective. "Real" lyrics helped Avril Lavigne break out as a star, and they're currently turning Taylor Swift into one of the hottest country crossovers in years. They, in many ways, mean more than vocal and instrumental talent, and it is so important that someone like Cyrus - who most view as the epitome of a manufactured pop star - sings words that appear authentic for someone her age.

The song is not perfect. The acoustic/electric interplay works well for the first two-thirds of the song, but the overall record would have been better served if the song's lyrical "twist" (where Cyrus switches from talking about the things she hates about the boyfriend to the things she likes) served as a bridge that better linked the soft and hard parts. By instead running that portion more as a third verse, the composer keeps the melody shifts separate and thus creates an absence of cohesiveness. It's not the type of error that will prevent this song from taking off as a hit (it is already on the Billboard Hot 100 and should make a swift climb when the digital single officially hits iTunes), but it is the type of thing that will prevent the track from being viewed as great.

With endearing vocals, authentic lyrics and fun choruses, "7 Things" is exactly the single Miley Cyrus needed to earn credibility as a real singer. It is not strong enough to distance her from the female pop pack, but it is good enough to prove that she belongs.

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