Album Review: Little Mix – Get Weird
2 min read
Expectations were high leading up to Little Mix’s newest album, Get Weird. Riding on the coat tails of two UK top 5 albums and their recent UK number one single Black Magic already sets the bar pretty high; the girls themselves generated even more hype after declaring they had scrapped a complete studio album before recording this final product. Thankfully, Get Weird meets those expectations and even manages to exceed them. When they said they wanted to make the best album possible for their fans, they definitely weren’t kidding.
Black Magic sets the album up perfectly as its first track with its throwback 80s Girls Just Want to Have Fun-style riffs and stunning vocals; this throwback style covers a decent chunk of the album, with the 80s style reappearing on Weird People and extending to different styles later, such as the doo-wop of second single Love Me Like You and new track A.D.I.D.A.S.
Despite the strength of the throwback tracks, the album’s hip-hop influenced productions tend to be the ones that shine brighter. Even as one of the simpler songs on the album, Hair stands out with the frantic percussion of its pre-chorus and an especially catchy set of vocals for the chorus. Grown mixes its trap production with jazz elements, highlighting its important sections with brass samples. And while OMG initially appears to channel the likes of Icona Pop and Charli XCX on I Love It vocally, it quickly transitions into a solid hip-hop track that works this influence to the best of its abilities.
The album’s deluxe edition doesn’t stand out as much as the main album does, with three of its four exclusive songs being largely forgettable. The main exception is I Won’t, which stands out as being one of the strongest tracks on the overall album. It’s both danceable and simple, revolving around a percussive hand clapping beat and infectious piano melodies, with a noticeable gospel influence in its vocals; it’s one of the album’s most uplifting and instantly amazing tracks.
Overall, there’s almost nothing to dislike about Get Weird. Its ballads, both piano and R&B, aren’t as solid as the upbeat material, but they’re a minor weak point on an otherwise brilliant album. The modern and throwback tracks sit nicely together, and the vocals are amazing throughout. There’s a veritable gold mine of hits just waiting to be discovered here.
