Fifth Harmony ‘Reflection’ Review

The wait is finally over. After four eps, pushbacks spanning from November to February and a billion tours, we are finally getting the debut album that we have been waiting for. It is worth the wait.
Fifth Harmony’s 12-track album (14 for the deluxe album), Reflection, features members Normani Kordei Hamilton, Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke Hernandez, Dinah Jane Hansen and Camila Cabello. The album  starts with the song “Top Down”. “Top Down” is a great opening song with a beat that will remind you of a memorable summer night with your friends. The beat is appropriate because of the fact that is what the song is about. The five girls discuss how the night and the world is theirs as they cruise with their friends in a city that is full of possibilities. The next track is “BO$$,” the first single off of the album. The track is the first of many that explore being confident and independent.  They also give shout outs to Oprah and the First Lady Michelle Obama for being bosses as they sing about having Oprah’s amount of money in their purses and being as independent and “Boss” as Michelle Obama.  The next track is their second single off the album, “Sledgehammer.” “Sledgehammer,” seems to be the most out of place and the weakest song on the album compared to all of the other tracks,. The song is about how their hearts feel like sledgehammers beating in the presence of their crush. The song is written by “All About That Bass” singer Meghan Trainor. This is the first of two tracks that she has written for the album. Ally Brooke, one of the members, has some power notes that are the saving grace of the song.

 
“Worth It” ft. Kid Ink is the next track. The track is definitely a dance track with a heavy horn that resembles Jason Derulo’s song “Talk Dirty.” Like “BO$$,” this track is full of confidence and pride. as the girls, talk about how they are worth the trouble so to speak, they are worth the time and effort and they want to make sure the guy has something to bring to the table too. “This Is How We Roll” closely resembles “Top Down.” The subject matter is the same as they sing about being free, young and having fun. They could have combined them into one song and the album l worked. “Everlasting Love” is self-explanatory and is the first true love song on the album.  It is a slower track with a medium-paced back-beat. The song talks about the early stages of a crush, meeting him or her for the first time, and knowing that they will be together forever. “Like Mariah” ft. Tyga is an ode to Mariah Carey. A sample is even used from one of her songs. The girls sing about how their boyfriends make them sing like Mariah Carey every time he touches them. Dinah Jane in particular has some impressive notes in this song that make it extraordinary.
“Them Girls Be Like” is the kind of track you listen to as you get ready. Dinah Jane opens the track with the memorable line “Does my a** look fat or nah?” starting the line of questions that most girls ask themselves before they go out or take pictures etc. “Reflection,” the title track, is a very clever track. The girls begin setting up this boy to believe that they are talking about how fine , independent and perfect he is before saying, “psyche” and revealing that they were in fact talking about their own reflection. The next four tracks on the album are my favorite tracks. “Suga Mama,” “We Know,” “Going Nowhere,” and “Body Rock” are my favorites because they are arguably the most feminist-driven songs on the album. They chastise a man who lies and cheats in the case of “We Know.” “Body Rock” discusses  how it is okay to want a relationship if that is what you so  choose and Suga Mama talks about the fact that the girls can take care of themselves and shouldn’t be made to take care of their man as well.
The last track “Brave, Honest Beautiful” is the ballad of sorts on the album. Despite the fact that the song focuses mostly on the vocals of member Camila Cabello; the song is fantastic. The girls use this track to showcase their vulnerable side and send a love letter to their fans. They remind  the fans that they are brave, fearless and beautiful and that there is no need to change anything about themselves. The chorus says it best, “You can dance like Beyoncé / you can shake like Shakira cause you are brave / yeah you’re fearless and you’re beautiful. So whine like Rihanna / go and pose like Madonna cause you’re brave, honest and beautiful.”
You can purchase Reflection on iTunes and at Target. For more information, visit fifthharmonyofficial.com
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Fifth Harmony ‘Reflection’ Review: Photographs courtesy of Fifth Harmony