At 21, Demi Lovato has matured, and so has her music. “Unbroken” is a departure from her teenage Disney sellouts and ascends towards adulthood, just like the singer. “Unbroken” is a gem of an album which should also appeal to male listeners.
The album starts with a fun dance track, “All Night Long”, featuring Missy Elliot and Timbaland. It sets the mood for the later funky tracks. “Who’s that Boy,” featuring Dev, is one of the big surprises on the album. It is a decent R&B track, which has potential to become the next big hit. Lovato credited Rihanna and Keri Hilson for inspiration, which is evident in the song.
The next track, “You’re My Only Shorty”, featuring Iyaz, is another great romantic duet which can definitely be featured in any date movie. “Together”, featuring Jason Derülo, is next and effective in her use of strong lyrics. It may be the most accomplished song because of its sad and personal feel.
“Lightweight” is another sad melody with strong heart touching lyrics. Lovato’s past troubled relationships are reflected in this song. “Unbroken” takes the listener back to the dance floor after two sad songs; it will make you stand up and strive to get your love back. “‘Cause you can’t bandage the damage, you never really can fix a heart” are the lyrics of a depressing but sweet song, “Fix a Heart”, in which Lovato has been hurt so much by “him” that “she ran out of band-aids” It is another personal and effective song. Lovato relies more on her voice than beats in this song, which makes it even more powerful.
“Hold Up” is a track, which proves that dance floor songs can have some amazingly strong lyrics too. Lovato’s voice did not get lost between the beats, which makes the song exceptional. “Mistake” is the next track in which Lovato admits the mistakes she made in her past. This is an energetic song with the message that one should learn from their mistakes, admit them and be strong enough not to repeat them again.
“Give Your Heart a Break” is a song that anyone with a one-sided relationship can relate to. “Skyscraper” is the most mature song of the album in terms of lyrics and composition. It’s a heart-wrenching and lovely song. “In Real Life” is another song about a guy not being committed and not taking the relationship seriously. It’s a girl-only song but a nice one. “My Love Is like a Star” is similar, with sad lyrics and a soft melody. “For The Love of a Daughter” is the saddest song of the whole album. Anyone with a negligent father can relate to this tearjerker of a song. The album concludes with a light remix of “Skyscraper”, which leaves you both elated but sad.
“Unbroken” is a delightful and charismatic album from a beautiful girl with a melodious voice whose soft and pure heart reflect in her music. With a decent blend of pop, R&B, soul and dance, the album stands as a decent and joyous musical journey through ups and downs of a relationship.