7/27
Epic / Syco
Release date: May 27, 2016
By Shawal Ras
Follow @shawalras
After months of waiting, 7/27 is finally out!
Now that 'Work from Home' has hit the top spot and became our filthy stay-in-bed tune, Fifth Harmony (comprises of Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane, Camila Cabello, and Lauren Jauregui), or easily known as 5H, has released their sophomore album titled 7/27, a follow up to their awkward tween debut Reflection.
I have no idea what 7/27 means but let me be real: throughout its 35 minutes play this is prolly their most jumpy record to date. Kicking it all off with the Olympic anthem 'That's My Girl' (or 'Worth It 2.0'), the album followed by 'Work from Home', to a distorted 90's banger 'the Life', 'All in My Head (Flex)', and the Missy Elliot-assisted gem, 'Not That Kinda Girl'.
Speaking of the final track, 5H is basically singing to guys not to classify 'em as thot: "Why you looking like I'm that kinda girl? / Just cause I'm hot don't mean that I'm that girl / If you want me, don't treat me like I'm her." I like that. In the era of pushing for dangerous-kinda love, the girls are promotion traditionalism - as noted in this solid write-up by Spencer Kornhaber.
Moreover, the unavailability of ballad put this record in a slightly faster pace than the usual industry fare. From one banger to another banger, the only thing that keeps you breathing in between 'em are chilled electro tracks (examples: 'Write on Me', and 'Squeeze').
And that's why I'm saying this is their most jumpy album to date and given by its fresh feel, I bet it'll stay in the chart for the rest of summer.
7/27 is definitely a polished urban pop work by the girls. They have come a long way since the poppy sound we heard in their Better Together EP. They ultimately sound matured, sexier, and confidence in every track and I gotta props Mr. Simon Cowell for putting 'em to work, work, work.
7/27 is out now.
UPDATE: I found out the meaning of 7/27! It's the date of their formation. That's pretty cool, TBH.