Fall is reminiscent of the songs that made Justin Bieber famous; it’s poppy, catchy, and the lyrics taste so much like bubblegum that they either make you grin from ear to ear or retch from the adorableness. It’s definitely a few steps up from Catching Feelings. The bridge to Fall is soft and simple, much needed in the album that’s bridges mostly include rappers and dubstep opportunities. Bieber’s repetition of this verse at the end of the song leaves a sugary taste in the mouth’s of his devoted fans.
Die in Your Arms comes after Fall, and despite a weird chorus of gospel-sounding voices in the background, it’s even better at classic-Bieber than Fall. This is the track that really showcases Bieber’s crooning vocals, even featuring a few lines that he speaks plainly (not whispered like in Boyfriend, spoken normally). The background voices dramatically take from the song’s greatness, but it’s still one of the cutest songs on the album, sure to please the “Bieber fever” crowd and younger fans.
Song nine, Thought of You, is more upbeat. It’s the median of all of these songs; it’s the exact middle of old school Justin Bieber and 2012 electronic Bieber. The lyrics are smiley and sweet like Baby, but the chorus has the extreme danceability of Boyfriend. Listen to Thought of You in a good mood, and try not to dance when Bieber hits the high notes in this chorus. I dare you!
Beauty and a Beat is the much-awaited collaboriation between Bieber and Nicki Minaj, with the lady rapper opening up the track in true rap-pop-collaboration fashion. Bieber’s contribution to Beauty and a Beat is respectable, and the chorus, which evenly focuses on his comforting vocals and out-there dance music, is one of the better choruses on the album. The Nicki Minaj verse is definitely the best part of the song, as is typical in most tracks featuring Minaj. Her unique sound in the middle of Bieber’s typical pop sound stands out in the song and in the album.
One Love has a chorus that sounds a bit like Baby, but it’s pretty incomparable to Bieber’s most popular song otherwise. The song is okay and the lyrics are nice, but the song is entirely unmemorable besides a few catchy lines. This is a deep cut from the album that will probably stay a deep cut, though the album does pick up again with Be Alright.
This next song is the softest, slowest song on the album, putting almost all of the spotlight on Bieber’s adorable voice. The lyrics in Be Alright are some of the better lyrics on the album as well, making Be Alright the deep cut that should get attention from the masses. It’s bittersweet with a tone that borders sad and happy in Bieber’s voice. The repeated mantra of “Everything’s gonna be alright” keeps the song on the sweet side as opposed to the bitter. Be Alright isn’t the best song on the album, but it deserves a few extra listens.
The last song on the album is its namesake, Believe. It seems like a personal song for Bieber and his fans, which is appreciated and understood. However, it’s definitely one of the more boring songs on the album. The lyrics are contrived and pretty lame, and there’s nothing in the actual sound or vocal rhythms to remember. Thankfully, the song was placed at the end of the album instead of the beginning.
Overall, Believe is a solid album that’s very different from Justin Bieber‘s most famous songs, while maintaining his well-known sound for his older fans. Bieber is likely to gather a few more followers with Believe, utilizing genre-bending numbers like Boyfriend and As Long as You Love to change the minds of the nonbeliebers. I really wouldn’t be surprised if a few more people warm up to the young artist after hearing his latest effort.
