Justin Bieber launched the sequel to “SWAG” to little to no enthusiasm from fans. Released just three months after its predecessor, “SWAG II” marks his second album after he parted ways with Scooter Braun, his manager for over a decade and a half. It follows a similar path as he continues with R&B style, but misses the mark on the catchy hooks and beats that litter the antecedent.
The tracklist starts with a false brilliance that leads to an inevitable disappointment. The lead track, “SPEED DEMON,” arguably stands as the album’s highest point. The catchy recording features strong lyrics that teeter on the edge of absurdity and nonsense.
Bieber indirectly attacks his haters, which he masterfully weaves into the lyrics while maintaining a coherent song and rhythm. One reference points to Bieber’s infamous run-in with the paparazzi back in June, the moment that started the viral “clocking to you” meme.
None of the other recordings offer much value, relying instead on a copy-and-paste filler formula. Overlaid voices sing lackluster lyrics in want of meaning, rhythm and rhyme. The absence of creativity permeates throughout every note, each measure a monotonous step deeper into predictability.
In many of the songs, such as “MOVING FAST” and “I THINK YOU’RE SPECIAL,” he attempts to mimic the iconic adlibs and embellishments often considered Michael Jackson’s signature. However, he lacks the necessary verve for them to hit properly, and instead sounds more like a whiny child experimenting with sounds for the first time. As a perfect example, the intro for “OPEN UP YOUR HEART” abounds with gratingly high and short gasps that make zero meaningful contribution.
The sequence accurately ranks the palatability of the songs. As the record continues, each track presents a weaker chorus and even lousier instrumentals. “DOTTED LINE” is a perfect example of the majority of the record, abundant in underwhelming tracks. As the nineteenth song, it is my nineteenth least favorite, one I was unfortunate enough to hear.
The guitar sounds like a bicycle chain in dire need of a fresh coat of WD-40. The quality of the audio garbles worse than my seventeen-year-old iPod, and his voice sounds like a relentless fly that buzzes by my ears when I try to sleep. “DOTTED LINE” is the worst on the album – one I definitely recommend skipping.
The last song can hardly even be called a piece of music. “THE STORY OF GOD” is a spoken retelling of the book of Genesis. Bieber commissioned help from a pastor from his local celebrity church to write the lyrics and ensure authenticity. However, even with the pastor’s guidance, to listen to this “track” feels blasphemous because of the lack of reverence in the words and the lofty manner in which he speaks. For a song written by two Christians, it feels as though he mocks the Bible rather than revere it.
Overall, SWAG II felt terrible. Although only two of the songs will make your ears bleed, the rest of the record won’t make future playlists. Instead, I recommend the original “SWAG,” which contains a few pop hits and memorable lyrics that outshine this poor sequel that nobody asked for.
