Album Review: Fifth Harmony – “Fifth Harmony”

By: Alyssa Bardol – 
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It’s hard to believe after listening to Fifth Harmony’s third, self-titled studio album that this is the same internationally renowned girl group that skyrocketed to platinum success only two years ago with the Teen Choice Awards’ 2015 Song Of The Summer “Worth It.”

After founding-member Camila Cabello split from the group last December, remaining members Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke Hernandez, Dinah Jane, and Normani Kordei promised that, despite Cabello’s departure, their next album would be one they are proud of: an album co-written by the girls that they believe represents them to the highest degree. But for all of the talk about how proud they are of their new music and the continuous denouncement of any concerns with losing Cabello, Fifth Harmony lacks their prior release’s momentum and originality. If anything, Fifth Harmony proved to be lacklustre, packed full of songs about clubbing, sisterhood, and less-than-subtle references that are bound to end up at the top of every middle school girl’s party playlist.

The ultimate downfall of the album is the content itself. Overproduction muddles the songs, often making the girls voices unrecognizable with auto tune; lyrics are horribly repetitive, as focused on in “He Like That”: “He like that bang, bang, bang / He like that bomb, bomb, bomb / He like that love, love, love…”; and each song plays on themes that the group has already played on in the past. Of the album’s short-and-sweet 10 tracks, lead single “Down”, which features rapper Gucci Mane, is the strongest contender for radio success, as it is catchy enough to have you humming along. However, it still lacks originality, as it echoes their last chart-topping hit “Work From Home” in a way that still underwhelms.

The ballad “Don’t Say You Love Me” is a better vocal showcase for the girls, but “Bridges” is the track to leave an impact on the audience; with a “we build bridges, not walls” chorus, it is a tasteful and subtle reference to Donald Trump’s wall-building endeavor, stressing often in the lyrics “no, we won’t separate / we know love can conquer hate / so we build bridges, not walls.” The rest of the album unfortunately falls short, not leaving any real lasting impression on the listener as it is synonymous with the rest of their discography and feels rather boring at this point.

All in all, the new album is okay, but it doesn’t ignite enough of an interest for repeated listens. It is exactly what fans expected after Cabello’s departure: rushed, stale, and lacking a certain spark. It is a shame that four incredibly talented vocalists are plagued with material that lacks the ability to showcase their talent, only making room for other talented female vocalists with better material to continue rising above them.