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Breakout

by Miley Cyrus

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Yep--the artist formerly known as Hannah Montana is going it alone. Having conquered the teen market under her Hannah Montana moniker, 15-year-old Cyrus is now aiming for the adult world; or at least a slightly older audience. Breakout follows her dual-marketed Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus album, and differs from it in that she sounds a little more grown up, a little rougher around the edges, and just a touch more self-expressive. Needless to say, Breakout is produced to within an inch of its life. Every aspect, from concept to mixdown, has been polished and buffed to achieve that perfect tween sheen. Despite this resulting in a somewhat sterile and claustrophobic aura, the album manages to achieve some infectious moments. To her credit, Cyrus has co-written most of the songs here (all but two), which largely eschew electronic dancefloor sounds for a guitar-heavy ethic. The punchy title track (co-produced by the Go-Go's Gina Schock), the thrashy, catchy "7 Things" and the boyfriend putdown "Fly On The Wall" are immediate highlights, but ballads such as "Bottom of the Ocean" and her sped up version of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" are much less convincing. Breakout reveals a genuine young talent, but one that's perhaps being rushed way too quickly towards her prime.--Danny McKenna