Selena Gomez brings her A-game to ‘Revival’

Review by Cristina Jaleru / The Associated Press

Sophomore albums are notoriously tricky propositions, but Selena Gomez’s second solo venture, Revival (Interscope Records), breezes through to the finish line—the dance floor—with 11 nearly impeccable tracks that skip from the 1960s to the 1980s to right this minute. 

On Revival, Gomez continues her foray into a heady mix of electronic dance music pop accessorized with rapping from A$AP Rocky, writing from Charli XCX, soulful pianos, steel drums, and her own chameleon voice, showcasing her pipes in the piano-accompanied “Hands to Myself” and with warm, rich vocals in the serious, yet jubilant “Revival.”

The first single from the album, “Good for You,” her biggest hit to date, is a subtle electro tune. But the song’s flow suffers with A$AP Rocky’s bewildering (if trendy) interlude—a minor hiccup on an otherwise seamless album. “Same Old Love” starts off with a whimsical 1960s feel, but morphs into a punchy bass dance track.

“Body Heat” is an odd saxophone-infused Latino drum dance-floor scorcher, but it’s “Survivors” that true trance-house addicts will fall for. “Kill Them With Kindness” is an approachable dance track with added bells and whistles (literally), while “Sober” brings 1980s synthesizers to the fore.