Wreckord Reviews: Justin Bieber has found his Purpose

Header image for Interrobang article CREDIT: DEF JAM
Justin Bieber has lived up to the hype with a carefully constructed album about lost love and growing up in the spotlight.

Justin Bieber, perhaps the most hated artist since Nickelback, has just unveiled his latest record.

The Purpose album debuted on Nov. 13 alongside an unexpected 13 music videos, one for each song on the record.

Before his brief absence from music, Bieber was dedicated to being the most widely talked about teenage snob to ever come across a guitar. Since then, things appear to have changed quite a bit. Upon his return with Skrillex and Diplo, Bieber seems to be making a Hail Mary play to save his precarious career.

Purpose is devoted to songs that tell Bieber’s side of those teenage years. The album opens with an earnest track “I’ll Show You”, which calls on people to realize he’s been under a microscope from a young age, and that he’s still growing up.

He’s pretty clear about how the media sees him in the chorus, “Cause life’s not easy, I’m not made out of steel, don’t forget that I’m human, don’t forget that I’m real”.

From the beginning it’s crystal clear that this album is going to be very different from the dime-a-dozen hits of his early career.

It’s hard to write this, but Purpose might just be Bieber’s best album to date. Whether it’s because he lost the stupid bad boy persona or because Skrillex produced nearly half of this album, Purpose actually has a solid foundation that builds over time.

On the other hand, I may just be appropriating too much praise to Bieber that should really go to Skrillex. If not for his musical merit, just for being able to put up with Bieber long enough to make a record.

It’s easy to hear the DJ’s influences winding through the album from front to finish, after all, where would Bieber be right now without the summer hit “Where Are Ü Now?” It’s safe to say that extensive collaborations with the Los Angeles DJ have been solely responsible for Bieber’s second wind.

While much of Purpose follows trendy, uplifting pop productions, there is an interesting gem tucked away in the middle of the album.

The song “Love Yourself” takes a break from the synthesizers and bass lines to bring us an intimate yet scathing song about a past relationship. It’s easy to see the wit of co-writer Ed Sheeran shining through the simple production of this tune. The bare-bones essence here is perhaps what makes it so genuine. It could have just as easily been on Sheeran’s next record.

As the lyrical focus starts to get repetitive, Purpose welcomes some wisely chosen cameos from other artists. Collaborations with Big Sean, Travi$ Scott and Halsey bring a refreshing change of tone to the same old content. The track list of an album is essential to its success or failure, and this was clearly well taken care of on this album.

It’s hard to find things to criticize on Purpose. Bieber has finally gotten away from his teenage insolence and is clearly learning his lessons. Whether cleaning up his act is from genuine maturity, or carefully orchestrated record label puppetry, the album that came of it is his best yet.

For better or for worse, we will be seeing much more of Bieber in the future.

Rating: 3 out of 5