Song Review: "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus is many things to different people (most likely depending on your age), but "respected singer/artist" is not usually listed.

It seems the Disney tween queen is trying to change that with her new single from Hannah Montana: The Movie, "The Climb". Unlike the mid-tempo rock of "7 Things" or the bouncy pop of "See You Again" or "Fly On The Wall", Billy Ray's daughter is aiming at her subjects heartstrings with a teary-eyed, inspirational power ballad, her first real one.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure anyone told Miley that teary-eyed, inspirational power ballads should be left for those who have the vocal chops to sing them.

The song itself is quite good. Refreshingly, its not about boys, relationships, or being yourself despite what everyone else wants. It's about struggle, and how it will always be there no matter what the situation is, and at end, the struggle is all that matters. Considering her past material, its surprisingly mature and thoughtful. Musically, its a typical pop/rock ballad. The song starts off soft with only a piano. It kicks up a notch with the guitar, leading to the climatic power ending. Considering the lyrics are about "climbing", its an appropriate and even effective arrangement.

So, it's a good song. Well, almost...

Miley Cyrus isn't the greatest singer in the world. In fact, she is sub-standard on her best days. A song like this requires vocal abilities far beyond her reach, in the level that Mariah, Leona, and hell, even Katy live in. While she does put effort into her performance, it falls short of elevating the song to the brilliance it probably deserves. Like her ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas, Miley stretches her voice to match the music, which does nothing for her at all. While not terrible, it's simply not good enough.

Good news: "The Climb" is a mature, sensitive song that proves that Miley has some songwriting capability. Bad news: She can't sing said song well. So, it's a 50/50 break.

P.S.: Expect this to be played at every teen dance for the next 6 months.

BWU Rates: 5/10