Rebecca Black's sophomore album, Salvation, has drawn sharp criticism from Paste Magazine, which describes it as a generic and misguided effort in contemporary pop. The review positions the record as a notable failure following the success of Charli xcx's Brat in 2024. Despite Black's evolution from her viral 2011 hit 'Friday,' the album falls short in innovation and cohesion.
Rebecca Black, now 27 and far removed from the backlash surrounding her 2011 viral single 'Friday'—which amassed 167 million YouTube views in its first few months—released her second album, Salvation, as a follow-up to her 2023 debut Let Her Burn. Paste Magazine's review by Matt Mitchell labels Salvation a 'catastrophe,' arguing it lacks the 'juice' or 'it factor' that defines compelling pop music. The album draws superficially from trends in K-pop, such as the work of Aespa and TWICE, and incorporates half-hearted elements of drum'n'bass and hyperpop, resulting in tracks that feel 'sticky but far from sweet.'
Specific songs come under fire for their lack of cohesion. 'Sugar Water Cyanide' oscillates between tempos and features mangled, pitch-shifted vocals, while 'TRUST!' relies on 'white-bread' glitching synths. 'Tears in My Pocket' offers brief vulnerability, with Black singing, 'I wish I could be different / God, I wish that I was different,' but is ultimately overwhelmed by disorienting electronica. Lyrics in 'American Doll' and 'Twist the Knife' are dismissed as nonsensical, such as 'American doll / Smashin’ her head into the wall / What? / She don’t want money, she don’t need friends / Blades in the honey, confusin’ the men' and 'I pray to vengeance on the sixth string of a guitar.' Though 'Twist the Knife' is noted as the album's strongest track with its dubby disco influences reminiscent of Kylie Minogue and Kim Petras, it still fails to innovate.
Black explained to Apple Music that Salvation explores 'this idea of letting some of the less-safe, less-poised, less-sweet versions of myself into my world.' However, the review critiques the involvement of seven producers and 13 writers for not guiding her effectively, despite her skills as a DJ seen at events like Boiler Room and Coachella. Compared to artists like Dorian Electra, Glaive, and Shygirl, Black's work is seen as regressive. The album's cover features Black holding a bedazzled Glock, symbolizing perhaps a bold aesthetic that the music does not match. While Let Her Burn had confident moments like 'Crumbs,' Salvation is viewed as a missed opportunity for growth, fading into irrelevancy amid a crowded pop landscape.
