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The Guardian
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Miley Cyrus: Something Beautiful review – solid pop that's about as ‘psychedelic' as a baked potato
Miley Cyrus has made some very grand claims for her ninth album. Something Beautiful is not merely a concept album, but one the 32-year-old pop star has described as 'an attempt to medicate somewhat of a sick culture through music'. One filled with 'healing sound properties' designed to 'impact frequencies in your body that make you vibrate at a different level'. And it's not just all of that, but an accompanying film as well: a 'one-of-a-kind pop opera' apparently inspired by Alan Parker's 1982 film adaptation of Pink Floyd's The Wall 'but with a better wardrobe and more glamorous'. For all that the executives at Cyrus's label are unlikely to say no to a huge star whose last album featured the world's biggest-selling single of 2023 – Flowers, 2.7bn streams – you can still imagine them swallowing very hard when presented with all this. After all, Cyrus has form when it comes to going wildly off-piste: Bangerz, her biggest-selling album, was followed with Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, a sprawling collection of stoned jokes, musical non-sequiturs and psychedelic collaborations with the Flaming Lips. Furthermore, when her record label suggested that an hour and a half of this might try her fans' patience, Cyrus's response was to make Petz even longer, by including a recording of her playing Tibetan singing bowls. Cyrus also has form for announcing releases that don't quite fit their initial billing: 2017's not-actually-very 'country' album Younger Now; 2020's Plastic Hearts, which presented itself as new-wave rock, with guest appearances from Joan Jett and Billy Idol and its logo borrowed from shock-rockers the Plasmatics, but turned out to be all over the shop stylistically. So it proves here. The film has no more in common with Parker's adaptation of The Wall than it does Mrs Brown's Boys: D'Movie. It has absolutely no plot, not because it's a wilfully confusing exercise in non-linear arthouse cinema, but because it's just a load of pop videos, albeit divided into three 'acts' and interspersed with spoken-word interludes. A lot of them are straightforward in-studio performances; the rest look like extended perfume commercials: Miley Cyrus walking through a film studio's backlot in a pair of fluorescent blue furry chaps, or down Hollywood Boulevard at night in order to do a spot of writhing around on Arnold Schwarzenegger's Walk of Fame star. Miley Cyrus pretending to ride a motorbike and palling around with Naomi Campbell in matching bustiers and heels. It's perhaps for the best that it isn't a contemporary remake of The Wall, an album and film that's essentially about a multimillionaire's peevish solipsism and bitter score-settling – there's already quite enough of that in 2025, thank you. Nevertheless, you do wonder if premiering it at the Tribeca film festival doesn't amount to gilding the lily a little. A similar sense of 'huh?' attends the album itself, given the talk of healing sound properties and indeed of Cyrus wishing to be 'a human psychedelic'. It certainly gets off to a relatively left-field start. The title track opens like an old-fashioned soul ballad, complete with tasteful horns, then erupts into a chorus thick with distorted vocals and crashing, discordant rock guitar. But thereafter it turns much more straightforward: sparkly 80s pop sprinkled with Dancing Queen-ish piano flourishes on End of the World; Easy Lover's lightly disco-laced soft rock; ballads that are, respectively, synthy (More to Lose) and primed to soundtrack the end credits of a movie rather more substantial than the one Cyrus has made (Give Me Love). Sign up to Sleeve Notes Get music news, bold reviews and unexpected extras. Every genre, every era, every week after newsletter promotion The album's second half focuses more on the dancefloor: pumping four-to-the-floor beats, a preponderance of Patrick Cowley and Bobby O synthesisers. The choruses melodically evoke a variety of music from continental Europe: French chanson on Reborn, Abba (again) on Every Girl You've Ever Loved, balls-out Eurovision finalist on Walk of Fame. What it really recalls is hi-NRG, the electronic soundtrack of choice in mid-80s gay clubs. Reanimating this sound isn't a bad idea – it's one of the few areas of 80s pop that the 21st century has yet to really scavenge from – and it's done really well here. The synths sound edgy, the choruses stick, there's a smattering of knowing period details (Syndrums, sampled orchestral stabs), and it's a delight to hear Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes repurposing her voice as a stentorian Grace Jones-y roar on Walk of Fame. If the rest of the album steadfastly fails to make the listener vibrate at a different level – it's all about as psychedelic as a baked potato – and you struggle to identify any kind of concept, it's still all very well written and well made, a varied succession of good vehicles for Cyrus's powerfully raspy voice. What it lacks is the kind of obvious smash-hit single by which her albums stand or fall commercially: the most obvious candidates, End of the World and Every Girl You've Ever Loved, are strong but not undeniable. Rather than the disparity betweenCyrus's intentions for Something Beautiful and the reality, it's that which might doom it to a muted reception. Saint Etienne – Glad A marvellous single heralds Saint Etienne's final album: a collaboration with Chemical Brother Tom Rowlands that puts a perfect pop spin on his psych-y breakbeat backing.
Bloomberg
16-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Family Offices Added US Stocks Ahead of Trump's ‘Liberation Day'
Investment firms for the world's wealthy increased their stock bets ahead of President Donald Trump imposing new tariffs that sent global markets into a tailspin before eventually clawing back losses. Family offices for a European dynasty, hedge fund billionaire Noam Gottesman and duty-free shopping tycoon Alan Parker all boosted US equity investments in the three months ended March 31, according to 13F regulatory filings, days before Trump's ' Liberation Day ' sparked market chaos.
Forbes
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Miley Cyrus Has ‘More To Lose' On New Song
Miley Cyrus Miley Cyrus has been touting her forthcoming album Something Beautiful as her magnum opus, and the Grammy-winning crooner hasn't shied away from flexing her talents across a wide range of sounds in the lead-up to the album's release. After reveling in happiness on lead single 'End of the World' and rocking out in the album's title track, Cyrus is looking inward on 'More to Lose,' the latest preview of the new LP. On 'More to Lose,' Cyrus reflects on a past love and as she mourns what once was and hopes that she might get to experience it all again. 'I stay / When the ecstasy is far away / And I pray / That it's comin' 'round again / And you say it / But I wish it wasn't true / I knew someday that one would have to choose / I just thought we had more to lose,' she sings on the track. Cyrus has been known to bare her heart in her music over the years, and 'More to Lose' sees a fully realized artist and adult dealing with the remorse of post-breakup hindsight. Now, she's able to have fun with it, winking at the subject (or subjects) of the song at a private show last week. 'I have a lot of people that I've known and loved for a very long time in this room — even a couple of exes," she said, per Stereogum. The new album will arrive with a Something Beautiful film in Cyrus' nod to Pink Floyd's The Wall album. Honoring Alan Parker's iconic 1982 music film was a central part of the album and movie creation process. 'I have this heart-first attachment to it,' she told Harper's Bazaar of the Pink Floyd – The Wall film. 'My idea was making The Wall, but with a better wardrobe and more glamorous and filled with pop culture.' Something Beautiful is out May 30.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Tomato recall due to risk of salmonella
We saw beneficial rainfall over the weekend, though not in every neighborhood. First Alert Meteorologist Corey Simma says we'll dry out and warm up to start the week. We see a return of showers and a few afternoon thunderstorms by Wednesday. The unsettled weather patter will linger into the weekend. An Indiana company is recalling tomatoes sold by Gordon Food Service stores in eleven states due to a risk of salmonella. The FDA issued an alert for the produce distributed under the Ray & Mascari Inc. brand name on Saturday. The recall applies to four count clamshell packages of 'Vine Ripe' tomatoes. Specific lot numbers for the impacted products are posted on the FDA website. Anyone who has purchased the tomatoes is advised to throw them out. Three Big Things to Know: Two deadly JSO shootings, two days apart. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says they got a call yesterday morning about a domestic situation on the Westside. JSO Chief Alan Parker says Michael Lee Wright charged at an officer while holding something and told the officer, 'go ahead and kill me.' The officer fired and hit Wright. The 39-year-old was taken to the hospital where he passed away. The JSO says scissors were found at the scene. On Friday night, an officer shot and killed a 58-year-old man who they say had two knives. An officer was flagged down on Jillian Drive off Ricker Road, and found a man and woman bleeding on the ground. He saw a man standing in front of him, holding knives. Chief Alan Parker says the suspect was shot when he threatened to stab the victims again. According to JSO, the man had been drinking all day, but the reason for the attack was unclear. These are the 7th and 8th officer-involved shootings of the year. Four have been deadly. There's no doubt who the University of Florida wants to be its next president. The school's presidential search committee announced yesterday it made Dr. Santa Ono the sole finalist to be the next president. He's currently president at the University of Michigan. If hired, he would replace Ben Sasse, who resigned last year. The chairman of the search committee says Dr. Ono has a proven record of academic excellence, innovation and collaborative leadership. Ono will be in Gainesville tomorrow to meet with the Board of Trustees, students, faculty and staff.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Traffic Talk: I-75 widening project getting more attention from FDOT on social media
Anytime you hear I-75 and widening in the same sentence, it's cause for celebration. In case you missed, it was announced in December of 2024 that relief is coming for I-75 commuter traveling between Fort Myers and Naples. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that a widening project on one of the busiest stretches of Interstate 75 in Southwest Florida will start in 2026, one year earlier than originally planned. According to the project website, the project encompasses an 18.5 mile stretch of road starting from I-75 from north of Golden Gate Parkway to south of Corkscrew Road. When finished, it is predicted by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) that the widening should reduce travel times by 47%. Also: One lane will be added in each direction with auxiliary lanes, increasing the roadway from 6 to 8 lanes. The project is part of the Florida Department of Transportation's Moving Florida Forward infrastructure initiative. Funding: $578 million Recently, FDOT has made two social media posts on its Facebook page to remind people about the project, which is still in its early stages of planning. An April 16 Facebook post said: Florida Department of Transportations' study to add more lanes to I-75 in #Collier and #Lee Counties continues to Move Florida Forward! This link was provided to the project page for more information. Two days later, a separate post appeared for the same project with another ink to the project page and this animated image of what the widening on I-75 will look like: According to the project page, the public outreach will continue into this summer and until the end of the project. Also underway is the Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study, which is a comprehensive process used by FDOT to analyze and develop project, considering both engineering and environmental factors. The study determines the best location and design for a project, while also evaluating its potential social, economic, and environmental impacts. The comment threads on the FDOT Facebook posts ranged from positive to critical. Here's is some of what people are saying: Alan Parker said: People will continue to camp in the left lane. Andy Eippert Sr. said: It will be fantastic. Dennis Assanowicz said: The future would be a high speed rail. Tina Goodman said: Make HOV lanes & keep trucks in a separate lane. Need to enlarge all the narrow bridges. Patt Line said: They need to just go to 10 lanes and only screw up traffic once. By the time they are done with 8 they will need 10 anyway. Samantha Soutar said: As long as there aren't delays, bring it on! More: Estero traffic study reveals seven most dangerous intersections in village. What to know One of the most significant road construction projects in history is close to wrapping up in Lee County. The Diverging Diamond Interchange in Lee County at I-75 and Colonial Boulevard, which started way back in 2021, is in its final stages, according to Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Jason Heironimus. FDOT was doing final walk through for the project last week and developing the final punch list. Crews will also complete any final signage installation and complete the punch list items. Mid-May is now the target for official completion of the project. Collier County's first ever DDI at Pine Ridge Road and I-75 is in its early stages of construction. According to FDOT's latest update: Motorists should expect nighttime/overnight lane closures from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Pine Ridge Road for crews to work in the median. Crews will be working on drainage installation and roadway work. Crews will be working on clearing and grubbing and installing erosion control throughout the project area. Please use caution and watch for workers and construction vehicles entering and leaving the roadway. The expected completion date is mid-2027. For more information please visit: The above activities are subject to change based on weather conditions and unforeseen underground conditions. Your emails are pouring into my inbox and I love it. Keep them coming. Remember, it's OK to vent and tell me what is driving you crazy when it comes to our traffic crisis. Of course, your observations and ideas for helping to solve the crisis are always welcome! Email anytime to mbickel@ This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: I-75 widening between Collier County and Lee County: What to know
