Rebecca Black SALVATION
Rebecca Black's SALVATION arrives as a high-gloss, hyperpop-minded statement that divides critics between admiration for its boldness and frustration with its excess. Across six professional reviews, the record earned a 58.33/100 consensus score, and reviewers consistently point to moments of genuine feeling amid layers of production. Critics praised standout songs such as “Do You Even Think About Me?”, “Sugar Water Cyanide”, the title track “Salvation”, “Tears In My Pocket”, and “Twist The Knife” as the clearest successes - the best songs on SALVATION that cut through the album's theatrical surface.
Reviewers agree on recurring themes of artifice versus authenticity, reinvention, and hyperpop eccentricity. Several critics - from Beats Per Minute to Paste - describe the collection as overproduced and occasionally directionless, praising the fragile vulnerability of “Do You Even Think About Me?” and “Tears In My Pocket” as rare, honest flashes. Conversely, NME, DIY and Sputnikmusic highlight Black's ambition and club-ready production, calling “Salvation” and “Sugar Water Cyanide” evidence of reinvention and inventive pop craft. The consensus suggests the record is uneven: memorable hooks and industrial emotion land frequently, but the album's theatricality sometimes reads as manufactured weirdness rather than fully realised artistry.
For readers asking whether SALVATION is worth a listen, the critical consensus is mixed but compelling - the album contains multiple standout tracks and clear signs of artistic growth, even if its ambitions occasionally outpace execution. Below, the full reviews unpack where the record succeeds and where it falters in Rebecca Black's ongoing transformation.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Do You Even Think About Me?
6 mentions
"it’s hard to imagine anything more massive than the bridge to ‘Do You Ever Think About Me?’"— DIY Magazine
Sugar Water Cyanide
6 mentions
"the sickly sweet hyperpop of ‘Sugar Water Cyanide’"— DIY Magazine
Salvation
6 mentions
"across ‘SALVATION’ - a no-skips follow-up project"— DIY Magazine
it’s hard to imagine anything more massive than the bridge to ‘Do You Ever Think About Me?’
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Salvation
TRUST!
Sugar Water Cyanide
American Doll
Tears In My Pocket
Do You Even Think About Me?
Twist The Knife
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 6 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Rebecca Black’s SALVATION tries to be daring but mostly dazzles without revealing much, and the best tracks - notably “Do You Even Think About Me?” and “Tears In My Pocket” - are brief, fragile glimpses of something more. Finlayson’s tone stays measured and slightly exasperated, noting that moments where Black’s voice soars or lyrics feel honest are precious because they are rare. The review singles out “Do You Even Think About Me?” for a momentary vocal lift and “Tears In My Pocket” for a genuine, if fleeting, reflection, arguing these are the best songs on SALVATION because they hint at an artist beneath the sheen.
Key Points
-
“Do You Even Think About Me?” is best because her voice briefly soars and the track builds genuine momentum.
-
SALVATION’s core strength is occasional authentic vocal moments and brief lyrical reflection amid glossy production.
Critic's Take
Rebecca Black has fashioned a glittering but hollow set with SALVATION, where a few tracks like “Do You Even Think About Me?” and “Sugar Water Cyanide” actually register as the best tracks on SALVATION, briefly finding cohesion amid the chaos. The reviewer's voice finds the album oftentimes performative and unfocused, praising the throbbing, horrific beat of “Do You Even Think About Me?” while calling out the confused patchwork in “Sugar Water Cyanide”. The record leans on eccentricity as a prop rather than a perk, so the best songs stand out because they finally feel like songs and not stunts. Ultimately, the album aims for iconic sparkle and lands instead on a glossy hollowness that undercuts its ambitions.
Key Points
-
“Do You Even Think About Me?” is the best song because it finally assembles the album’s parts into a thrilling, cohesive whole.
-
SALVATION’s core strength is its glossy production and moments of compelling beats, but it is undermined by performative eccentricity and lack of personality.
Themes
Critic's Take
Matt Mitchell writes with exasperated clarity: Rebecca Black's SALVATION mostly flails, but the best tracks - notably “Twist The Knife” and “Tears In My Pocket” - poke through the clutter. He calls the record a catastrophe, insisting that while the album aims for risk and weirdness it too often lands as gaudy, indecisive pop. In his voice the praise is begrudging: “Twist the Knife” is "the best-sounding song on the album," and moments on “Tears In My Pocket” offer real vulnerability amid the noise. Overall, Mitchell positions these songs as the few salvageable moments on an otherwise hollow, big-budget misfire.
Key Points
-
The best song is "Twist The Knife" because its dubby, disco-tinged arrangement actually sounds cohesive and rewards repeat listens.
-
The album’s core strengths are occasional moments of vulnerability and strong sonic gestures, but they are overwhelmed by overcooked production and lack of cohesion.
Themes
Critic's Take
Rebecca Black has never sounded more purposeful than on SALVATION, where bright alt-pop collides with pointed social satire. Nick Levine highlights how the record’s best tracks - notably “American Doll” and the title track “Salvation” - crystallise Black’s reinvention, mixing catchy production with sharp commentary about autonomy and queerness. Levine writes in a measured, slightly celebratory tone, praising the Britney-esque bite of “American Doll” and the evocative religious imagery of “Salvation” as proof that Black has moved beyond internet infamy into credible artistry. The review frames these songs as the album’s emotional cores, arguing they reveal both a witty performer and a songwriter coming fully into her own.
Key Points
-
The best song is "American Doll" for its sharp, Britney-esque satire and articulation of autonomy.
-
The album's core strengths are reinvention, catchy dark-pop hooks, and candid exploration of queerness and resilience.
Themes
Critic's Take
In a tone that feels celebratory and slightly wry, Rebecca Black pushes boundaries on SALVATION, and the best songs on the album make that case plainly. The review keeps returning to the queasy drum'n'bass melodrama of “Tears In My Pocket” and the sickly sweet hyperpop of “Sugar Water Cyanide”, marking them as standout experiments. It also flags club-ready hits like “TRUST!” and the runway-ready bridge of “Do You Ever Think About Me?” as proof that her boldness is paying off. Overall the critic argues these tracks are the best on SALVATION because they balance industrial emotion with undeniable pop craft.
Key Points
-
The best song is "Tears In My Pocket" because it embodies the album's industrial, emotional experiment and drum'n'bass melodrama.
-
SALVATION's core strengths are bold hyperpop/EDM production, club-ready moments, and a willingness to turn awkwardness into artistry.
Themes
Critic's Take
I have been following Rebecca Black since "Friday", and on SALVATION she finally reaps the rewards of steady craftwork - the best tracks here are the singles and a few bold surprises. “TRUST!” remains irresistible with its catchy electronic beat and vocal variety, while “Sugar Water Cyanide” showcases her flirtation with hyperpop textures. The title track “Salvation” is anthemic and framed as one of the EP's emotional centers, and songs like “American Doll” and “Tears In My Pocket” deliver memorable choruses and striking production choices. Overall, SALVATION is diverse, fun, and a succinct statement of who she is now as an artist.
Key Points
-
The best song strengths are catchy production and inventive vocal melodies, especially on “TRUST!” and “Sugar Water Cyanide”.
-
The EP’s core strengths are its diversity across pop subgenres, confident production choices, and concise, well-crafted presentation.