Demi Lovato, “Substance” | Track Review 🎵

In their second single from HOLY FVCK, an album with a pop-punk about-face, Demi Lovato is looking for “Substance.”

So, 🎙 Demi Lovato is officially pop-punk.  To that, I say, 💿 HOLY FVCK! Woo! After merely surviving by the ‘skin of her teeth’ on promo single, 🎵 “Skin of My Teeth”, the nonbinary musician returns with 🎵 “Substance”.  Like the preceding record, just to reiterate, they’re fully committed to pop-punk.  For the most part, it’s successful. 

“Substance” features a driving groove, idiomatic of pop-punk. Lovato delivers quick-paced melodic lines in the verses (“Is anybody happy with life in the back seat? / Trying to master the art of detaching”). Woo! Expectedly, Lovato doesn’t deprive us of some ‘salty language’ – the f-bomb! “Woah, I know we’re all fucking exhausted / Woah, am I in my head, or have we lost it all.” I mean, can you be punk without dropping fucking bombs? I love the sound of Lovato’s vocals in the chorus, when they ascend in their upper register. The chorus is tuneful all in all, and while we’re deprived of another f-bomb, we get the s-bomb!

“So, I ask myself

‘Am I the only one looking for substance’

Got high, it only left me lonely and loveless

Don’t wanna end up in a casket, head full of maggots

Body full of jack shit, I get in abundance

Am I the only one looking for substance?”

The writing in the chorus not only has that punk energy, but also pertinent to Lovato’s situation.  The bridge section finds Demi in their element – showing off mad range. Finally, I heart the harmonized vocals on the final chorus, as well as the fact we get more upper register by Demi.

Final Thoughts 💭 

All in all, the 🏆 Grammy-nominated musician delivers another respectable pop-punk single with 🎵 “Substance”. So far, it seems like pop-punk Demi can be successful.  “Substance” isn’t game changing by my estimations, but I don’t think a shake-up was bad for Lovato.  Basically, HOLY FVCK, I’m here for it!

🎙 Demi Lovato • 💿 HOLY FVCK • 🏷 Island • 🗓 8.19.22

[📷: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]