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Aug 11, 2025One of those songs, "Daisies," also involves the unmistakable Mk.gee, and for Bieber it's a career highlight, a gentle rocker conveying an ultra-rare combination of anticipation, patience, and empathy. More often, Bieber's direct and inelegant wordplay is at odds with the hazy sonics.
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Jul 15, 2025As a whole, though, ‘Swag’ often feels poorly edited, its 21 tracks accumulating into a directionless slog. The production may have its moments, but the lyrics rarely deliver the depth to match.
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Jul 11, 2025Swag has moments of brilliance, but this is no long-awaited masterpiece.
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Jul 14, 2025SWAG is Justin Bieber’s latest quest to prove his personhood. While it’s up to us to listen, it’s ultimately up to Justin to find an approach that works in his best interests. Until Bieber figures out what business he’s actually standing on, he’ll keep making albums that sound like expensive identity crises.
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Jul 14, 2025There are a few gems in this swag bag, including “Butterflies”—with its infectious blend of shimmery guitars, reverb-doused vocals, and shuffling drum loops—and the Jack Johnson-adjacent “Devotion.” .... At 21 tracks, though, Swag’s featherweight R&B and what we used to call “baby making jams” start to run together.
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Jul 11, 2025If you’re a longstanding Belieber by this point, you’re probably used to the tonal shifts of his adult material. But, outside of his hardcore devotees, Bieber remains more of a curiosity than a consistent, coherent creative force – Swag won’t do much to change the conversation.
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Jul 11, 2025Less the return of a pop titan, Swag feels like a cry to be heard. At times it’s uncomfortable, messy and a little confused – but perhaps after all this time, music is the only thing Justin Bieber knows will make people listen. Whether he has anything worth saying is another matter though.