REVIEW: HILARY DUFF - BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. BEAUTIFUL, BREEZY POP REALNESS.

It's been eight long years since Hilary Duff released an album of original music. 2007's Dignity was cutting edge dance pop that made me think that Hilary was locked and loaded to become America's Kylie. All the signs were there: Adorable hotness, girlish vocals and attitude for days. The album garnered praise and attention. Then.........nothing. Hilary disappeared from the music scene. She was still popping up on TV and made occasional appearances, but mainly she married, had a kid and settled down. Well things have changed. Hilary still has her kid of course (she's not an animal) but she is divorced and famously on Tinder and back in the music biz with her catchy A.F. new album Breathe In. Breathe Out. This album is absolute pop perfection, y'all!!! From the infectious lead track, first single Sparks, co-written by Tove Lo, we are off and running. Tove Lo actually co-wrote several tracks on BIBO and Hilary perfectly brings out the edgy, female power pop attitude that Tove brings to her own music. My Kind, One In A Million and Confetti give a powerful 1, 2, 3 punch of dance floor adrenaline and electro-ballads like the title track, the Rihanna-influenced Lies and Arms Around a Memory show the vulnerability that comes from the now-adult Hilary Duff can bring to her vocals. Unceremoniously cut from the final album are the tracks previewed back in summer of last year, Chasing the Sun and All About You, which both had more of a Sheryl Crow/Colbie Callait kind of feel to them. I say good riddance. I was not excited about that trajectory AT ALL. This album is a tour de force of beautiful, breezy summer pop that will have you shaking it by the pool for months. Hilary is back and may be back on the Kylie track. Watch the video for Sparks below and audio from a couple of the tracks below then go BUY THIS ALBUM.