Miley Abandons the Weirdness, Goes to the Beach in New Music Video for "Malibu"

Bring back Weird Miley.

Miley Cyrus has made good on her threat to walk away from the hip-hop influences behind Bangerz and general weirdness of Dead Petz with her new single, "Malibu".

The song, a tribute to Liam Hemsworth, is something of a return to her folksy roots. It even comes with an Insta-friendly, flower-child music video.

It's certainly very gentle and pleasant, which are both phrases we haven't used to describe Miley Cyrus or her music for some years now. The thing is: Her refusal to be gentle or pleasant is precisely what made Miley such a compelling (if, admittedly, constantly problematic) figure.

Anyway, you should listen to the song before we get any further.

Though this writer is unapologetically always here for Cyrus' croaky voice, not to mention her general appreciation of the beach and dogs on display in the clip, "Malibu" has us missing her gonzo collaborations with The Flaming Lips, which made Dead Petz the indisputable best album of 2015 (come at me).

Cyrus tried to prepare us for her career reset by telling Billboard, "unity is what we need," indicating a return to the mainstream (for the sake of America!), following a couple years on the fringes of good taste.

So, no more controversy?

You certainly can't picture Cyrus generating any think pieces or even lukewarm takes by performing "Malibu" at the MTV VMAs (unless she brings back the Beetlejuice-suited Robin Thicke for a duet).

But wasn't that always part of Miley's appeal? No, not the cultural appropriation and misjudged comments about Nicki Minaj; rather, the fearlessness to be totally unvarnished, overtly political, properly experimental and actually risky—all things most pop stars are advised against, and usually, for good business reasons. Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz had some real clunkers for lyrics and often buried radio-friendly hooks in explicitly alienating production, yet it felt like a true insight into one of the world's most famous personalities. And it sounded like nothing else.

"Malibu" sounds like plenty else.

"The fact that ­country music fans are scared of me, that hurts me," she told Billboard.

"All the ­nipple pastie s***, that’s what I did because I felt it was part of my political movement, and that got me to where I am now. I’m evolving, and I surround myself with smart people that are evolved."

Miley's savvy, and "Malibu" certainly isn't cause to write her off entirely (like we said; the song is perfectly pleasant). Still, we should all pour one out for her now rested Dead Petz persona.

we couldn't handle Miley at her Dead Petz so we deserve her at her "I quit smoking weed & want to reach out to Trump supporters"

— PAPPADEMAS (@PAPPADEMAS) May 4, 2017

Anyway, the clip has generated nearly two million views within 24 hours of its release. You can feel the United States healing all the way from over here.

Photo: YouTube (MileyCyrusVEVO)