Review Summary: The future doesn't look bright for female pop singers...
When I first heard Katy Perry I admit she was catchy. Although “Hot n Cold” is a simple song it stays in your head for long periods of time. Curiously, I wanted to see what more this woman has to offer especially when she is currently being labelled as a“pop princess” by the mainstream music media. I wonder what is all the fuss about? However, from previous experience it is known that the mainstream media and I don’t agree on a large number of things. For example, Britney Spears was also regarded as a “pop princess” but was she more talented than Christina Aguilera? No she’s clearly not more talented vocally in my opinion but she sold more albums. Point is being “popular” doesn’t make an artist talented. This time they are making a bold emphasis on Mrs. Perry. So what’s the fuss?
The album starts off with three catchy songs. You have “Teenage Dream”, “Last Friday night” and “California Gurls”. The main problem in all these songs is a lack of singing. Katy Perry doesn’t have an annoying voice don’t get me wrong but this sounds like anybody singing in their shower. I don’t expect Aretha Franklin but I do expect some song melodies. Katy Perry's style consists of talking through an entire song but making quick stops in the song. For example, “You…. Make…. ME… Feel…. Like” DAMMIT Katy that’s not singing!
So what now? Fireworks which has a positive message and vibe throughout the song is a clear standout from the rest. The same problem (lack of singing) occurs here though. In the chorus she’s yelling and ends with “uh uh uh as we shoot across the sk- sk –sky… DAMMIT... sorry people but that’s just lazy singing. The song lost all my respect with lyrics like “boom boom boom, even brighter than the moon moon moon”. This is textbook evidence of lazy song writing.
“Peacock” and “Circle the Drain” represent the lowest points of the album. Repetitive lyrics but Katy has also captured an annoying voice here. The middle of the album should represent stability but these songs lose my interest completely. Circle the Drain sounds way to robotic and it sounds like a song Ke$ha would do. WHY KATY WHY???? GOD! My favourite song of the album is “the one that got away”. A nice easy simple piano riff does the magic here and she sounds genuine to me. Obviously it is generic but seeing Katy Perry actually trying to “sing” (finally!) to piano is refreshing. In addition to this, Katy does also try to “sing” in the song Pearl.
From this point onwards the album falls apart. She heads back towards this “talking through a song with break points” for the song “E.T”. and “what am I living For”. These two songs are not remember able in any way. In fact, I can hardly tell them apart because they are both… boring. Unlike “Teenage Dream” these songs aren’t catchy or have fun music to listen to.
Artists like Ke$ha and Katy Perry really have lowered the standards of singing for female singers. The songs Katy Perry is known for do not capture the essence of any vocal ability this girl has. In this respect, future generations of female singers will look to Katy’s “hits” and be influenced by “song talking”. This album is not worth buying if you’re interested in smooth vocals with song melodies that flow with the music. If you want interested in “song talking” this is your album… but hey you don’t need talent to sell these days.
