Review: Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream'

rameyshaun · 08-20-2010, 02:40 PM

One of Katy Perry's chief charms has always been how lightly she seems to wear her pop stardom -- as if it's all just some crazy cosmic goof that she'll happily ride out as long as we let her.
Her latest serving of sonic fluffernutter, the inescapable ''California Gurls,'' spent six weeks at No. 1 this summer, and Teenage Dream, the album from which it comes, seems bionically designed to make her a gurl for all Billboard seasons.
Over the course of 44 rampaging minutes, that can feel alternately like a threat and a promise.
To borrow from Mother Goose, when Perry is good, she is very, very good (see the strutting, shamelessly silly ''Hey Mickey'' redux ''Pea****''), and when she is bad, she is horrid.
Lyrical prowess is not her forte; neither, in fact, is rhyming ''forte'' with ''foreplay,'' as she does painfully on the druggie-boyfriend takedown ''Circle the Drain.''
She tends to connect best in '80s leotard-lady mode, as showcased on the deliciously glitchy throwback ''E.T.'' -- imagine Lita Ford crawling through Trent Reznor's night terrors, Inception-style -- and the aerobic, synth-spangled title track.
Her Ke$ha-esque party-till-my-parole-officer-calls shtick on ''Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),'' however, just feels hollow.
Beneath the fruity outfits and fart jokes, Perry is clearly serious about the business of hit songcraft; that doesn't make Dream nearly cohesive as an album, but it does provide, intermittently, exactly the kind of high-fructose rush she's aiming for.
[link deleted by moderator] grade: B-

smitten · 09-17-2010, 12:33 PM

Have heard about the album but havent checked it out yet.. .. I just might!

christine2222 · 09-20-2010, 10:14 AM

I will have to saw that I enjoy Katy Perry and I can't say that about many pop stars. Her songs are catchy and make you want to drive 90 mph with your hair let loose and the top down!

Consolator · 09-20-2010, 10:33 PM

I really really enjoyed Firework. The One That Got Away had its really awkward moments, but I can still see the good in it. Pearl was heartfelt -- I appreciate the effort she put into it.

baxter · 10-18-2010, 11:59 AM

she is making some really catchy stuff , also seems a cheeky girl you cant help but like

bugsy2301 · 10-18-2010, 12:15 PM

Potentially the worst album of the year, and I downloaded Magnetic Man...

Queen Boo · 10-18-2010, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bugsy2301

Potentially the worst album of the year, and I downloaded Magnetic Man...

I dare you to make a better one.

08-20-2010, 02:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
rameyshaun Groupie Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 1	Review: Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream' One of Katy Perry's chief charms has always been how lightly she seems to wear her pop stardom -- as if it's all just some crazy cosmic goof that she'll happily ride out as long as we let her. Her latest serving of sonic fluffernutter, the inescapable ''California Gurls,'' spent six weeks at No. 1 this summer, and Teenage Dream, the album from which it comes, seems bionically designed to make her a gurl for all Billboard seasons. Over the course of 44 rampaging minutes, that can feel alternately like a threat and a promise. To borrow from Mother Goose, when Perry is good, she is very, very good (see the strutting, shamelessly silly ''Hey Mickey'' redux ''Pea****''), and when she is bad, she is horrid. Lyrical prowess is not her forte; neither, in fact, is rhyming ''forte'' with ''foreplay,'' as she does painfully on the druggie-boyfriend takedown ''Circle the Drain.'' She tends to connect best in '80s leotard-lady mode, as showcased on the deliciously glitchy throwback ''E.T.'' -- imagine Lita Ford crawling through Trent Reznor's night terrors, Inception-style -- and the aerobic, synth-spangled title track. Her Ke$ha-esque party-till-my-parole-officer-calls shtick on ''Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),'' however, just feels hollow. Beneath the fruity outfits and fart jokes, Perry is clearly serious about the business of hit songcraft; that doesn't make Dream nearly cohesive as an album, but it does provide, intermittently, exactly the kind of high-fructose rush she's aiming for. [link deleted by moderator] grade: B-

10-18-2010, 12:15 PM	#6 (permalink)
bugsy2301 Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Torquay, UK Posts: 54	Potentially the worst album of the year, and I downloaded Magnetic Man... __________________ She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl... Le Last.FM

09-17-2010, 12:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
smitten Groupie Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: all around! Posts: 2	Have heard about the album but havent checked it out yet.. .. I just might!

09-20-2010, 10:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
christine2222 Groupie Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1	I will have to saw that I enjoy Katy Perry and I can't say that about many pop stars. Her songs are catchy and make you want to drive 90 mph with your hair let loose and the top down!

09-20-2010, 10:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Consolator ¬¬!! Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 98	I really really enjoyed Firework. The One That Got Away had its really awkward moments, but I can still see the good in it. Pearl was heartfelt -- I appreciate the effort she put into it.

10-18-2010, 11:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
baxter Groupie Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 6	she is making some really catchy stuff , also seems a cheeky girl you cant help but like