The artist who currently has the distinction of having the two lowest reviewed albums on my site is back for another round. Kesha, pronounced Ke, dollar sign, Ha, is the queen of forgettable pop music. Just like her best friend Rihanna, the artist is known for releasing successful, chart-topping singles, but has not gotten a hold of a “good” album just yet. Her newest effort, Warrior, follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, even though the artist told her fans they could expect something different from her. Preceded by the new number one hit “Die Young” and newly announced second single “C’Mon”, the album is a mess of inspiration, amateurish songwriting, and a few gems sprinkled throughout.
Starting off with the title track, the song gave me a little hope for the rest of the album. “Warrior”, reminiscent of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Kids” and Kelly Clarkson’s new hit “People Like Us”, is an uplifting anthem for those who feel like the outcast. Ke$ha’s vocals are nice here, compared to the AutoTune wreck they usually are. The verses are great, the beat is addictive, but unfortunately the chorus is not all I wanted it to be.
The lead single, “Die Young”, is a release I have a love/hate relationship with. Upon its initial release, I was extremely vocal of my dislike towards it. The song follows the exact same formula as Ke$ha’s previous hits. When are people going to realize they are all the same track? But, when the video was released, I caught myself dancing along every time it played. This one is for the clubs.
“C’Mon”, originally released as a promotional single, is now getting the full second single treatment. Is this a smart choice Animals? “Feeling like I’m a high schooler, sipping on a warm wine cooler,” the trash-tastic artist sings on a track that has its bright qualities. While the verses are definitely a hit or miss, the song shines once the chorus, which I could listen to all day, comes around the corner.
If Taylor Swift completely turned to the dark side, we all know it is bound to happen, she would create a track just like “Thinking Of You”. No, that is not a compliment. The track describes a bitter breakup between Ke$ha and a guy I do not want to be. The artist may be thinking of her past fling, but it is not the good way he would hope for. I wanted more, Ke$ha gave me the whole damn kitchen sink.
Dealing with the same subject matter as the title track, “Crazy Kids” is a song that could have been great if sung by a different artist. The intro is promising, but then the rap-like delivery of the verses ruins the entire experience especially with lines like “make the f***ers shake, like an earthquake”. I wanted the track to stay down a certain path, but unfortunately that did not happen. Why did I ever expect it to?
Featuring a pulsating, club-ready beat, “Wherever You Are” was a great idea on paper that did not fully translate once KeSha stepped into the recording booth. Her vocals have never been the strongest in the music industry, and this track highlights her performance flaws. The lyrics are adorable and heart-warming, I will admit that, but the finished product is not as strong as I thought it could be.
Ke$ha mentioned something about creating “cock-pop” before the album’s release. Signs of what that is have not been found until this duet with pop great Iggy Pop. “Dirty Pop” is a funny track, but that does not mean it is a good one. Iggy’s verse mentioning Rick Santorum and Afghanistan is both clever and offensive. Both artists go bat-shit crazy on this track, but in the end the only collaboration on the album is merely throwaway filler.
The artist’s previous two releases each had a show-stopping moment, “Dancing With Tears in My Eyes” on her debut and “The Harold Song” on her EP. “Wonderland” is that moment on this project. Ke$ha gets rid of all the unnecessary production and relies on the strength of her own voice. The country-like vibe and lines like “feels like it was a movie that plays in my mind, shadows of a past life, wish I could rewind” make it a success.
“Only Wanna Dance With You” sounds like the lead single off some new, indie pop/punk band, not really something the Party Queen would create. I commend the artist for taking her music down a different path, however, the track was very hard to enjoy. If I picked this song apart piece by piece, there are certain aspects worth appreciating, but as a whole the song falls flat. One of the album’s lows.
The first track teased from the new album was “Supernatural” through a snippet of an unfinished demo a few months back. The snippet was great and promising, but now that the full version has arrived I can only lower my head and shake it in disapproval. The slow intro turns into another head-pounding club jam that gets tiring after a listen. Great potential for this “sex with the dead” track, but ultimately it was a missed opportunity.
One of the album’s greatest moments comes from the unexpected “All That Matters (The Beautiful Life)”. Yes, the song is a hardcore pop recording, but there seems to be some meaning behind the vocals and lyrics. The song takes me back a few decades, however, the artist and her genius production team make it 2012 radio-friendly. Single please?! “I feel so alive, I’m losing my mind,” Ke$ha screams on this track that got me on my feet.
The standard edition of the album closes out with “Love Into The Light”, a track that brings the party theme of the record to a soft stop. The song sounds rather dark and emotional, it shows a vulnerable side of the artist. A great drum solo leads into the epic chorus which shows there is a hint of talent buried deep down inside Ke$ha’s glitter-covered body. For a closing track, it certainly left me wanting more.
Warrioris an album I really wanted to be great. Ke$ha has released two previous records that did not sit right with me, they are at the bottom of the barrel on my blog, but that was honestly not intentional. I want to love her music, but I have to take it one small piece at a time. The artist is known for loud, crazy, dance creations that get boring after a few listens. She shines on tracks that allow her to show the vocal performances I know she is capable of. Advice for the girl? Leave the annoying, generic production behind and focus on your voice, like on tracks such as “Wonderland” and “Love Into The Light”. The album receives a 70%.
Tracks to Hear: “Warrior”, “Wonderland”, “All That Matters (The Beautiful Life)”, and “Love Into The Light”
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