Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
By Nick Manteris · 1 Comments · Leave a Comment
Teenage Dream is Katy Perry’s sophomore album and her chance to prove to the world that – and I’m paraphrasing – she didn’t get lucky with the first album because this is what she’s meant to do. When you’re hiring the best pop producers in the world to write the songs on your album, though, it’s gotta be damn near impossible to fail. How will anyone know if you’re really supposed to be making music unless you write a song yourself? (I mean, I could have a hit pop album with Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Benny Blanco on my songwriting team...if I could afford to hire them. You can take that to the bank.) So, for good or bad, whether or not this is what she’s truly meant to do, she’s doing it. There’s not much that can be done about it one way or the other at this point.
“Teenage Dream” starts off fluffy and airy until the dirty synth hook comes in, but the general vibe bounces around between pre-teen and adult themes. She says, “let you put your hands on me / in my skin-tight jeans / be your teenage dream tonight” and, “let’s go all the way tonight,” but then talks about how they “built a fort out of sheets.” I’m not too old to remember that teenagers have (a lot of) sex, but – with a couple exceptions – the song just has an older feel to it…most likely because there were multiple rewrites (and writers!) on the song and one of the alleged sources for inspiration was “Homecoming” by The Teenagers. Too many of her fans will probably relate to the line “it’s a blacked-out blur, but I’m pretty sure it ruled,” in “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” since that seems to be the preferred way to party these days, but personally – in this post-Veronica Mars world – I like to remember all of the fun that I have…no matter what night it is. (For the record, I believe that Katy Perry had a ménage à trois just about as much as I believe that Katy Perry kissed a girl.) The song is about Friday night, but it sounds like they got the guy from Saturday Night Live for the sax solo…and what’s with the sax solos lately, anyway? (All of a sudden, sax solos seem to be trying trying to take the spot held by Spanish horns during 2009. Cee-Lo’s recent Stray Bullets mixtape also had a sax solo in “You Don’t Shock Me Anymore.” I’m willing to take back everything I said about Spanish horns.) “California Gurls” is a attempt to make California as cool as New York, in direct response to Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” but you have to decide for yourself if Perry was successful because I don’t care for either track. Benny Blanco and Dr. Luke must have been trying to see if they could get away with using the same song with two different artists – because Kesha’s “Tik Tok” and “California Gurls” are the same song – and really, guys, that is not cool. The “California Gurls” video is cute and fun though…so much so, that even the dessert bikini tops are (almost) forgivable. By the way, when did we run out of suggestive words? Isn’t innuendo supposed to hint at something? C’mon, Katy, “Peacock” is way too obvious. I mean, Kelis might actually make an awesome milkshake – we don’t know for sure – and 50 Cent could have a lollipop fetish….he might really like to take girls to candy stores. Are we supposed to believe that Katy Perry is addressing this song to some guy that has a pet peacock? (Seriously, c’mon. What’s next? “Let me stroke your cockatoo” or “drip your kumquat all over my face”? At least Xtina didn’t even try to pretend with “Woohoo” – that song is unabashedly about oral sex. If you really want to see my junk, Katy, just say so. We can probably work something out.) “Circle the Drain” is the first good track on the album that wasn’t produced by some combination of Dr. Luke, Max Martin or Benny Blanco and to show that his song isn’t a fluke, Tricky Stewart does it again with “Who Am I Living For?” later on the album. “The One That Got Away” and “Hummingbird Heartbeat” are just plain, and so is the earlier “Firework.” “Pearl” and “Not Like the Movies” join “California Gurls” in the skippable category and “E.T.” is the last of the good tracks. I’m afraid “E.T.” will fall apart if I accidentally pay attention to the lyrics, however, so I’ve been intentionally ignoring them.
- Score
- 65%
Overall, Teenage Dream is a much better album than its predecessor and, for the most part, Katy Perry’s songwriting has matured since One of the Boys. She’s growing up – lyrically, at least – and there is a noticable shift from the bubblegum fluffiness of her debut. There are literally more good songs and less really-bad ones, but if you’re looking for something as catchy as “Kissed a Girl” on this album, you won’t find it. Maybe those pop-genius producer/songwriters are saving the next mega-hit for Britney or Christina ...or Avril or Pink or Miley ...or Kylie or Kesha or Kelly ...or even Bieber. There's no telling. I know I'd be worried that they gave the best song to another artist. Or worse, that they gave me the same song and my version just wasn't as good. When all the good pop is made by the same people the only way to stand out is to have something unique and personal that you add to the mix. Maybe next time Katy will show us more of what she (and only she) can do.
Re: Katy Perry
And the CD is Cotton Candy scented. BONUS!
Sat, 09/04/2010 - 16:38 · La Femme