A few years ago she kissed a girl and liked it. Now she’s back to fulfill your other teenage dreams.
Katy Perry, the 25-year-old pop chart-topper, is at it again. Her newest release, Teenage Dream, makes one 60-minute whirlwind of an album out of crazy antics, nostalgic love and lustful thoughts — basically, the three main components of a teenage lifestyle.
The teenage life is one of adventure, hardship and discovery, and Perry, in her musical career, is just about at her pubescent stage. In 2008, all she wanted was to be One of The Boys. But with Teenage Dream, Perry has matured from losing her fake I.D. in Las Vegas to falling head over heals in love. Though, as with most teenagers, it’s hard for her to find balance between her old childish ways and her newly established sound.
We were given a taste of Perry this season on the summer’s smash hit, “California Gurls,” that melted the pop charts as well as everyone’s popsicles. The tune is wildly catchy, as is Perry’s newest single, “Teenage Dream.” The title track brings the listeners into Perry’s new life of blossoming love. The singer describes a puppy love as she’s finally found her “missing puzzle piece.” This not-so-innocent preacher’s daughter knows her way around a pop song pretty well.
However, don’t discount Perry as just another pop tart — the girl can sing. On pop-power ballads such as “Who Am I Living For?” and “Pearl,” she displays her vocal aptitude. The more heavily themed songs tend to have a dreamier atmosphere with haunting vocals and a slower-paced course. On “Pearl,” Perry recounts a time when the man in her life kept her radiant and beautiful self “in the dark.” The chilling passion in her voice conveys the intense emotional attachment she has to this song.
Perry also falls back on her power-pop/rock roots on the standout track “Circle the Drain.” The artist tackles the hard-hitting subject of an ex-lover’s — most likely breakout “Billionaire” musician Travie McCoy — struggle between feeding his addiction and making time for her. She recalls, “Should’ve been my teammate / Could’ve changed your fate / You say that you love me / You won’t remember in the morning.” But don’t fret, Katy Perry fans — there is still enough poppy-girly-bubblegum fun to cure your confectionary cravings.
On tracks such as “Hummingbird Heartbeat” and “Peacock,” Perry brings her usual playful and humorous self to the record. “Peacock,” a dirtier “Hey Mickey” tribute, is a song only Katy Perry can pull off. She jokingly taunts, “Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock? / Don’t be a chicken boy, stop acting like a beeotch.” The lyrics aren’t exactly eloquent, but the raunch is reminiscent of her “I Kissed A Girl” days.
Another pop-tastic tune is the party-infused hangover “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F).” It’s a confusing medley of blurry memories from a boozy night, a chanting crowd and a synthesized saxophone. Perry can’t recall if she has a hickey or bruise, or why there is “glitter all over the room.” The song is almost like a classier version of Ke$ha, and the album’s biggest WTF moment.
It’s apparent that Perry finds difficulty in balancing her sugary reputation with her new tied-down life as a lady in love. She is stuck between the two, and the inconsistency hurts the album. However, as Katy continues to find her balance, Teenage Dream proves she will be seeping into all of your dreams, one pop song at a time.