Album Review

Katy Perry – Teenage Dream

• 5th Oct 2010

Quirky, bubblegum and teenage are a few words to describe the newly delivered album from Miss Katy Perry. The 25 year old already has one hit of an album under her belt which saw the likes of her controversial ‘I kissed a girl’ track being so shocking that the rebellious teens swarmed in to purchase the album that their parents weren’t keen on. With Miss Perry’s playful yet sophisticated fashion sense she certainly stands out from the rest.

Since then we’ve seen Katy develop under the nose of the press for her relationship with Russell Brand, Perry swiftly became the lady who tamed the one who we all thought couldn’t. Making her popularity soar, not only in the US but in the UK as well. That popularity boomed all the more with the fantastic summer choon ‘California Gurls’ ,with no other than snoop dogg, leaving expectations nice and high for the latest album. Had Perry matured her sound from her debut album? Nope… in a word. If anything she’s clung onto her sound just expanded with it. Her music is still very upbeat and giggly, but with an element of utter cheekiness without being too brash. Very mirrored of something from Cyndi Lauper.

Although Katy’s key sound is definitely pop there is always an element of sarcasm attached to her lyrics, putting her into a new category. This is possibly the reason she’s so admired, she doesn’t take herself seriously creating this down to earth persona about her. Saying that when you hear her more serious heart wrenching tracks it’s hard to take them critically because it’s such a contrast. Looking at the album as a whole it’s very listenable but there are many album fillers its feels unfortunately, there are a few that certainly sound the same. You can see where Katy has got her influences from, track ‘Peacock’ sounding something from Gwen Stefani but trying to be amusing with the innuendo lyrics. Equally so with cringe worthy lyrics is ‘Hummingbird Heartbeat’ with lyrics chanting out ‘You make me feel like losing my virginity’. For a young teen, Katy could be seen as an icon but for the over 20’s crowd (unless male and fancy her) this isn’t real music. It’s rather embarrassing at times.

Overall I can’t say it’s fantastic. An album that is listenable but isn’t one for pop history books. It does bother me how pop in the 80’s left icons and now kids today have this sort of music to remember, but really will they remember Katy Perry and this album. I doubt it.