First she was kissing girls and waking up in Vegas, and now, well, it’s a whole different story.
It’s Katy Perry’s sophomore effort, Teenage Dream, a beachy album that proves style over substance is a formula that works and establishes Perry as a master of kitsch. Oh, and judging by the cover art, she doesn’t look too bad on your wall, either.
Reigning the charts this summer with the wildly popular “California Gurls” and the recently released “Teenage Dream,” it’s clear Perry knows what it takes to make a single work ” aside from cans of whipped cream strapped to her breasts, that is. In addition to the current singles, “Firework” is a gem with heavy potential as a future single. With an addicting chorus increasing in intensity and an unexpected orchestra to accompany her, it makes for a stellar selection.
Other songs hark back to the sly cheekiness that made Perry famous. While she usually manages to just toe the line of decency by making provocation look innocuous, things went overboard with “Peacock.” The obnoxious track, thanks to its nagging lyrics and repetitiveness, leaves a distinct aftertaste reminiscent of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” ” and that’s something no one wants to live through again.
Beginning with begging the guy in question with the whiny, “Come on baby/ Let me see/ What you’re hiding underneath,” mocking him and finally concluding with remarks about how amazing the experience was, the result is a classless mess. Congratulations: You just listened to Katy Perry have sex through song, all under the guise of discussing an animal you see at the zoo. Sadly, it wasn’t as great as we hoped it would be.
When not singing about partying or peacocks, Perry is preoccupied with more grown-up matters. “Pearl” is a passionately sung tale about a girl whose boyfriend suppresses her independence. Despite swift vocals, “Pearl” is yet another track that falls short in terms of lyrical depth: “She could be a Statue of Liberty/ She could be Joan of Arc/ But he’s scared of the light that’s inside of her/ So he keeps her in the dark.” It makes a statement, but sounds like it belongs over the credits of a Lifetime movie.
Oddly enough, for opening on a bright, bouncy note with “Teenage Dream” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” the album goes in the polar direction with the last song, “Not Like The Movies.” It spins a tale of a sour engagement, ending with confidence that Perry, like everyone else, will eventually find her soul mate. It’s a nice sentiment, especially in light of Perry’s engagement to comedian Russell Brand, but winds up lackluster.
That leads to the one main problem with the album: Although Perry nailed the flouncy tunes that she’s famous for, Teenage Dream is missing a decent ballad. While “Pearl” and “Not Like The Movies” are so-so attempts, the album doesn’t offer anything close to “Thinking of You.”
Given Perry’s ability to shine with a slower tempo and heavier material, the lack of a ballad is disappointing, yet Perry’s upbeat tracks almost make up for what we’re missing. Although Teenage Dream is full of hit-or-misses, the album proves to be the musical equivalent of musical cotton candy with a few songs you’ll be coming back to again and again.
