Katy Perry – Teenage Dream
Record Label: Capitol Records
Release Date: August 24, 2010
Katy Perry.
Just the name is enough to turn heads everywhere. Growing up with parents that were pastors, Katy Hudson, better known as Katy Perry, sang in a church choir throughout her youth and teenage years. From there she released a gospel record under name Katy Hudson, which received minimal success. After this, she released another record on Island under current name Katy Perry. This record was also viewed as unsuccessful, resulting in the end of Perry’s career with Island. After having little success thus far as an artist, Perry continued to move around until finally finding a home with current label Capital Records in 2007. After this signing, she recorded her breakthrough mainstream debut One of the Boys. Turns out, this new debut ended up going platinum with chart topping hits “I Kissed A Girl” and “Hot ‘N Cold.”
In just three short years, Katy Perry’s name is known everywhere—omnipresent. Perry has become one of the modern queens of pop music, continuing to attract attention ubiquitously. Three years after One of the Boys, Perry has truly found herself as an artist, evident with her 2010 follow up, Teenage Dream. Blending her infectious poppy choruses and dance beats with outstanding vocals, Perry continues to demonstrate her knack for creating catchy pop tunes.
Hit single “California Gurls” topped Billboard charts all summer, proving Perry can sure write an addictive pop hit. As expected, Teenage Dream contains many upbeat pop songs alike to the aforementioned single, such as the female party anthem “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” and the in your face “Circle The Drain.” While the catchy tunes are present, Perry also conveys her growth through her more intricate tunes; opener “Teenage Dream” demonstrates her softer side through incredible vocals while “The One That Got Away” is nostalgic, driven by pounding drum beats.
Throughout Dream, Perry also proves she isn’t afraid of appearing vulnerable, prevalent throughout her endeavor to create an arena rock sounding tune (“E.T.”) with her addicting vocals and lyricism. Conversely, the insightful “Pearl” coveys Perry’s softer side as it further proves her versatility as a pop artist. The upbeat “Hummingbird Heartbeat” will surely be stuck in your head for days, while its follow up and closer “Not Like The Movies” is a pop ballad in its finest. Perry’s vocals shine over soft piano play throughout the self-reflecting ultimate track. Here, her true talent as a pop icon is present, as she can control and change her sound entirely throughout each track.
However, Teenage Dream is not without flaws; the promiscuous “Peacock” comes across as a Ke$ha b-side, which wouldn’t be such a terrible thing if Perry didn’t possess much more talent than this track shows. That said, aside from this minor hindrance, Perry has crafted a solid pop record, and it should be regarded as just this—a heartfelt pop release. Teenage Dream fully demonstrates Katy Perry’s growth as an artist as she expands her ideas and abilities.
like i posted on the previous review...this album's terrible. and i agree with mr brook183...pop albums need to be held accountable for lack of creativity and poor song writing. Sure, when you listen to a pop song all you really want is catchyness, right? Wrong. This is the pop rutt we are currently in, where all artists are simply satisfied with being the next song being spun at clubs and the radio, instead of making some sort of stamp on the industry.
like i posted on the previous review...this album's terrible. and i agree with mr brook183...pop albums need to be held accountable for lack of creativity and poor song writing. Sure, when you listen to a pop song all you really want is catchyness, right? Wrong. This is the pop rutt we are currently in, where all artists are simply satisfied with being the next song being spun at clubs and the radio, instead of making some sort of stamp on the industry.
The same can be said of any genre of music. Indie rock, metal, alternative, etc. Most bands today are not being any more creative than their pop music counterparts.
The same can be said of any genre of music. Indie rock, metal, alternative, etc. Most bands today are not being any more creative than their pop music counterparts.
Drake? In...three to four years Drake will be as irelevant as they come in the world of hip-hop. And sure you can make a case for Kanye, but i feel as if his era may all ready be ending.
Gaga is i think the prime example of supreme pop, and i think her new album is one of the most anticipated albums in a long time.
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