Album- Prism
Artist- Katy Perry
Katy Perry is undeniably a pop force to be reckoned with,
due primarily to the major success of her record Teenage Dream, which had a
reckoned breaking five Billboard Hot 100 number 1 ones (that’s not including
the stellar reissue lead single Part of Me), which equalled the total that
Michael Jackson set and in turn made her the first female artist to achieve
such a feat. Following up such a massively successful album and album campaign
was never going to be easy, but with the singer finding some spiritual strength
and growth after some personal struggles, she seems ready to rise with her
album Prism, a record that she has described many times as a record where she
‘let the light in, and now I get to beam that light out to others’. But is this
prismatic, seemingly life affirming and joyous record enough to keep Katy
Perry’s crown as the Queen of today’s music world, or has she slightly let the
ball drop for others to take her place.
Track 1- Roar
Album opener and lead single Roar is a feisty pop number
that has power anthem written all over it. Lyrically the song finds Perry
telling this person or persons that she was once held down by them, but now her
voice will be heard and she is going to just do her thing. The song is wrapped
in all round catchy lyrics that centre on this rich and gets stuck in your head
oh so easily chorus, with the chorus being particularly great in that for me it
just immediately comes across as a song that you have to sing along to when the
chorus kicks in. Vocally this is some strong work from Perry, with her voice
showing improvement in terms of range and featuring some powerful ad libs
towards the end that will definitely have you roaring along as well. The use of
an arena rock pop sound with the stomping drums gives an immediately powerful
tone to the track that perfectly matches the lyrical message, showing us again
why hit makers Dr Luke and Max Martin are melodic geniuses. It’s just such a
powerful, positive record that is also very inspirational whilst also just been
very fun, and what is also great is that the lyrics may be personal to Katy
Perry, but they are also malleable to the listener and just make for a truly
awesome track that acts as a great bridge between this new record and her last
record.
5/5
Track 2- Legendary Lovers
After the stomping rhythms and light but strong energy of
Roar we go to a cool, very Eastern, Indian influenced place with Legendary
Lovers, in which Perry lyrically sings to her lover of how she wants to be with
him and they can just be legendary lovers, evoking a number of past legendary
lovers like Juliet and Cleopatra in the process. The chorus is catchy like the
last track but is also a bit weird and funky and so definitely is great in
showing a new element to Perry as a songwriter. The soft, sultry vocal tones of
the record nicely bring out the theme of the track, but what is probably the
most interesting element of the song that makes it that bit more catchy is the
production, which kind of softly simmers in the verses before stomping on forward
in the chorus, with the bhangra inspired breakdown near the bridge being a
inspired moment that makes for that final rousing chorus. A song that would
probably work great visually if released as a single.
3.5/5
Track 3- Birthday
From the Eastern vibes of the last track we go into Mariah
Carey influenced, pop driven 90’s vibes with Birthday, a sugary sweet number
that is probably the song that most closely links to the singers previous
record, although that does not mean that it doesn’t work on this album. Here we
find Perry using an array of double entendres centred around a birthday theme
to express to her lover that he makes her feel good and so she is going to make
him feel good and make it feel like it his birthday every day. The fun and
flirtatious lyrics are really on point but I feel that the lyrics are
definitely elevated by the singer’s vocals, as Perry nicely utilises her
falsetto within this voice and shows some great range to bring out the songs
flirtatious quality. The funky, disco beats of the track with the great utilisation
of saxophone gives a light, airy sound to the track that just adds to the song
infectious, flirtatious energy.
4.5/5
Track 4- Walking on
Air
Released as the records second promotional single, Walking
on Air definitely keeps the happy party atmosphere going, but now Perry goes
even harder and takes her music into more of an electronic, club driven
direction. Another 90’s inspired number, the song focuses on Perry expressing
how she couldn’t quite believe this relationship could be so great, but it is
and it is like she is walking on air. Lyrically the song is a bit lacking for
me as the chorus focuses too much on the repetition of a single line, but
vocally the song is great as here Perry nicely utilises her lower register and
boosts the song towards the end with the use of a gospel choir. Producer Klas
Ahlund definitely brings some producer magic to the track with the propulsive
house beats that are bound to get you on the dance floor, and for that reason
alone I wouldn’t be surprised if this was released as a proper single in the
future.
4/5
Track 5-
Unconditionally
Released as the records second single, Unconditionally is a
dramatic love ballad that focuses on Perry telling this person that she has an
unconditional love for them. The song is lyrically poetic, both sweet and dark
at the same time and being relatable to listeners in a variety of ways. Opened
with a hushed electronic production and then becoming this powerful pop piece
full of tribal drums and a dramatic bass line, the songs sound is definitely
attention grabbing and sets the track apart from any of the singers previous
work. And vocally the song is superb. Katy Perry isn’t perhaps the best singer
in the world, but with this track she shows off some range and nicely softens
the verses to make the dramatic chorus that little bit more powerful, whilst
the chorus allows the singer to say that okay I am maybe not the best singer,
but I can still sing and do it well, and what’s more, her vocals feel fully
invested with emotion, and you know that this is a singer who means what she is
writing and performing.
4/5
Track 6- Dark Horse
(featuring Juicy J)
Already seemingly a fan favourite, Dark House shows another
change in musical perspective for Perry, as he she utilises a him hop beats and
finger snapping grooves that shows the singer in a more urban musical state.
The song lyrically focuses on Perry warning this guy not to fall in love with
her, because if he does she will be the last person he falls for. The lyrics
have silky, witchy feel that is intensified by the smooth, sensual vocal
performance that Perry provides, combining to make the song more impactful and
feeling truthful. The snappy beats and chopped rhythm of the track is a fresh
energy for the singer and feels cool whilst not compromising to much on her pop
identity, and although it might take a few listens, Juicy J’s guest rap is an
equally snappy asset to the song that will add to its appeal.
4/5
Track 7- This Is How
We Do
From the snappy, icy hip hop of Dark Horse we go to summery,
80’s inspired pop piece with a different kind of hip hop underpinning it. The
song finds Perry telling the listener of all the things that she and her
friends do, goofy things that some people might see as stupid but which to them
is no big deal, because it is just Perry and her friends way. The message is
fun and fluffy if lacking originality, but the lyrics are strong in the way
that as much as being an anthem for the youth of today, we also get a sense of
Perry giving us a truly retrospective song that contains details about her
personal life when she was that little bit younger, goofing around with her
friends and trying to make it in the music industry. The vocals are simple and
full of personality, with the bridge being a great moment where Perry simply
shouts to the crowd and positions the song as a great live moment. Producer Max
Martin works his magic with the songs sound, giving us bouncy, heavy beats and
funky 80’s pop sound that will fully position the song as a summer 2014 anthem.
4/5
Track 8-
International Smile
International Smile was reportedly inspired by the singer’s
friend Mia Moretti, and is a bit of a simpler pop rock affair that finds Perry
telling us of these feisty, fun loving girl who exudes this appeal that means
she is just this great, international woman with an awesome smile. The song’s
lyrics don’t quite grab your attention in the way that the former tracks did
but the chorus is still a slick pop affair, whilst the singers vocals are
nicely layered in the chorus to give the song an airy flavour, as if this kind
of an international song in its own way. The production of the song features a
simple guitar riff that kicks the track into high gear and captures your
attention, whilst the vocoder breakdown gives the song a funky electronic edge
that allows for a big finish and which inevitably will be compared to Daft
Punk.
3.5/5
Track 9- Ghost
A mid tempo ballad, Ghost is probably one of the most
obviously personal tracks on the record in that we know Katy Perry’s former
husband Russell Brand told her he wanted a divorce by text (because Katy Perry
has come out and told us) and so the fact that this song references a text can’t
be a coincidence. The lyrical quality of the track is sombre with a bit of hope
as Perry reflects upon this substantial person who was once in her life is now
just this ghost, and now she fully understands the situation. The lyrics are
sharp but Perry also nicely doesn’t go into straightforward territory and
brings some closure in the song rather than bashing her ex, with this element
of the song being present in the soft, vulnerable but also strong vocal
performance that Perry gives. With minimalist electronic production and some
tribal like drums the song has a steady quality to the sound that perfectly
captures the songs mood and gives us an all-round package.
3.5/5
Track 10- Love Me
Love Me is a nice retrospective tune that lyrically focuses
on Perry telling us how she now realises that she needs to love herself the way
that she wants to be loved. The message is sweet and isn’t impressed on the
listener too powerfully, which makes the song that much better. Perry light
tones bring a sense of believability that another artist wouldn’t have done,
and with new collaborator and producer Bloodshy giving us some clattering
electronic beats and snappy base to the songs sound that is weirdly quite
dancey (and which probably makes the song prime material for a remix), Love Me
is a good listen that straddles the line of chilled and vibrant and which is a
good song to listen to in times of doubt about yourself.
3.5/5
Track 11- This Moment
Reportedly inspired by Perry’s listening to the audio book The Power of Now, This Moment lyrically
focuses on the simple idea of just living in the present and forgetting past
troubles, with a romantic edge taking control of the lyrics. The positivity is commendable
and astutely focused upon, but in this case Perry doesn’t quite hit the
listener in the musical jugular in the way that she normally does, and in a
certain sense the song feels like a little bit of subpar version of her hit
Firework. Vocally Perry nicely builds in power within the song and gives us
rich tones, whilst the stomping but light bass, electronic tones and piano
melodies give the song a nice sound that could just be a bit sharper and more
attention grabbing, but which is nice in that it feels like the artist has
taken control, due to a lack of the song being immediately identifiably
produced by Swedish duo Stargate.
2.5/5
Track 12- Double
Rainbow
Co-written with hot right now singer-songwriter Sia Furler
and co-written and produced by the equally hot right now Greg Kurstin, Double
Rainbow focuses upon Perry releasing her emotions to give us a breathy love
ballad where she tells this man of how she is going to keep him forever because
they truly understand each other. The lyrics are fine tuned to give us a
poetic, sincere and pure state that comes from Perry’s heart, and this
heartfelt quality is also nicely felt in the great vocal that Perry produces,
with the softness of her tone being used to great effect within the song.
Kurstin does a lovely job in terms of the songs production, giving us
clattering drums and minimal electronic bleeps that gives musical weight to the
song without compromising the tracks lovely airiness and sweet pop sensibility.
3.5/5
Track 13- By the
Grace of God
Closing track By the Grace of God was reportedly the first
track recorded for the album and finds the singer in her darkest place of the
whole record. Here Perry addresses very openly the aftermath of her divorce
from Brand and the depression based state she found herself in, with the song
being a strong, empowering number where Perry speaks of pushing aside suicidal
thoughts and rising again to become her glorious. The honest, diary like nature
of the song is powerful, and the vocal performance of the song is really great
as the tone of Perry’s voice allows the songs vulnerability to seep through to
powerful, awesome effect. Producer Greg Wells does a great job on the song in
giving us a sound that is as pure an honest as the songs message through the
use of a piano melody but which also powerfully builds with the use of military
drums to make things that much more impactful.
3.5/5
Final Review
Prism is definitely a self-reflective that is rich in its
tone whilst also not compromising on producing some really great pop hits. The change
into more an electronic based sound is nice if a bit radio-friendly, whilst
vocally the sing employs her soft tones to rich effect and even shows more
depth than ever before. Lyrically she is sharp as ever and makes a chorus that
is irresistibly catchy seem like something that everyone should be able to do,
but some more deep and personal touches to songs would potentially elevate the
artistry she displays. The main issue with Prism is the track listing- after either
track 7 or track 8 songs start to merge together, and we get a first half that
is an upbeat explosion, therefore allowing the more subdued second half to
suffer because of this. Prism is still a strong pop piece, and whilst it may
not have matched the pop brilliance of her last album, that was a really,
really hard thing to expect, and we still have a nice handful of awesome pop
tunes on display here that could maybe allow the singer to match her record, or
at least produce a good streak of top ten hits with a sprinkling of number 1’s.
7.5/10
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