Album- One of the
Boys
Artist- Katy Perry
Katy Perry is one of the biggest pop stars of today’s music
industry, producing such hit singles as Firework and Roar. But the singers
journey has been a long one, with Perry being signed to a variety of different
labels before becoming involved with Capitol Records and finally releasing her
major label debut album, One of the Boys. But just why was this album such a
success, producing hit singles and catapulting the singer into the mainstream?
Or is One of the Boys actually a poor record that only had a handful of nice
songs?
Track 1- One of the
Boys
Title track and album opener One of the Boys is a fun up
tempo pop rock number that finds Perry taking on the role of a girl who at
first is one of the boys, but then changes her mind, becomes all girly and
tries to make this boy realise that they should be together. The song is simple
and lyrically strong with a romantic comedy narrative style that is slightly clichéd
but ultimately fun. The song works well in showing off the singer’s bright
personality from the outset, with Perry’s vocal performance being feisty and
airy in the right places and placing her in this changing girl role very well.
Producer Butch Walker creates a vibrant pop rock sound with jittering guitar
rhythms and punchy drum beats that just creates a fun and feisty pop edge to
the track that works well with the lyrics.
3.5/5
Track 2- I Kissed a
Girl
Perry’s first big hit on charts worldwide, I Kissed a Girl
is a fun and flirtatious number that finds the singer in a (controversial for
some) state of kissing a girl and liking it. The song is just a fun party track
with a strong pop chorus and a catchy hook. Vocally the singer imbues the song
with a cheeky personality and makes the song more charming than awkward, whilst
the bridge is awesome through the way that Perry utilises her higher range and
gives us an airy vocal that just creates an added kick to the final chorus.
Producers Dr Luke and Benny Blanco work their magic with the songs aggressive
guitar riffs and stomping rhythm that creates this really powerful sound that
immediately grabs your attention.
3.5/5
Track 3- Waking Up in
Vegas
Perry keeps the fun going with Waking Up in Vegas, another up
tempo pop rock number where the singer seems to have been doing things she shouldn’t
have yet again whilst in an intoxicated state. Here the singer has seemingly
married her boyfriend (or just a friend) and done a whole load of other things,
but at the end of the day neither of them should complain, as this is what
happens in Vegas. The song is nice in terms of the quirky narrative led verses
and the simple, instantly memorable chorus. Vocally Perry seems to have as much
fun and energy as she does within the lyrics, and the songs sound is really
nice with the blend of preppy guitar riffs with lighter notes and some upbeat
drums.
3.5/5
Track 4- Thinking of
You
Now the album slows down for us to hear the first ballad
offering from the singer. Thinking of You focuses on Perry not wishing to move
on from a former lover and being nostalgic about the relationship whilst she is
in another relationship, but ultimately realising she has no choice but to move
on. The song is quite poetic and sharp in terms of the emotional lyrics, whilst
Perry doesn’t compromise on the songs accessibility and strong pop chorus, and
this song is made more brilliant by the fact that Perry wrote this entirely by
herself. Vocally the singer isn’t the best but it is nice to hear the slight
weakness of her vocal within the vulnerable context of this track, whilst the
emotional intensity is beautifully brought out with the clashing drum beats and
more acoustic instrumentation, with the song also being great in the way it
starts and ends really softly and builds in power.
3.5/5
Track 5- Mannequin
Mannequin is a snappy pop rock number with sharp, twinkling
piano melodies and lyrics that show the satirical side of the singer. Here
Perry sings of wishing for this man to show some emotion, but in the end he is
just a mannequin and not a real man. The critical, feisty nature of the song
will resonate well with the singer’s fans, and the use of the mannequin imagery
puts a fun spin on the idea of a partner being cold hearted. Perry shows off
the range of her voice nicely within this track and also just goes a bit more volatile
with her performance to really bring out the songs sentiment. The punchy rock
guitar rhythm isn’t as attention grabbing as some of the other songs but melds
well with the lyrical substance of the track
3.5/5
Track 6- Ur So Gay
Released as a buzz single from the album, Ur So Gay finds
the singer mocking a metrosexual ex-boyfriend, and once again she shows her satirical
side and her ability to really critically analyse some of her ex-boyfriends. The
lyrics are catchy in a way but it is a bit of an awkward song as Perry sadly
will inevitably come across as making a slightly homophobic song to some
listeners. Once again the singer utilises the range of her voice well and gives
us a preppy, snappy vocal performance that compliments the lyrics. The fun
thing about this track is that it changes up the record a bit, having a trip
hop based sound with a cool acoustic guitar loop, whistling melodies and blasts
of horns that creates this upbeat, airy and cool vibe to the song.
3.5/5
Track 7- Hot n Cold
Hot n Cold finds the singer teaming up with Dr Luke and
Benny Blanco once again, but this time her sound is a bit more electronic pop
rock. The song focuses on Perry being in this relationship where the boyfriend
cannot make up his mind, and just comes across as this ever changing emotional
person who needs to either invest in or leave Perry. Vocally the singer is
snappy and fierce, perfectly embodying the role of a girlfriend who is sick of
her man. Luke and Blanco do a great job with the production as they bring
diversity to the record by combining the snappy rock guitar and thumping drums
with some stomping electronic notes, showing that Perry isn’t just a one trick
pony.
4/5
Track 8- If You Can
Afford Me
Things turn back to a more pure and simple pop rock sound
with If You Can Afford Me. The song is a fun up tempo number in which the singer
tells this boy that if he wants to be in a relationship with her then he just
has to pay the cost. The lyrics are fun and witty with the song having a nice
chorus and sharp verses where Perry details the type of girl that she is not
and the things the boy can’t have. Vocally things are light and simple whilst
the scattered guitar riffs and solid drumbeats just create a light and bouncy
rhythm for the song that allows the lyrics to really work on the listener.
3.5/5
Track 9- Lost
Described by Perry as the most personal song on the record,
Lost is a mid tempo pop ballad that finds the singer taking things to a more
acoustic level and sounding a bit worn out. Here the singer taps into her life
events of searching for musical stardom, and the song is emotionally powerful
and shows the vulnerability behind the pop persona. Vocally this is another
track where the singer isn’t really strong but really brings passion and
humanity to the song and just belts out the notes with the right amount of
intensity and vulnerability that is needed. Producer Ted Bruner does a nice job
in creating this dramatic sound that matches the passion of the lyrical
journey, with the flourishes of strings adding an extra layer of power to the
songs good guitar based sound.
3.5/5
Track 10- Self
Inflicted
Self Inflicted is a thumping pop rock number in which the
singer is in a relationship that is quite volatile and probably emotionally bad
for her, but she is addicted to this boy and will take the pain as it is her
own choice to do so. The message is
strong and catchy but it does feel like the singer is trying to emulate Alanis
Morisette a bit too much, whilst the vocals are slightly annoying as it
straddles the line of powerful and childlike. The pop rock production is also
quite bland as the mix of guitar and drums is a very typical sound, and so by
this point it might be a good thing for the record to end.
3.5/5
Track 11- I’m Still
Breathing
With I’m Still Breathing Perry focuses on another past relationship
in which she recognises that things have failed and she is ok and will carry
on. The song is quite smart lyrically as it is catchy but also feels a bit like
we are peeking into the singer’s diary, whilst vocally the song is nice in
terms of the layered style of the vocal, although the main vocal is a bit weak.
Producer David Stewart creates a nice blend of a simple backbeat with
atmospheric piano and haunting guitar notes that just creates this airy texture
to the song that makes it more of a potent listen.
3.5/5
Track 12-
Fingerprints
Final track Fingerprints could be a bad finish to the record
as the pop rock sound wears thin at this point. But whilst the sound of the
track may feel too safe and familiar, lyrically this is a much more fun and
intriguing listen. This is because, instead of giving us a romantically focused
song, Perry creates a feisty anthem in which she sings of making her mark in
the world and defying all the people who said that she couldn’t succeed in what
she wanted to do. Whilst some of the lyrics may be clichéd, it is ultimately a
catchy song that is elevated by the forceful and sincere vocal from Perry, and
in the end this is actually the perfect end for the record.
3.5/5
Final Review
One of the Boys isn’t probably the best album from Katy
Perry, and with this album it is maybe easy to imagine that she could have
faded into musical obscurity. The sound of the record just becomes bland after
a while, and vocally at times it can be challenging to listen to because she
maybe isn’t the rock chick kind of girl that she aspires to be or is inspired
by. What One of the Boys does do well is act as a blueprint for the artist and
show that she can grow. The record is packed with fun pop hooks and lyrics that
are really crafted into catchy tunes, whilst the singer diversifies sometimes
to show that she can take different musical avenues with future records. All in
all, One of the Boys is a solid debut that tails off at the end and just shows
the ability for the singer to create hit songs, whilst also showing that she
still has some growing to do as an artist.
5.5/10
Best Track- Hot n
Cold
Worst Track- Self
Inflicted 
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