I was more than ready to dislike this album but really, song for song, it doesm’t peak as high as Teenage Dream, but it sure does have its moments. A mish mosh of high end pop by the numbers, Perry tries to convince us she has a soul (highly doubtful but still, give her the benefit of the doubt) while screaming at the waitress for table service.
It is an odd mish mosh but not untypical
1. Good pop songs
2. Alright dance tracks
3. Lousy ballads
“Roar” is the typical track here, an intensely average piece of girl power which for some obscure reason hit the right note with the great unwashed. Better is “Legendary Lovers” which, while sure the lyric stinks, has a sort of pseudo rock and roll anthem feel even if the lyrics are… well, there is no way round this, the lyrics are atrocious emotional short hand claptrap. But this has a nice little push to it.
The following song “Birthday” is even better, it even has a well written line about wearing your birthday suit. Better still is “Double Rainbow”, a song as sweet as smart as you could want. And if there was only those three songs I’d be unhappy man.
However, I really can’t take “By The Grace Of God” and “Spiritual”, a one two punch towards the end of Prism that will have you begging for mercy. The last song on the album “Choose Your Battles” , indeed, any time Katy takes herself seriously, is another disaster. Look, it is real simple, Katy is a horrid, spoiled, star, who treats her employees like shit and makes Diana Ross seem like the soul of compassion. And it seeps through her music like sewage every time she tries to emote.
Take advice from this twerp? You must be kidding? About what? Which limo service has the most subservient drivers? Keep to the one night stands and the kissing girls, teenage wannabeing and, of course the usual suspects: Dr. Luke and Max Martin executive producing and hey Benny Blanco on one track!
Will it sell? Should do, though I don’t know how it is gonna beat out the last one.
Grade: C+