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As I predicted in my snippet review, Katy Perry's Prism is a smash with critics who don't take themselves too seriously all over the music writing world. I've gathered a few choice quotes on Katy's latest to help you decide whether you want to drop some iTunes money on Ms. Perry's music.
"Prism" has neither fat nor pretense. In its own masterful way, in fact, Perry's new work contains as much of-the-moment sonic surprise as any other modern pop album this year. Is she remaking the musical landscape? No, but she sure does know how to thrive within it.
The best thing about Prism is that it sounds exactly like a Katy Perry album. That's also, as it happens, all you need to know to determine whether or not you'll enjoy Prism, as the album is-just as 2010's hit Teenage Dream was-a prolonged, sometimes silly, always catchy "you go girl" proclamation. But if Teenage Dreampurred, Prism roars. Perry is a pop general, perched atop a candy rainbow, bathing her army of fans in an elixir of empowerment.
"PRISM" has its share of candy-colored fun, but also something else: more detail in its tempered shades. With a string of hit singles under her belt, Perry has aspired to create a multi-faceted full-length and has consummately succeeded.
Listen, I love Katy Perry. I speak from a place of love. In the modern-day Max Martin/Dr. Luke ecosystem, nobody gets it right more ecstatically, or more often. (Okay, except Ke$ha, but another time, another time.) And if you love Katy Perry, you can seize on the great stuff here. "Walking on Air" is a delicious Latin freestyle/'80s-pop confection: pure Taylor Dayne in the pre-choruses, with a sweetly rad falsetto hook. "International Smile" is first-rate fizzy disco buoyed by the best vocoder solo since "Digital Love." And mega-power ballad "Unconditionally" swerves into Florence + the Machine's wind-swept-mountainous-vista lane without crashing and burning: As a first wedding dance, it beats the hell out of "Ur So Gay."
When Perry borders on changing up her sound and taking some risks, she is best. The irresistible deep house track "Walking on Air," a collaboration with Swedish producer Klas Ahlund, is a shining effort, while the bonus track "Spiritual," co-written with beau John Mayer, is a groovy highlight.
The best songs on "Prism" are the ones that don't need to be taken on faith - fluffball romps through all the trending genres Perry and her producers can stuff into their shopping carts. The Juicy J-assisted "Dark Horse" is diluted, Southern-style trap; "Roar" is assured, swaggering power pop; "This Is How We Do" is an exercise in Ke$ha-branded electro-skank; "Walking on Air" is an homage to '90s hip-hop/house titans C+C Music Factory; "Birthday" is a deft disco throwback. As is the prerogative of an artist in the top tier, "Prism" has no filler, just hits that haven't happened yet.
Time
Moving the goalposts of pop music is not Katy Perry's aim. She leaves that to artists like Lady Gaga or (though less often, lately) Britney Spears. Instead, Perry makes her name by crushing the established sounds of pop radio. Prism lacks the pop smash depth of Teenage Dream; it's unlikely we'll get six radio staples out of Prism. But, a solid three or four stereo-rattlers is not out of the question. While neither Perry nor Prism push any boundaries for pop music, they certainly raise bars.
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