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Ke$ha - Animal By Brian Campbell  |
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Ke$ha is the latest in what’s sure to be, but hopefully not, a long line of Lady Gaga clones, singers who have catchy songs handed to them. Sure, they are somewhat brazen and outlandish in nature but when you get down to it, when you get down to the brass tacks of things, the music is a complete wash. Ke$ha, and her debut “Animal,” fit such a profile, although she claims to have had a hand in writing every song on the album.
“Animal” is a hook driven vehicle devoid of any actual substance, but holy crap is it catchy. Although it’s 14 tracks long, this is mostly a flittering listen. You know, in one ear and out the other as they say, even though it is soundly built for multiple spins on DJ tables worldwide, ready to ignite dance floors to all four corners of the land.
Equipped with ultra-trendy catch phrases and words like ‘hot mess,’ ‘baller’ and crunk,’ “Animal” is basically a 46 minute ode to drinking, dancing and partying into the wee hours of the morning. ‘Stephen’ is a slight break from the ever-bouncy thump and overall predictable pace of the rest of the record, even if it’s different in a creepy, kinda disturbing restraining order sort of way. The crazed stalker mentality of the song could be relatable to some, although you’d not want to meet those people, well, at least not in a dark alley. ‘Hungover’ and ‘Blind’ don’t sound as if they fit in with the rest of “Animal’s” ilk – they sound as if they could potentially pass for a real pop ballad – something this album, hell, something Ke$ha doesn’t produce a lot of. ‘Dancing With Tears in My Eyes’ is the only endearing song of the lot, and if the driving bass groove of the track were to be replaced with actual drumming, it would go a long way to making it the albums best work, but that honor lies with lead single ‘Tik Tok.’ It’s just hard to deny the songs’ guttural infectiousness. It’s hard not to be moved (physically) by the song – you know, head bobbing, toe tapping, that sort of thing.
“Animal” isn’t completely terrible as its sickeningly contagious quality redeems it a small portion, but unfortunately the rest is ultimately disposable and will quietly wisp away into the ether as soon as it’s out of your CD player. It would probably be in your best interest to download the singles and let them find a comfortable home in your iPod playlist, tucked away between better songs.
Grade: D
Listen to: ‘Tik Tok,’ ‘Animal’
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