‘Smile’ Katy Perry Album Review..
When you’re as big a mainstream pop superstar as Katy Perry is, you reach a point in your career where you have to ask whether you throw out a curveball or play it safe. On “Smile”, Perry has gone for the latter with her follow-up to 2017 offering “Witness” but, you know that those legions of fans are going to lap up the likes of the bouncy “Teary Eyes”.
Her sixth studio album, “Smile” sees the pop superstar bringing her mainstream pop smile back to the party after her less-than-favourably-received “Witness” but, does playing safe feel like enough? Responsible for the bubblegum megahit “I Kissed A Girl and I Liked It”, Perry became a superstar overnight and, since her 2008 debut, has had more hits that most of us have had those proverbial hot dinners.
Following the public break-up with now-to-be husband Orlando Bloom, the title track of her sixth offering shows that the certainly got some sass back in her step. Taking the listener on a journey charting her discovery of happiness again, there is definitely a more cheerful vibe to her material as demonstrated by Perry on the likes of “Champagne Problems” or the slightly racy “Tucked”.
The positivity continues to shine throughout the likes of “Resilient” and “Only Love” both prime slices of Perry-flavour pop but, ultimately, nothing you haven’t heard from her before. If you’re looking for something a bit different from Perry then you should head straight to the end of the album where her sixth offering draws to a conclusion with the gentler “What Makes A Woman” a track enough removed from the upbeat pop that has preceded it.
The problem with “Smile” is that, while it has some great songs on it like “Champagne Problems”, it all just feels a bit too safe. For an artist like Perry, there are no larger than life songs on here, there are no game changer pop songs either. Ultimately, “Smile” is an album which, after the reaction to “Witness”, sees the pop superstar not really taking any big risks.
Sure, at this stage in her career, Perry doesn’t need to take any risks, but, somehow, by the end of “Smile”, you’re just left feeling that, while it’s great to see the pop favourite back on the right track, this album could have really been so much more.
Smile-themed merchandise bundles, available now at http://katy.to/KPshopPR. Fans who pre-order HERE the album will instantly receive “Smile” plus “Daisies,” the Gold-certified “Never Really Over” and “Harleys In Hawaii.”
