Katy Perry

One of the Boys

November 07, 2008

* / ****

By Mr. Marlowe

Released 2008

Soulless music that is a grotesquely calculated, overproduced hot mess isn’t my particular cup of tea. Throw in the obvious phoniness of a Christian teeny bopper turned spastic Britney Spears/Kelly Clarkson wannabe, and wrap it all in a ‘50s Lolita meets Betty Paige persona and the wheels can’t help but fall off this out-of-control pop music disaster. I’m writing, of course, of Katy Perry’s 2008 album One of the Boys, a dementedly cute idea that lacks the heart and wisdom to adequately pull off the charade.

From the pop-techno beats and glossy faux rock to the childishly stupid and immature song titles and lyrics (“I Kissed A Girl and I Think I Liked It” and “I can belch the alphabet, just double dog dare me,” for example), forget about Jewel’s much-maligned 2003 “dance” record 0304 (though I still contend that record had several clever moments), One of the Boys is one of the most fraudulent albums you will ever hear. Don’t get me wrong, Katy is a hot lookin’ young thing with a strong voice, and those who shaped her image know what they’re doing, it’s just that it’s painfully easy to see the truth behind the curtain.

Whether it be Katy’s casual cursing or the fabricated “risqué” stories she sings about One of the Boys obviously isn’t her, it’s the Katy she wants the teeny boppers to obsess about. Who cares if any of it is real? From the first tune to the last, every word, every beat, and every last gushing bit of phony melodrama is either belabored, unmemorable, silly stupid, or all three. It’s a shame, too because it is clear Katy has some excellent pipes beneath the cute vixen pin-up persona. If only some genuine music and lyrics had accompanied the vintage makeover rather than super slick production machinations there might be a new pop princess on the scene. As is, Katy’s One of the Boys is a foolish attempt at cashing in on style over substance and self-conscious pop-culture obsession over intellectual teen insight, a shame when the raw material and willingness are there for a decent album.

In all, One of the Boys is a below average record through and through, as easily absorbed and beloved by teenyboppers as it is despised and ridiculed by the music press.

Best Songs: Lost, Hot N Cold, Ur So Gay