Ke$ha Komes Back, But Is Pop Stuck In A Rut?

Ke$ha's new tune Die Young appeared online late yesterday before a lyric video (and what I'm sure was in no way a label placed tweet from Britney) surfaced today as K$ rolls out the album campaign for second album Warrior (not counting the reissued mini album buzz of the Cannibal release). Die Young set Twitter alight when it leaked although reaction was mixed with plenty suggesting the track was a disappointment.

After repeat listens it's obvious that Die Young is no stinker but it just feels a little too similar to every second pop smash of the last 12 months to get really swept up in it. It's got snatches of Flo-Rida, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, fun. and One Direction in it's DNA yet never quite jumps to undeniable smash status.

The hook-y chorus with it's chanting feel is fun and the verses have plenty of the spoken-word charm of the best Ke$ha moments but it feels like this either needed to go into harder dance-pop territory (i.e. a bigger drop) or strip away the generic Dr. Luke vibes for something a bit quirkier.

It says alot about how pop music has been in such rude health that a song with as much as catchy appeal as this might seem a bit disappointing but perhaps we've reached a tipping point. It certainly feels like the Dr. Luke & co school of shimmer-y guitar driven synth pop has reached it's apex as much as the rave-pop stylings of Guetta and Calvin Harris. Here's to the full-length album allowing Ke$ha a little space to serve up something different (she's already been talking up something more experimental in various interviews) while we all try and get the chorus to this one out of our heads:

Ke$ha's Ode To Drag Queens Finally Gets A Video

As if one drag inspired pop video wasn't enough! Ke$ha's current single Take It Off (my hands down favourite on her trash-tastic debut album) has been floating around for awhile. She has discussed how the track is inspired by fierce drag queens so I awaited a tranny fierce music video with baited breath.

But alas the video that leaked online today features not one drag queen! What a disgrace! Still there is plenty to like in the Paul Hunter directed clip. Ke$ha looks great, it's amazing what a bit of hair straightening will do to make a girl scrub up well. There's some neat FX (though none as effective as the last video) but ultimately nothing really happens. Where is the basement dance party with everyone "taking if off". Where is the actual dance routine? WHERE ARE THE TRANNIES?

This video looks great and does the job and I'm sure the song will do little to hamper Ke$ha's chart run (which has included each single shifting over a million copies each Stateside!) but next time we'd like a little more attention paid to the lyrical content of the track Missus!

Album Review: Ke$ha unleashes her inner "Animal"

From building internet buzz to a guest appearance with Flo Rida, Ke$ha has ridden the crest of a wave all through the still huge Tik Tok right up to the release of her debut album Animal. Already a number one hit in the US and available on iTunes here, the CD is released tomorrow on our fair shores and begins what sets to be a big year the Californian crazy girl.

With production mainly coming from Dr Luke and a gaggle of other hot producers "Animal" is undeniably slick pop, bursting with hooks and swagger. There is enough rough charm from Ke$ha to keep things afloat. Her shtick is half rap, half singing, all hot mess. This is a girl who parties hard, uses and abuses boys at the drop of a hat but has a soft side that "can't take rejection" (as she laments on the downbeat but sweet standout "Stephen").

If it sounds like the stuff of cliche that it's because it kind of is. But it's also charged through with enough electro sheen and ridiculously catchy hooks to lure you in. Blah Blah Blah with duo of the moment 30H!3, the 2nd single, will lodge in your brain for days (a worthy successor to the big fun and even bigger chorus of Tik Tok). The gleefully hedonistic sheen of Take It Off and Party At A Rich Dude's House will do much the same. And some of the initial internet leaks that gave Ke$ha buzz with the bloggers and such reappear here such as Boots and Boys and Backstabber. The slower moments aren't quite engaging apart from the aforementioned Stephen and the brooding title track.

It might become a bit one note and drowning in layers of production at times but overall "Animal" is brash, enjoyable and great fun. Great, trashy pop is hard to find but on this release Ke$ha delivers it in spades. Well worth a look.