Katy Perry - Smile

Status
Not open for further replies.

Lila

Staff member
This works far better for me as an overall experience than Teenage Dream because that album, while housing one of the best pop songs of all time in its title track, is wildly inconsistent and contains a career low as well as a couple of tracks that have aged like milk.
 
Her adlibs on the final chorus of Harleys In Hawaii are still so amazing.
Katy is me singing them in my room last night and the woman in sunglasses is my neighbors.
BXIgGMb.gif
 
Last edited:
I was half asleep during my "first listen" so I gave it another spin now and it's a breezy, easy to listen pop album, not her most memorable work, but it's definitely her most cohesive and the sequencing also flows really nicely! Cry About It Later is pure gold, wasn't expecting that guitar solo, it would have been the perfect follow-up to Never Really Over. Teary Eyes will sound amazing at a gay club once the world reopens.
 
I got the Target blue vinyl after all but does the fan edition on her website with the lenticular cover come with more tracks cause it just lists the regular track list in the description on her website? I thought the fan edition had Small Talk on it?
 
she/her
Just as I thought the album was done and I was about to write a short blurb about how pleasant and breezy of a listen that was, High On Your Supply came on and decimated my scalp one last time. Not one of my new favorites ending up being a bonus track!
 
Quite happy with this. It’s not as good as Teenage Dream but nothing is going to be. The title track is the worst thing here, along with Resilient. I’m keeping everything else.
 
It's always those albums that you aren't really anticipating that seem to hit you and make you sit up isn't it? I absolutely love the album and really wasn't prepared for it to be as good. Even songs like Smile that I just thought was such a misstep as a single makes sense in the album. Well done, Katy! Why Cry About It Later and Teary Eyed haven't been pushed yet is a bit of a mystery though.
 
I’ll preface this by stating that I’ve never been a big Perry fan, even during her imperial phase, that being said, I loved Never Really Over last year and enjoy Daisies (although I find the second verse a bit eye-roll inducing). Thus, I was initially cautiously optimistic about her upcoming album. However, the title track really didn’t click for me, or did What Makes a Woman. Ultimately, while I think this is better than Witness, I cant say I particularly enjoyed the album upon first listen. There are some nice enough melodies here and there, but this album is a stark reminder of Katy’s weaknesses as a songwriter. Most of the song’s are riddled with clichés and outside of NRO and Daisies, they lack stakes that make said clichés excusable and easier to overlook. The allusions to her rough few years following the Witness backlash are vague at best and quickly brushed aside with lines that sound like they were taken from a self-help book. I’m glad she seems to be in a healthy and happy headspace and place in her life, but in my opinion she was not able to translate that into an interesting or particularly meaningful album.
 
I got the Target blue vinyl after all but does the fan edition on her website with the lenticular cover come with more tracks cause it just lists the regular track list in the description on her website? I thought the fan edition had Small Talk on it?

It does. Small Talk, Never Worn White, Daisies (Acoustic) and Daisies (Oliver Heldens Remix).

I have it coming as well.
 
Agree with others that this is Katheryn's best effort since Teenage Dream. I'd argue this is the album Prism should've been.

This album is reminding me of Girls Aloud/Xenomania... especially "Tucked" and "Teary Eyes".

Can hear the Weeknd/MJ influences in "Not The End of the World".

Her previous singles fit well with this vibe especially "Harleys in Hawaii."

The productions makes up for the awful lyrics sprinkled throughout. Sis hasn't grown as a writer and it's only fair I give her the same shit I give Taylor and Ed. Also, the clown artwork does not fit with the album's vibe.
 
Last edited:
I really haven’t clicked with Cry About It Later. That and Smile are my only skips!

Only Love, Not The End Of The World, Never Really Over, Daisies, Teary Eyes, Resilient, Tucked and Harleys are very enjoyable.
 
After a couple of listens, I am extremely happy with this album. Easily her second best album after Teenage Dream, but this feels much more cohesive.

Only Love is my favourite of the new tracks and I would love to see it sent to radio as the next single. Resilient is the only dud for me, but I think it fits with the album well. I won’t skip the song, but I definitely won’t seek it out for a listen.

I hope this gets her a couple of Grammy nominations next year to make up for Never Really Over’s snub.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top