Katy Perry’s new album Smile is quite possibly her most straightforward and simple record to date. However, that’s not a comment on its quality. Because by avoiding the unconvincing social commentary that plagued her last album Witness, bizarre experimentation found on PRISM, and obnoxious vocals and busy production all over One of the Boys . . . Katy Perry makes a consistent and well-executed pop album with Smile.
On her best album since Teenage Dream, Perry manages to churn out one fun and uplifting pop track after another. And while that formula may get old to some . . . no one can deny that it’s a good formula which works.
‘Firework’ and ‘Roar’ could have easily been overblown and annoying pieces of pop fluff, but they defined early 2010s pop music. They showed that self-empowerment songs can be feel-good and bombastic, rather than bland and anonymous, thanks to Perry’s conviction and knack for catchy choruses. And while it may seem cheap for her to return to that formula 7 years after ‘Roar’ came out . . . it’s hard to get upset when she can still execute it as well as she did in 2013.
Songs like ‘Daisies’ and ‘Smile’ show power in resilience and recognizing one’s self-worth. With the soaring vocals and excellent guitar work on the former and bombastic production and lively singing on the latter, both tracks act as proof that Perry’s best music is not behind her.
A big theme on Smile is picking yourself back up. After tirelessly working from 2010-2015, making two massively popular albums (Teenage Dream and PRISM) and successfully touring both of them, Perry decided to take her music in a different direction for 2017’s Witness. And it ended up being her least successful album by a longshot – it was both a commercial and critical letdown. And while I stand by the fact that Witness was over-hated . . . it admittedly showcased an artist misunderstanding her appeal and unsure of where she wants to go with her music going forward. The messy mix of pop, rap, and power-ballads with the trite social commentary didn’t land right and felt more than a little strange coming from the person who asked me if I felt like a plastic bag just 7 years prior.
After Witness and during her subsequent tour, Perry suffered depression and had trouble bouncing back. She was tired of the constant loop of album-making and touring, and was probably disappointed that her music and new image wasn’t landing well with fans or critics.
Smile is a diary of Perry getting back up from that low-point in her life and accepting where she is currently in her career. It’s also a bit of a return-to-form album that shows her going back to a lot of the tropes of Teenage Dream and PRISM. It’s almost like her apology for Witness or admission that that era didn’t pan out well for her.
But while it may be easy to write off Smile as Perry merely going back to what she’s done previously . . . that wouldn’t be entirely accurate or fair. Perry still experiments with different sounds on this album and showcases vocal power unmatched previously in her career.
On ‘Never Really Over’, Perry works with Zedd to make quite possibly her best song to date. Incredibly vibrant and catchy, expertly produced, and performed with such charisma and charm . . . it’s an all-around fantastic opener to Smile.
Perry experiments with heavy electronic production on the well-written ‘Teary Eyes’. It may feel kind-of synthetic and conventional, but it’s a different avenue for Perry that pays off well. It’s infectious, fun, and puts a spotlight on that fine line between sadness and happiness.
‘Champagne Problems’ may be the most cut and dry pop track on Smile. It takes no big risks or chances – it’s a standard Katy Perry song. But I would argue that ‘Champagne Problems’ uses its simplicity to its advantage. The vocal processing, bombastic chorus, and colourful production all coalesce into a lightweight and fun track worth your time.
‘Harleys In Hawaii’ might be the biggest example of sonic experimentation on Smile. This substanceless, but incredibly catchy song cultivates a chill and beachy vibe and has a mellow and smooth vocal performance from Perry that shows her variety as a performer.
‘What Makes a Woman’ is the biggest vocal standout on this album, however. Perry soars with her clear and gorgeous vocals against the simple and slick production. It’s a genuinely beautiful way to end Smile.
The biggest mis-steps on this album would have to be the clunky and unnecessary ‘Resilient’ and cluttered ‘Not the End of the World’. The former features boring vocals from Perry, fundamentally unmelodic production, and a lack of a strong hook. The end result is a pretty forgettable and jarring track. ‘Not the End of the World’, while catchier . . . is even more of a mess. The overly-processed vocals, talk-sung verses, and pitchy hook mesh in a messy way that is occasionally hard to listen to.
Overall, while Smile is admittedly short, simple, and nothing new for pop superstar Katy Perry . . . it proves that there is nothing wrong with fun pop music to lift your spirits and show you the power of perseverance and resilience.
Overall Analysis:
Recommended Age: 12+
Rating: 6/10
Favourite Tracks: ‘Never Really Over’, ‘Daisies’, ‘Smile’, ‘Champagne Problems’, ‘Only Love’, ‘What Makes a Woman’
Least Favourite Tracks: ‘Resilient’, ‘Not the End of the World’
© Sayak S-G, SesayArts Magazine, 2020
