Kesha’s new album is chaos drippin’ head to toe
But I’m pretty sure that’s exactly what she was going for
In 2014, I briefly dated a 26 year-old wannabe music producer before he tore my heart into shredded pork and ate it on a sandwich. He was 5’7, skinnier than Timothée Chalamet, and when he told me his idol was Dr. Luke, that should have been a very obvious red flag. But Kesha hadn’t sued her infamous producer-turned-abuser yet, catapulting them into a nine year legal battle that only ended in the summer of 2023 (when they finally reached a settlement).
It’s easy to root for . (PERIOD) to be good because it’s Kesha’s very first album on her own label. And that’s half true – the album is half (really) good, half hot mess, and fully a celebration of Kesha’s freedom away from that disgusting(ly talented) monster.
The first track, “FREEDOM.,” is a deranged clipped-out magazine collage that has absolutely no idea what it wants to be, but is completely content to take us all along on a six minute ride figuring it out. Within the first three minutes of the album, it’s hard not to wonder whether Kesha is (metaphorically) running through a field somewhere in a gauzy white dress, warm sunlight glinting on her face while she scream-sings her Gladiator battle cry into the mountains, or if she’s still the trashy party girl we all know and love ("I only drink when I'm happy and I'm drunk right now"). I’ve truly never heard a more disjointed song in my life.
The album’s best songs are all right in a row, which is convenient, starting with the second track, “JOYRIDE.” Kesha sounds like she’s channeling her inner Gaga, but I like it here, unlike on “BOY CRAZY.,” where she’s clearly trying too hard to sound like somebody else.
“YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” is good in the same way “Timber” was: a very strange but undeniably catchy mixture of country and ratchet club music. On principle I hate it, but I also can’t pretend it’s not a total ear worm. It reminds me of a more chaotic “Old Town Road,” if that’s your thing. It’s not mine, but I can’t deny some people love that shit, and there’s no doubt I’ll be wailing “bitch, I just got a brand new car!” in someone’s crowded living room at the next available opportunity.
PERIOD gets good for real with “DELUSIONAL.” and “RED FLAG.” which are both delicious and will easily earn a spot on my summer playlist. If the entire album sounded like this, it could honestly come close to a 9.5/10 for me. We’ve got a little bit of Brat vibes happening here, even if both songs sound like they could have been written in 2010, easily. Some people might take an issue with that, but I’m not mad at it. Life was easier then 🥲
Like what I like, thе bizarre type, lowlife
Tell me something I don't know
All the nice guys left me dead inside
I like chaos drippin’ head to toe
I can admit that
I love a red flag
Something so wrong does it so right every time
Tell me something I don't know
On the rest of the album, Kesha is experimenting with different genres, different vibes, different everything. Some might call it a mess; to me, it sounds like discovery. A woman who is finally free and gets to decide who she wants to be now.
At its best, PERIOD sounds like the old Kesha, but she’s a little wiser now, with a dash of 2010s Katy Perry (who is still working with Dr. Luke for some unknown reason, ick) and a sprinkle of something I can clearly identify as “Lady Gaga envy.” A serious low point is a half-hearted attempt to sound like Charli xcx on “GLOW.,” but it’s fine because a Kesha album isn’t one you want to listen to from start to finish, anyway. Take the bangers and ignore the rest.
Best song to send to your friend who also likes faerie/dragon smut: “RED FLAG.”
Best song to add to your workout playlist: “JOYRIDE.”
Best song to scream-sing after a breakup: “DELUSIONAL.”
Best song to drive around with the windows down to: “TOO HARD.”
Best song for when you need a little self-love pump up jam: “THE ONE.”
OVERALL SCORE: 7.9/10
Summer playlist, how much $$$