Current Events > Ayyy, My Kesha pre-order is here! Can't wait to give it a spin.

(+) Yeah! (+)

High expectations after the first few singles.
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Just watched Fallon from last night where she performed "Praying".....gotta say, not too shabby.
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Track 1 - Bastards

10/10

Great opener. Great message. "Don't let the bastards get you down. Don't let the assholes wear you out" sung melodically over a twangy acoustic, reminescent of Kesha's country roots. No auto-tune. She's saying I'm back, and I'm doing things my way.

Go kesha go.
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Her new album sounds incredible so far, I love it
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Track 2 - Let 'em Talk (feat. Eagles of Death Metal)

10/10

Oh boy this one just comes out and hits ya in the teeth! You got the EoDM supplying the instrumentation, and it almost reminds me of Goodbye Lullabye era Avril (AKA her last good album) but the lyrics are more mature and Kesha was always a better party girl so it feels more authentic. If you're not on your feet jumping around to this one somethings not connecting up in the ol' skull cavity.
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Track 4 - Woman ft. The Dap-King Horns Section

10/10

you guys already know this one. It's hella awesome. yeah, the subject matter might be a little tired by now, she's an independent woman. Neat. but she's not jsut an independent woman, she's a mother fucking woman. And I love how she says mother "FUCKING." No holding back, no dropping the G. She knows who she is. And it doesn't feel nearly as cringey as other songs about a similar subject, which just feel like cheap appeals the female population. This isn't about women in general, it's about Kesha, and guess what she's a woman. This song is about being in charge and not holding back. Anyone can relate. We can all be mother fucking women!
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Track 5 - Hymn

4/10

Didn't really dig this one when she released it as a single, don't really dig it now. It's just very repetitive, it follows the same pattern the whole dang song. It kinda just gets exhausting after the first verse. There's not really a climax, it's just the same rhyming pattern over and over again (and then of couse she tries to rhyme "Hymn" with "Live" which just sounds awkward to me). I never really dug Your Love is My Drug either but still consider Animal a masterpiece of modern pop so one bum song doesn't spoil my opinion of Kesha as an artist by any means, and of course there's still room for the song to grow on me after I listen to the album about 400 more times.

Out of curiosity I checked out who has writing credits, and while Kesha and her mom have writing creds on basically every song, Hymn is the only one with credit to a guy named johnny and some lady named cara. I wonder if they have to do with this being sub-par?
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Track 6 - Praying

10/10

You guys know this one. Everyone knows this one. This was Kesha letting us know she's back, she means business, and she hasn't even begun to peak. From the first few notes, it's somber af but you just know it's going to to be an emotional rollercoaster. She takes this personal and traumatic experience, shares it with the world, but doesn't dwell on the event in the song, instead talking about how she'll carry on. It's a good message for the fans, her abuser, and probably cathartic af for Kesha. This is a song about Kesha's strength, and the other guy's weakness. She's praying for his soul. She knows she'll be ok, but he's in a place there is no coming back from. Hell, she even thanks him: "I can thank you for how strong I have become." There is no forgiveness here, but she's certainly not going to let him affect her anymore. Ya just gotta feel like you can come back from anything after this one plays.
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^I actually never heard the song until.....well, read post #2
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Scorsese2002 posted...

^I actually never heard the song until.....well, read post #2

I just looked up her perf. So good! I like how they covered her butt on the album cover with more splooge (it's uncovered on the actual album cover)
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Track 6 - Learn to Let Go

10/10

This is the perfect way to follow up Praying. It's upbeat and it's fun, which contrasts nicely coming off of Praying, but it's got a thematic continuation. While Praying was about carrying on through the bad times, this is about moving past the bad and reclaiming life and being who you want to be. The hook is infectious af when she sings "I think it's time to practice what I preach, exercise the demons inside me" because 1) it's just a fun little bit to sing along to, but 2) what's more endearing than someone admitting they're wrong and they're gonna fucking deal with it. Kesha aint gonna perfect, that's a theme of basically all of her songs, but that persona (who is blatantly and intentionally imperfect) is not the kesha behind the makeup, who is also imperfect. This is a more personal call to action, to try to move past some bad decisions and keep your head up. Everyone can relate. And again, it's just fun as hell to sing along to. This beat would have felt right at home on Animal or Warrior, even if the lyrics feel like a noted departure from that style.
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I haven't heard any of the songs but Praying, but this topic is fabulous.
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Track 7 - Finding You

10/10

This almost sounds like a Lumineers Song or something (except I don't like the Lumineers and do like this). the First two verses are really folksy, and it's just Kesha showing off her vocal talents, no auto tune, a good bit of vibrato. and then the chorus drops in and it's a different song, but it works and it's a strong hook. It's short, clocking in under 3 mins but that's fine for this kind of song because it is thematically different than the past tracks, and feels like a natural segue. It's not about kesha being a badass, it's a love song and lyically I think the chorus is one of my favorite things ever. No lie,

"I know forever don't exist
But after this life, I'll find you in the next
So when I say "forever," it's the goddamn truth
I'll keep finding, finding you"

that's startling romantic and touching af and even tho we all know Kesha is hella talented I think the first thoughts of her is that she's the party pop star girl but she's capable of so much more (remember The Harold Song?). I'm gonna be replaying this one a lot.
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