143 Review — beachboymusicreviews

143 is the seventh album from California pop singer, Katy Perry. I grew up hearing her music all the time on the radio in the early 2010s, as her albums, Teenage Dream and Prism, were full of bangers like “Firework,” and “Dark Horse.” She needs no introduction, so I’m gonna just get straight into it.

I really wasn’t looking forward to this album, as the single, “WOMAN’S WORLD,” sounds like something a corporate boardroom would play to show that they provide equal hiring opportunities to women. It’s so obnoxiously un-empowering, and really lacks the same anthemic qualities that tracks like “Teenage Dream,” and “I Kissed A Girl,” had. Katy isn’t a terrible singer by any means, but these tracks are so lacking in substance and charisma, that it’s next to impossible to sit through. The features on this thing surprised me. How did two great rappers like JID and 21 Savage end up on this record? They must’ve been paid tons of money. The Kim Petras feature on the track, “GORGEOUS,” didn’t surprise me, as both her and Katy don’t seem to have a problem with working with an accused rapist (Dr. Luke), yet, they want to brag about female empowerment? Regardless of the Dr. Luke stuff, the production sounds derivative and soulless. Katy is clearly trying to bite styles that more original and talented artists have succeeded with. The nicest thing I can say is that the singing isn’t terrible? I mean I’m really fishing for nice things to say about this album. “I’M HIS, HE’S MINE,” featuring Doechii, is a pathetic attempt at a girl boss anthem, with Doechii doing her best Doja Cat impression. Again, I don’t know how JID has been on not one, but two terrible albums. “CRUSH,” is clearly trying to be a European dance throwback, but like the rest of the album it feels uninspired. “LIFETIMES,” is a single that bores me to tears, it really doesn’t sound like a track “inspired” by her love of her daughter. I’ve heard much better parenthood songs, even Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign made a better parenthood anthem in “TALKING/ONCE AGAIN.” And that album is incredibly weak. Still, it’s charming and a touching track from the two. If I didn’t look up what “LIFETIMES,” was meant to be about, I would have no fucking idea that it was a track about motherhood. The tracks on this album feel interchangeable, as the drum rhythms are re-used lazily, and the song structure is so predictable.

Honestly, I can’t figure out what bothers me the most, the lack of creativity when it comes to production and songwriting, the shallow themes of female empowerment that are contradicted by the inclusion of Dr. Luke as the primary producer on the record, or the desperate attempts at recapturing past success. It’s easily the worst album I’ve heard this year. Yes, even worse than genre: sadboy. This listen was the longest 33 minutes of my life, and it’s time that I can never get back. I don’t have some personal grudge against Katy, as I liked her early hits, when I was in like 5th grade, but I can’t respect someone who sacrifices a good conscience in exchange for success. If Dr. Luke wasn’t the main producer on this record, I probably still wouldn’t like it, but his inclusion on this album repulses me. How do you not support a fellow musician, who’s being courageous enough to speak out against one of the biggest producers in pop music? I’ve heard so many better albums this year, and I would’ve been happy to have not heard this album at all. If you want to listen to good Katy Perry music, listen to her old stuff, not this pile of garbage.