Katy Perry’s Pop Report Card: We Grade Her 3 Albums, Ahead Of Her Super Bowl Performance

PRISM (2013)

After her Queen-Frostine-from-Candyland realness satisfied the world’s sweet tooth, Katy Perry was smart enough to add a little sour to the mix with Prism. Aiming for harder edges and a more grown-up aesthetic, she mostly succeeds. Unfortunately, it’s at the expense of the songs, which span the distance from heart-wrenching emotional (“By The Grace Of God”) to joyous (“Walking On Air”) to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (“International Smile,” “Choose Your Battles,” “Ghost”).

Following the album’s kick-off with the less-than-rousing chart-topper “Roar,” (you’re welcome, Sara Bareilles), Prism is all over the place. Nowhere is this clearer than on a string of is-this-really-your-best-work cuts like the kinda cute “Birthday” (SPOILER ALERT: “big balloons” = Katy’s Perrys) and the kinda dumb “This Is How We Do.” While there are some strong deep cuts, like the one-two punch of “This Moment” and “Double Rainbow,” Prism just doesn’t come together.

Taken on their own, the LP’s better singles sound as if they came off a darker and more interesting album with room and range for the big ballad “Unconditionally” and the weird-and-witchy “Dark Horse.” And here, pop fans, is the Perry Paradox we’re left with: “Dark Horse” reinvented the singer’s sound and at last provided her with the opportunity to chart a new and bold direction…yet the music video looks like an outtake from Teenage (Fever)Dream.

Evolving as an artist and as a person is never easy, but the question, for Katy and listeners alike, seems to be, what exactly is the sound and theme of Prism? Perhaps that’s to be expected after such an iconic, unified set like Teenage Dream, but it’s disappointing to have to listen and look so hard to hear the heart behind the songs this time around. Of course, growing up is hard and life is painful, even for pop stars. But when it comes to music, healing is rarely ever as interesting as hurting, and, at least for this jaded bitch, Prism gets way too self-help-y at the expense of raw human emotion.

After all, Katy Perry started out her career chronicling, with a wicked sense of humor, the good and the bad. After ascending to pop goddessdom, here’s hoping that where she chooses to go next bridges the best of where she’s been while leaving plenty of room to become something even better. B-

What’s your favorite Katy Perry album? Let us know below, Katycats!