Here
it is, my favorite album from 2012. This one beat out all the other albums and
took the top spot. Prepare yourseves; I’m going to be gushing about how much I
enjoy this album.
1. The Truth About Love by P!nk
P!nk
is one of my favorite artists. She’s a great vocalist, songwriter, and
performer. How many singers can say that they can still sound great singing
while suspended upside down in mid air? P!nk can. She’s not afraid to take
risks and try something new. She also hasn’t shied away from talking about
personal topics including her parent’s divorce and her own marital problems
with husband, Carey Hart. P!nk is a painfully honest confessional songwriter
who’s known for shooting off her mouth and speaking her mind even (or possibly
especially) if it makes people uncomfortable. She also doesn’t take herself too
seriously so she writes fun songs as well as emotional ones and whether the
song is emotional or fun, you can bet that the singer has something sarcastic
or witty to say. If you thought the singer would mellow out after the birth of
her daughter, Willow, then you’re mistaken; she’s just as foul-mouthed and no
holds barred as ever.
Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
The
first single off P!nk’s sixth album (not including “Greatest Hits… So Far”) was
‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’. The song is classic P!nk – big vocals and clever
lyrics over Pop/Rock/Dance music. I love the lyrics – especially the chorus. I
really identify with the lyrics “I think I’ve finally had enough, I think I
maybe think too much” because I’m notorious for over-thinking. And when I’m not
feeling so great the lyrics, “Just when I think it can’t get worse, I had a
shit day/You had a shit day/we’ve had a shit day,” make me feel much better.
The music video is decent, but it’s not the best video in her repertoire. It’s
still worth a watch though – you should watch until the end because my favorite
part is near the end.
Try (Live at the AMA's)
The
second single is the aforementioned ‘Try’. It’s the only song on the album,
including all the bonus tracks, that P!nk didn’t have a hand in writing. ‘Try’
is a beautiful but sad ballad that centers around a less than perfect
relationship and advises you to “get up and try.” It’s quickly becoming one of
my favorite songs off the album and it’s getting a decent amount of play on the
radio. The video features choreography by the Golden Boyz and Sebastien Stella,
stunt choreographer, as well as Broadway dancer Colt Prattes (as P!nk’s
partner). The choreography is athletic and is so provocative that it prompted
P!nk’s mother, Judith, to say “Wow, honey. I’m speechless. And uncomfortable.
No one can ever say you play it safe.” At the American Music Awards, she sang ‘Try’
while performing choreography taken from the music video. Even though you could
tell that the singer was breathing heavy, she still sang really well. In some
ways, the theatrics of the performance was more powerful than the music video.
How Come You're Not Here
Other
than the singles, one of my favorite songs off “The Truth About Love” is ‘How
Come You’re Not Here’. It’s such a fun song and the lyrics are so cheeky. The
xylophone in the song is catchy and silly, which strengthens the delivery of
sarcasm. I love the lyrics in the
second verse, especially “And that’s all cool/I’ll wait right here/’Til you get
bored/and she gets carded for beer.” Who doesn’t love songs making fun of other
people?
Slut Like You
Another of my favorite songs is
‘Slut Like You’. P!nk has said that the song is her strange way of stating her
feminist views. She doesn’t understand or agree with the double standard that when
men have multiple partners it’s considered sexual conquest but when women have
multiple partners then she’s considered a slut. To paraphrase, she said, “Maybe
he’s my conquest?’ I love that the
song is so provocative and blunt – not to mention that the ad libs are
hilarious. I’m not so sure how a “clean” version was released though…
The Truth About Love
Like
all albums, there are a few songs that I’m not too crazy about. But all in all,
“The Truth About Love” is a pretty solid album from a pretty consistent
singer/songwriter. If you get a chance then check out the bonus tracks, especially 'Timebomb' and 'Run' because they're great ballads. I hope that I can see P!nk on tour because she’s said that
she’s doing her best to top her last tour which she spent suspended in mid air.
Plus, in interviews P!nk has said that she doesn’t want to be on the road when
Willow is in school so it may be a while before she tours again. I know I’ll be
kicking myself if I don’t go see her in concert because she’s one of the best.
So there you have it. Now that
you know my top 10 albums from 2012 do you think there are any that I missed?
Would you have ordered any of the albums differently? Let me know in the
comments. I hope you enjoyed my
ramblings and I hope that you learned about a new artist or two throughout my
‘Top Albums of 2012’ series.
Comment responsibly,
Nick Black
No comments:
Post a Comment