P!nk’s repetitive album makes fans blue

I’m sure many 2000s kids used to be, or still are, fans of famous pop-singer P!nk. I can’t count on my fingers the number of times I danced violently to her song “So What” or placed my hand on the window in a dramatic rendition of “Just Give Me a Reason.” I even went to one of her concerts on the Atlantic City beach.

All of this had me hyped when I found out she released a new album called “Trustfall.” However, as I listened to her new songs, I found myself disappointed at the lack of individuality between the songs and the repetition of heartbreak.

It seemed like she had found the template for a pop album and tried to pass it off as her own creation.

The title track album was an upbeat song where P!nk is explaining to her lover that they need to “trust fall” into their feelings for one another in order to live without the stressors of basic life.

This is not the only song on this album where she mentions how life sucks and that her relationship will make things seem better, as “Turbulence” and “Run Away” also promote these themes. I only chose this song because it possessed the best beat, but otherwise I felt myself becoming bored with the repetition.

The other trajectory of her songs involved the titles “Long Way to Go,” “Kids in Love” and “Lost Cause” as she desperately harps on failed relationships. As I listened to these, I felt myself just wanting to turn them off and return to “Just Give Me a Reason,” as it was the best song with this theme, and these just seemed like runner ups.

It seemed like she had found the template for a pop album and tried to pass it off as her own creation.

There was also an extra layer of pettiness in “Kids in Love” as P!nk and First Aid Kit, a featured artist, both dwell on a relationship that seemingly ended many years ago without showing any desire to move on with their lives. This is seen in the lines, “Now you’re the perfect father / To kids that aren’t mine.” This line demonstrates both how much time has passed as well as the artists’ inability to cope and progress.

The only song that truly stuck out was the leading track, “When I Get There.” This song is dedicated to P!nk’s late father, Jim Moore, and was released on Valentine’s Day alongside a video montage of moments she had with him growing up. The lyrics were beautifully written and spun a positive outlook for the afterlife. The sentimentality of the song as she asks her late father questions about heaven makes it an emotional masterpiece.

Part of me wishes “When I Get There” was not attached to this album. The rest of the songs seemed absent of any feeling and almost like P!nk was just trying to reach an entire audience: either those who are madly in love or those who are struggling with their relationships. The rhythm of the songs was also bland as each song sounded nearly the same.

My excitement for this album’s release turned into distaste as I listened through the songs and I grew bored. However, if you are someone who is really into poppy songs that demonstrate how being isolated with your lover is paradise or ballads of regret over hiccups in your relationship, this album would be perfect for you.

 

2/5 Stars

 

pbortner@ramapo.edu

Featured photo courtesy of Dmileson, Wikipedia