Review - Ke$ha - Warrior (Deluxe Edition)

With Ke$ha’s last two releases, I was conflicted. I am a critic, so I should be looking at things like artistic integrity, songwriting, and the like. Someone like Ke$ha isn’t known to be a critical darling, so what is someone like me to do when she puts out another CD, and I’m reviewing it?

Well, like everyone else on the planet, I enjoy it. K$ might not be on her way to winning any Grammys, or even on her way to a shower, but that’s who she is, and you’ve got to love her (or hate her) for show she is. I don’t think she’d want it any other way.

‘Warrior’ is essentially ‘Animal’ pt. 2, but with a few more electro moments. Where “Take It Off” was one of the darker and more hardcore dance moments from her debut, a song like “Supernatural” takes its place, incorporating the ever-present harsh electro breakdown that we are hearing in everyone’s songs these days. No matter, it fits with the song, and the album is still heavily aimed at the pop market, only dabbling in real electro (as opposed to jumping in completely).

So, what happened to all that talk of a more guitar-fronted, “rock” record that she was talking about for so long? When lead single “Die Young” (which is not only a typical Ke$ha track but a good taste for what to expect from the rest of the LP) dropped, I thought all was lost for rock and K$. But ‘Warrior’ is hiding a few fun punky tracks that radio may never hear, but you should. The standout of these is the Iggy Pop-featuring “Dirty Love”, which could actually end up being her version of Lady Gaga’s “You and I” (a surprise shift for the mainstream market).

While there is little growth on ‘Warrior’, no one is going to care. Ke$ha, for all of her artistic faults, is just too much fun to lose. Everything she touches is glittery pop magic, and radio and fans alike are going to snatch this album UP. I predict five singles, AT LEAST. Which ones? Well, that’s hard to say. So many were written primarily for that purpose. Could be any of them.

Listen to: the entire album, especially “C’Mon”, “Crazy Kids”, “Wherever We Are”, “Dirty Love (ft. Iggy Pop)”, “Only Wanna Dance With You”, “Supernatural”, “Out Alive”

Since the album doesn’t come out for several days, I’m having a hard time finding videos you all can listen to. Here is a sampler, and the name of the song appears as it is playing. It’s not in order, but you get the picture.