Review - Pink - The Truth About Love (Deluxe Edition)

Pink is someone that we can all agree on. Lady Gaga used to be that person, and then we delved into the darkness of ‘Born This Way’ and many people have yet to come back out. Seriously though, can you think of anyone you know (within reason – we all know that one person who only likes jazz or hardcore German thrash metal or something) that doesn’t like Pink? Rock, pop, female, bitchy, she’s got it all.

So after listening to her new album ‘The Truth About Love’ (the extended 17-track deluxe edition), I will say that we’re all going to be happy. ‘TTAL’ shows absolutely no growth from her latest works, but that’s fine, as I don’t think any of us wanted her to grow. If you’re absolutely killing it with what you’ve got going on, why reinvent yourself?

Pink has found the perfect formula for success: combine powerpop/rock music with pop songwriting and a raspy voice that can still impress. Throw in a few words radio will have to edit and that will make everyone feel badass when they’re singing. Add a title that is tongue-in-cheek or a reference to a known phrase and you’re done!

That may sound like a joke, but I’m serious. Everything the singer has done for the past several years has followed this lineup to a T, and it has served her very, very well. Think “Raise Your Glass”, “So What”, “U + Ur Hand” and “Funhouse”. This time around she has graced us with first single “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”, as well as similar-sounding “Slut Like You” (which doesn’t so much borrow a hook from Blur’s famous song “woo hoo” as it just takes outright), “Walk Of Shame”, and the title track, among others.

‘The Truth About Love’ rocks a lot harder than so many pop-punk or even rock bands out there today. If it weren’t for the songwriting, this might have been considered an alternative rock album. Tracks like “How Come You’re Not Here” show just how guitar-driven she can be. I would love to see how Boys Like Girls feel about this.

But not everything is fast and hard; Pink slows things down every once in a while and gives us a real piece of her soul. She’s also rather good at playing the tortured/broken down card, and her fans love it. Second single “Try” is just a taste of all the few ballads and ballad-esque songs on ‘TTAL’. If this is your Pink, try “The Great Escape” and “Beam Me Up”, or even the Nate Ruess (frontman of fun.)-assisted “Just Give Me A Reason”.

If there’s only room for one more at this pop-punk table in the mainstream, Pink shows us all again why she deserves a seat.

‘The Truth About Love’ will be available on September 18th in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Love-P-nk/dp/B008J34466/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347730117&sr=1-1&keywords=the+truth+about+love">standard</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Truth-About-Love-Deluxe/dp/B008LUEEVW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1347730145&sr=1-1&keywords=the+truth+about+love+deluxe+edition">deluxe</a> editions.

Listen to: the entire album, especially “Slut Like You”, “My Signature Move”, “Walk of Shame”, and what will probably be the third single, “True Love (ft. Lily Rose Cooper)” (“Lily Rose Cooper” is the new name of British singer-songwriter Lily Allen)