Whenever I hear a song by P!nk, I usually think, “That’s the sound of the degradation of humanity.” I don’t know why, but there’s just something about that woman that doesn’t get along with my soul for whatever reason. Naturally, I cringed a bit when I was informed she had a new album out, _The Truth About Love_.
Initial thoughts: Am I really listening to this?
And then: Why do I like this?
P!nk, without a doubt, has mastered the art of creating songs that get stuck in your head … forever. And ever. And this album is no exception. From its start, _The Truth About Love_ employs catchy melodies and infectious hooks. “Are We All We Are” and “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” start the album off strong with those elements and show that, hey, maybe P!nk _can_ write good pop songs. Maybe.
“Try” is another one of those “you can do it!” P!nk songs. Despite her sass and feisty attitude, P!nk never fails to dedicate a song or two to her listeners that just need a little encouragement. P!nk tells her listeners, “Just because it burns / Doesn’t mean you’re gonna die / You’ve gotta get up and try.” Who knew P!nk could be so motivational?
One of the best songs on the album is “Just Give Me a Reason.” The track features Nate Ruess from fun. (good idea, P!nk), and the two voices together sound absolutely brilliant. “Just Give Me A Reason” is a good change-up from what fans may expect from P!nk, and the guest appearance from Ruess may draw in some new fans as well.
Speaking of old fans, “How Come You’re Not Here” is just for you. Looking for that grungy, rockin’ and rollin’ P!nk we’re all used to? Look no further. I, for one, do not enjoy that P!nk. But hey, if you’re into that kinda thing, open your ears and play this track.
However, as far as lyrics go, the song is _weird_. Throughout the track, P!nk goes through every possibility on where her lover has gone (“How come you’re not here? / Should I worry you’ve been bitten? / Or somebody got you high? Quick come back / Or I might just die”) and uses some of the weirdest similes and metaphors on earth (“Where have you been? / Where have you gone? / And have I done something wrong? / You’re the tooth fairy / You’re like Santa Claus / You’re like white noise / When I want my favorite song”) Isn’t that just classic P!nk.
“The Truth About Love” is another successful track; it’s catchy and the lyrics are actually _good_. Handclaps to that. “Beam Me Up” is another one of the better tracks on the album. P!nk slows it down with this one and creates a raw, emotional ballad that is 100 percent pleasing to the ears. One might even venture to call it beautiful.
If there were any skippable tracks on the album, “Walk of Shame” and “Here Comes The Weekend” could probably qualify. Honestly, they’re just _not_ good. But what can you do? You can’t win ’em all.
The album ends on a good note with “The Great Escape,” another slow song with an inspirational message. The slower songs on _The Truth About Love_ were a good move for P!nk, as they truly showcase her voice and the range she has. And all of these motivational songs kinda make you feel like P!nk is on your team, giving you a good ole pat on the back. You go, girl.
_The Truth About Love_ is a great pop album. It has the right amount of catchy, feel-good songs, it has the right amount of get-up-out-of-that-seat-and-dance songs, and it has the right amount of slow ballads to get you all emotional and stuff. And it might even change the minds of some people that have a distaste for P!nk. All in all, 33-year-old P!nk is still rockin’ it.