Amazon.co.uk Review
Katy Perry is the all-new singing and sort-of-dancing-but-probably-too-cool-for-all-that, rebellious, girl-kissing, Avril Lavigne v2.0 bad-girl of high-production American pop. She's not exactly out to be ignored. In fact she's out to become both an idol for disenfranchised Britney fans and a poster-girl for emo-boys, not to mention tabloid-fodder and gossip-page regular. She is also, it should be noted, the daughter of two pastors and made her recorded debut with a Christian pop album aged 17 (she's now 23). And while a leopard changing its spots, or at least its wardrobe, might all be part of growing from a teenager to a feisty young woman, it is easy to be cynical about this package, headed up by the ready-to-download controversy of her "I Kissed a Girl" single. That tune at least has the bold beats and choreographed raw heat to match its sassy premise; it is a little disappointing that for someone resting on rebellion as her central cause that the music on
One of the Boys is so conformist. "Mannequin" is Kelly Clarkson American-Idol style modern power-rock, the lyrically questionable "Ur So Gay" takes Lily Allen and adds a dash of Christina, "Hot 'n' Cold" is a Pink-esque floor-filler, "Thinking of You" a Britney ballad of some scale and the title track like an Avril Lavigne reworking of a brazen Cyndi Lauper classic. But while she brings little originality to the table, there are certainly no half measures covering the bases on this efficient debut.
--James Berry
CD Description
Hailing from California and boasting a UK and Billboard chart-topping hit with single 'I Kissed A Girl', Katy Perry hashad a formidable impact on the music world prior to the release of her debut album. 'One Of The Boys' is full of catchyand often risque hooks that are brought to life with memorable beats, produced by Max Martin (Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys) and Greg Wells (Mika, Rufus Wainwright) among others. Also included is the single 'Ur So Gay'.
