Katy Perry – “143” coming to slay/ "The LIFETIMES Tour"

[avamaxstan]

I mean, it's not abysmal, it just feels so... undercooked. Almost like unfinished demos. The watered-down eurodance tracks go absolutely nowhere. I've always thought her vocals were better and more unique than she gets credit for, but they're completed absent here, all personality was processed and autotuned out. And songwriting has never been a strong area for her, but these are some of the most inane and cringey lyrics of her career - despite all her intellectual and spiritual commentary about the album in interviews.

[wavey.]

Queen said I'm happy, here, damn! Lol.

[shakemaki]

365 has been so stuck in my head lately. Why wasn’t this a smash again?

[popwizard]

Sept 20, 2024 10:36:29 GMT -5 holdmecloser255 said:

I feel like people have overreacted. This is not a bad album. After the first listen, I thought that it was too vapid to touch it again. However, it has somehow grown on me already. Critics are giving it atrocious scores because they like using Katy Perry as a punching bag, and now they have the Dr. Luke controversy to justify their bias toward her. This album should be somewhere in the 60s on Metacritic. A solid 3/5 effort. I just don't see how 143 deserves to be among the worst albums of all time. Is it vapid and devoid of personality? Sure. But the same can be said about "Radical Optimism," which is the 70s on Metacritic.

I see your point, because I also thought Radical Optimism came off as generic and more of the same. The difference, I think, is that Katy is a pop veteran, while Dua has stronger lyricism, and the production on Radical Optimism is better—more textured and layered with instrumentation. Basically, it has more depth, just enough for pop.

If 143 were a debut album release by someone like Camila Cabello, it would likely receive a better reception.

[shakemaki]

Radical Optimism is an extremely competently made dance pop album. Far more so than 143. The problem was it was following FN, which was exceptional with tons of individual song high points that RO doesn’t have. RO and 143 are very different situations here.

[kmbgs]

I feel like Gorgeous and Artificial are SO close to being top tier absolute smashes, but they fall a bit short.

[Envoirment]

Step down from Smile, which is her most underrated album tbh. I would say Smile is 2nd only to Teenage Dream and it always makes me sad it didn't smash as hard as it should've!

In saying that, 143 has a number of nice bops that I will no doubt be listening to frequently! It's a shame she lead the project with "Woman's World" which is my least favourite track on the album. "WONDER" would've made a nice lead single, introducing Katy with her child also contributing a little bit.

"CRUSH" is also a total bop and would've smashed in Europe had it been the lead. I can imagine with a great music video the song could've smashed.

[holdmecloser255]

Sept 20, 2024 13:30:22 GMT -5 shakemaki said:

Radical Optimism is an extremely competently made dance pop album. Far more so than 143. The problem was it was following FN, which was exceptional with tons of individual song high points that RO doesn’t have. RO and 143 are very different situations here.

For me personally, RO and 143 are on the same level in terms of replay value. I haven't touched RO in a long time, and there are very few good songs that I like on this album ("Houdini," "Happy for You," and "These Walls").      

[SPRΞΞ]

Sept 20, 2024 13:15:00 GMT -5 shakemaki said:

365 has been so stuck in my head lately. Why wasn’t this a smash again?

Cuz people wanted Teenage Dream Katy Perry. The irony lol.

[Ty]

Crush
I’m His, His Mine
Nirvana
Lifetimes
All the Love
Wonder
Gorgeous
Gimme Gimme
Woman's World
Artificial
Truth

I had such a hard time to pick the highlights from this album. I feel like all the songs are pleasant to listen to but no one stands out among others. The productions are generic and uninspired, but they aren't bad per se. It just feels like Luke outsourced this entire project to his summer interns, who solicited a bit of help from AI. The lyrics are across the board bad (I should've seen that coming when WW was first released), but is this perfectly acceptable feel-good music for a summer night drive or a home party? Yes. My favorite "Crush" is like a 86/100 whereas my least favorite "Truth" is a 78/100.

[Love Plastic Love]

I actually have some of the same criticisms for Radical Optimism compared to 143. However, RO, to me, is at least very tightly crafted in a way this isn't. But, also, I will probably get about the same listening time out of them lol.

And just because I think its weird, both RO and 143 are being accused of using AI/ChatGPT at points. Are they actually using AI, or is there something about the music itself that just feels like AI?

[holdmecloser255]

She should have leaned into the pop-rock sound that made her famous with this album.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-pUaogoX5o&ab_channel=KatyPerryVEVO

[SoMuchToSay]

I’ve had this on repeat all day, and my first thought is that if this had dropped right after Prism, it would’ve been MASSIVE. But in 2024, the pop landscape has shifted, and this kind of safe pop doesn’t hit the same anymore. As many have pointed out, the lyrics across several tracks feel weak, which is ironic given that each song has around 7 to 10 writers involved. It's missing that Bonnie McKee touch.

Setting all that aside, the decision to work with Dr. Luke really tainted the entire project. The fact that she collaborated with him on 10 out of 11 tracks feels like one of the biggest missteps in modern pop history (could she not have just done 3–4 instead?). Katy deserves the criticism for this—a majority of true pop fans and the LGBTQ+ community, who were once her core supporters, turned on this album immediately. It's beyond frustrating as a longtime fan, watching her self-sabotage the comeback with such a stupid, tone-deaf move by refusing to listen to reason. I guess she just hoped nobody would care? Instead of a Teenage Dream revival, it turned into a PR nightmare. It was a huge gamble that backfired. Her label and management share some of the blame too for allowing it to happen.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I feel like the project would have been well-received and praised universally by pop fans had she not worked with him. Because at the end of the day, it’s actually not that bad of a project. Personally, I’d rank it higher than Witness and Smile.


Rankings:
Wonder: 9.5/10 - The most authentic Katy Perry song and would be a 10/10 if it weren’t for the intro/outro.
Gorgeous: 9/10 - This probably should have been the lead single.
Lifetimes: 9/10
All The Love: 8/10
Artificial: 8/10
Nirvana: 7/10
Truth: 6/10
Crush: 6/10
Gimme Gimme: 5/10
Woman’s World: 4/10
I’m His, He’s Mine: 3/10

[holdmecloser255]

After revising her discography again today, 143 is probably my least favorite KP album after Smile.

OTTB > TD > Prism > Witness > 143 > Smile

[Choco]

What's sad about this is it just takes me back to when she dropped Never Really Over. Truly a fresh moment, an amazing song that signaled a creative rebirth after Witness stinked the place up... and while there were flashes of that on Smile (Harleys, Cry About it Later) I just couldn't find that here. I truly do think Katy can do pop gems like no one else but the creative side was just DOA here.

[wavey.]

Okay, so it's not Daisy on Wonder

[👑 Eloquent ™]

Sept 20, 2024 13:07:06 GMT -5 wavey. said:

If only she had this mentality during Witness when she was trying to do more serious, purposeful pop, not knowing the world actually always and only wanted her music for exactly this: to use as an outlet from the mess of life.

I listened to the album a few more times and as for some saying people are being "exaggerative" with their reviews, I don't think so. Sure if you strip away all context and just focus on the bare bones most of the songs aren't "atrocious", but that's not the way expectation and reviews work. We don't look at Taylor Swift selling 500k as PHENOMENAL, though it would be for most other artists, because it's simply not for her. Now I'm not saying we're expecting Katy to deliver a masterpiece, but we certainly expect a certain level of charisma, personability, story-telling, competency with her albums none of which 143 has. Not only is the bulk of the material medicore, but emotionless, soulless, dated, vapid, and it all blends together. It's missing all those quintessential Katy elements that make her albums unique to her. Even Smile had the heart and soul of "What Makes A Woman" and "Only Love", the fantastic, current hooks of "Never Really Over" and "Harleys In Hawaii", and the story-telling of "Smile" and "Daises". And to think she's been working on the album this long is baffling to me. I am grateful for "Gorgeous" and "Im His, He's Mine". Now if we had gotten another 10 songs on their level, 😁! Now off to stream Nelly Furtado's new album! I know she's got some good ones!

[Dylan :)]

#8 on US Apple Music

[PerPlexied]

This just feels so... flat. Also, and this is a personal thing, but I can't stand multiple tracks with features in a row. I'm listening to the album for you, ma'am. Lastly, Gorgeous felt like it went on for 15 minutes, I'm not getting the hype.

[shakemaki]

There’s a part of me that wonders if after she put out NRO, which was pitch perfect pop song that sounded like a smash and an actual artistic evolution for her, and it still just did ok on the charts, she’s been genuinely lost as to where to go next. If only she didn’t base it on trying to be successful and kept evolving off of NRO’s base…

[Ty]

The more I listen to it the more I appreciate "Wonder". It might end up being the one I go back to the most from this album, and I'm usually not a fan of this type of songs.

[👑 Eloquent ™]

Sept 20, 2024 16:45:02 GMT -5 shakemaki said:

There’s a part of me that wonders if after she put out NRO, which was pitch perfect pop song that sounded like a smash and an actual artistic evolution for her, and it still just did ok on the charts, she’s been genuinely lost as to where to go next. If only she didn’t base it on trying to be successful and kept evolving off of NRO’s base…

Well apparently Katy wasn't even going to release "Never Really Over", her stepson encouraged her to. Lol

[shakemaki]

Sept 20, 2024 16:48:22 GMT -5 👑 Eloquent ™ said:

Sept 20, 2024 16:45:02 GMT -5 shakemaki said:

There’s a part of me that wonders if after she put out NRO, which was pitch perfect pop song that sounded like a smash and an actual artistic evolution for her, and it still just did ok on the charts, she’s been genuinely lost as to where to go next. If only she didn’t base it on trying to be successful and kept evolving off of NRO’s base…

Well apparently Katy wasn't even going to release "Never Really Over", her stepson encouraged her to. Lol

L o l, lordt, she does often seem clueless as to what works for her I gotta say. It makes it feel like TD was insanely lucky

[wavey.]

She says she loves her and Capitol's "partnership". Idk what that entails but if shes happy then🤷🏽‍♂️.

[jeremyald]

Sept 20, 2024 16:46:48 GMT -5 Ty said:

The more I listen to it the more I appreciate "Wonder". It might end up being the one I go back to the most from this album, and I'm usually not a fan of this type of songs.

Interesting the fan favourite and 'most genuine' track seems to be the only one not produced by Dr Luke.

[wjr15]

I got a chance to hear the two bonus tracks today.

Target exclusive:
Has A Heart - This is a very cute and catchy track. Definitely gives Smile vibes but I can see why it was a bonus track. It feels like a soundtrack single for a Disney movie.

Webstore vinyl exclusive:
No Tears For New Years - This one is so good and the song feels like quintessential Katy. I’m surprised this got put as a deluxe vinyl exclusive and the instrumental reminds me of TOTGA. Katy needs to put this on streaming before the end of the year (for New Years).

[zdm1998]

I wish she’d push “Wonder” as a single. Really she did have tracks on here that could’ve capitalized on that momentum she had with the public before WW took it all.

I feel like if Lifetimes and Wonder were the first two singles it could’ve set the era up nicely. Both different types of songs from each other, but still feel like they’d have done good.

[Choco]

Sept 20, 2024 16:45:02 GMT -5 shakemaki said:

There’s a part of me that wonders if after she put out NRO, which was pitch perfect pop song that sounded like a smash and an actual artistic evolution for her, and it still just did ok on the charts, she’s been genuinely lost as to where to go next. If only she didn’t base it on trying to be successful and kept evolving off of NRO’s base…

Maybe that's the moment when she should have given up on easy #1 hits and tried to cook something interesting instead of remaking her old sound to diminishing returns. Like, nobody expects Carly Rae to do Call Me Maybe numbers anymore but she does have a tuned in fanbase because she still cooks pop gems.

Actually legends like Beyonce and Taylor at one point ditched the commercial game and ended up the better for it. Bey's self titled and folklore were statements that they were there for the art instead of the charts and... guess what it worked well enough that both ladies turned things around and started charting better again.

[Koochie]

Sept 20, 2024 13:34:06 GMT -5 kmbgs said:

I feel like Gorgeous and Artificial are SO close to being top tier absolute smashes, but they fall a bit short.

These are the only two songs that stood out to me in any way, but the former is a grossly sanitized Vroom Vroom - EP outtake and the latter is trying to bring “Dark Horse” into the ‘20s. I needn’t explain why that’s a bad idea.

All of these songs have been done before, and better. In almost all cases by someone else; in one or two cases by Katy herself. This sounds like a collection of barely-finished bonus tracks meant to supplement a more polished release. I don’t think the AI claims are accurate, but these songs do sound like Dr. Luke made a sound bank of his own shit and pressed enter. If by some chance that actually is the case, then it’s a stronger indictment of his artistry than anything I could write. Regardless of who or what is responsible for 143, it shows just how out of touch Katy is to have signed off on it. This is like Temu pop.

For a “fun” album, it’s completely lifeless.

[#LisaRinna]

Her peak.