Ke$ha stays true to herself on her pop perfection first album. With uptempo club bangers such as "Blah Blah Blah" (featuring 3OH!3), and "Take it Off" this entire album will have you up and dancing in no time. If there is one thing that Ke$ha wants her fans to take away from this album, it's that she has a weakness for "Boots and Boys", she enjoys "Parties at a Rich Dudes House", and her steamy crush on an ex teacher named "Stephen". And of course her favorite drink of choice, Jack Daniel's, pops up all over the place and is referenced in just about every song.
Ke$ha compares her new album to "A cross between Beastie Boys and a tranny with a hangover." to Maxim magazine. However, Ke$ha is just not all about partying and boys. She attempts a more serious attitude in the slow song "Dancing with Tears in my Eyes", a song about lost love, but fails to bring the same kind of enthusiasm and gusto that is overwhelming on every other track.
Whether she's channeling the 80's hip hop legends, or a tranny with a hangover, there is no doubt that Ke$ha is here to stay. She has collaborated with the producers that are responsible for creating hits for Katy Perry and others alike. And although Ke$ha looks like she is in serious need of a shower about 90% of the time, we cannot deny that her songs are smashes. We will most definitely be hearing about her and her love affair with Jack Daniel's, as well as her distaste for boys who "Kis N' Tell", for a very long time.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteAll in all, a solid review. You had a strong opinion and stated it concisely, using helpful comparisons to other artists to aid our understanding of her sound.
With that in mind, let me point to a couple things that might make it stronger, of which the first is somewhat picky: remember that in American English we put the punctuation (comma, period, etc.) before the ending quotation mark, rather than before it. Also, in the second paragraph you say that Ke$ha stays "true to herself" on her first album, which sounds somewhat contradictory. Finally, I question the purpose of the third paragraph, which presents a point, then gives us a confusing contradiction to that point. Are you saying Maxim is wrong? I can't quite tell.
All this isn't meant to imply that you wrote a weak review. I thought you did a good job providing a clear vision of a new artist--no easy feat. Well done!
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI immediately liked this review because you related to the reader from the start, by acknowledging the widespread popularity of the song “Tik Tok” in a context (parties, radio) that the audience could connect with.
I was impressed at how you presented this and managed to give a reaction to both the good and bad aspects of the songs despite all the hype already surrounding them. It’s harder to write about Ke$ha, I’d imagine, just because she’s already so popular, and it would be difficult to not let your opinion get swayed by it—however, I thought you did a great job with this, keeping it informative and interesting.
And, entirely unrelated, I’m pretty sure you can use quotes that way when you’re referencing song titles rather than dialogue. In American English.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI thought that this was really well done. You engaged the reader from the very beginning and kept them interested throughout the review. I also thought that you did an excellent job of incorporating the song titles and references to her lyrics into your structure.
The only issue I had was that you spent very little time looking at the content of the album itself. Going back and adding a little bit more analysis might make it a bit stronger of an album review.
Overall I thought it was really strong and very witty.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteThere were some easily fixed grammatical and sentence structure errors, and I felt that some of your word choices were somewhat cliche. Phrases like "this will have you dancing in no time" and "putting this popstar on the map" could be redone with more of the originality you displayed in some of your other sentences. I guess the amount of formulaic writing you would use could also depend on the publication/audience you are writing for, because some of them are definitely like that!
I liked how you integrated some of the song titles into your sentences, it flowed nicely and was also entertaining. It helped give the reader an idea of the kind of album Kesha has released. I thought it might also add to the review if you used a few examples of lyrics, perhaps during the part where you talk about how she mentions Jack Daniels in every song. I also liked some of your other humorous remarks, such as the comment about the $ sign. The quote you chose from maxim and the transition into the last paragraph also worked well. Good first draft!
I like your review. From the start you really hit a certain style that seems personable and relatable. It makes it fun to read. Your tone really carries it for me, actually.
ReplyDeleteI think you presented your opinion well. There weren't any grammar or syntax issues that distracted from the review, at least for me.
I think, like some other commenters hit on, that certain cliched phrases could be redone. You're witty, and it would be interesting to see what you could come up with to replace them. I want to see more!
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI think the overall structure of this review is laid out very nicely. You clue those of us who aren't familiar with Ke$ha into who she is at the top, allowing us to see that not all of your audience members are Top-40 gurus. You use outside research to lay out background for the reader, and the bulk of your piece is spend critiqueing various songs on the album.
I really like the background information you provide us. It really makes you review appear much more credible--inviting the reader to read on.
I would love to see you use more imagery to describe Ke$ha's look and sound. She's always got quite the dominearing look to her for being so young and new, and she has an interesting, unique sound to her music. If you could go more into descriptive detail for those of us who haven't heard her songs, it would be great.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI immediately liked your review because for the artist who you reviewed, you did a great job at capturing the voice of the reader. You engaged the devoted audience in the article by appealing to the popularity aspects the song has established.
Your review was light and it transitioned nicely. For a reader not familiar with the artist, Ke$ha, you have certainly provided a visual and an expectation about her artistry. Like some other comments, your review did have some phrases that caused it to sound a bit cliché. Nevertheless, by brainstorming a little more, I think that is an easy fix.
Your review was humorous and entertaining. You presented your opinion very well and I appreciate that you took charge of the review.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteNot a huge fan of Ke$sha, but you definitely did a great job of, I would say, evaluating her. You offer good examples and comparisons between artists, and the line "tranny with a hangover" has me rolling on the floor.
To be honest, the read and feel of the article is smooth and you make your points very concisely, and your transitions aren't boring. The only problem I had was...the second paragraph. It seemed scattered; you give a good topic sentence, but by the last sentence I lost the connection between Jack D. and the rest of her music. Maybe a reorganization of the paragraph could help it run as smoothly as the rest of the review. Even though I don't really listen to Ke$sha, I definitely feel more informed.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI have never heard Ke$ha (but alas I generally listen to NPR and refrain from parties) however you seem to have an informed opinion that does make me feel as if I am missing out somehow on this pop sensation. You compare her to Lady Gaga, saying her single “Tik Tok” overshadows the other artist. What Lady Gaga song are you comparing “Tik Tok” to? Is this a common expectation and if so do the music charts support this claim, or is this your voice? I had trouble telling. The reference to her interview in Maxim is a good mention of another review adding some credibility to your own and further you critique of her slow song adds another perspective to your otherwise positive review. I am left wondering if Jack Daniels is a corporate sponsor of hers...
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI loved the article, especially how you incorporated Ke$ha's song titles into parts of your own sentences. It seems a little corny at first, but you stuck to your guns, and her titles really give you a feel about who Ke$ha is and what her music is about.
I would like to hear a little bit more about what the music actually sounds like, and/or some more of her lyrics. These straightforward party lyrics are iconic in our generation, and I would like to hear how she is advancing the stage, not simply being just another Gaga or Katy Perry. Your article really gave us a feeling, describing her description of her music, and her appearance, and of course, her favorite drink, but I wanted to hear more about what the music sounds like.
Kevin Gillingham
Gina,
ReplyDeleteYou do an excellent job of integrating your own voice with factual information about the album. In my opinion, this separates a good review from a bad review. I'm able to get facts about the album and still hear a listener's opinion without being overwhelmed by an author's voice--good job.
The review flowed very nicely and was an easy read, a quality reviews need to possess. At first, I didn't take notice to the cliches. However, after reading other people's comments and giving your piece a second read, they did stand out a bit more. The one I want to draw particular attention to is your last line which essentially says, "We will most definitely be hearing a lot of her for a long time to come." I feel like you sold out here. You're better than that! I don't foresee you encountering much difficulty in adjusting these cliches, and, in turn, it will strengthen your review tenfold.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI think you did a nice job in putting Ke$ha's work in a pop context. By comparing her to artists such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, you know exactly what to expect when you listen to her music.
While she is comparable to other artists, she is a unique artist herself. Make sure you include enough detail that Ke$ha seems like her own individual. For example, describe her looks. We've talked a lot about using sensory details in reviews to help the reader see/hear what is being reviewed.
More of these sensory details would really help your review. You can also use these details to describe her sound more specifically. Also, feel free to put more of you into the piece. I wanna really hear what you think about the artist.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteGood review overall. Good neutral introduction paragraph including some nice Billboard-esque information, as well as relating her to another artist in her niche/genre (Lady GaGa.) You contradict yourself a bit in your use of words; for example you praise her enthusiasm but use the word "overwhelming" which carries a negative connotation. Your second paragraph is a bit more dry in the information it provides, but it does give the reader a glimpse into her song content.
Your two "outro" paragraphs are pretty good. I like that you include a quote from her, describing her music. I think your review would benefit from a few more solid points. For example, Ke$ha uses a new type of blanket record deal that dictates a lot of what she does on and off stage. Her background is also an essential element to describing her image and success; if you throw some more solid information about the artist herself I believe you'll have a very effective review. Overall, nicely done.
-Glenn
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming that as a young adult, I would be part of your targeted audience, and you hit it dead on. I was extremely interested throughout the entire review and as someone who has heard a few of the songs mentioned, could hear myself singing along as I'd see a song title in the text. Putting the titles in the text definitely allow the reader to recognize what she is about. I enjoyed the review and the only suggestion I have is that maybe you could compare some songs to other current songs out; however, with the assumption that your targeted audience is young adults, we've probably all heard most of them.
Overall, good review! If I found anything a little off, it had been mentioned above, so no need to repeat it.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your review. You did an excellent job of engaging your audience and creating common ground. I think your reference to "Tik Tok" and the Beastie Boy/tranny reference was a perfect description of Ke$ha's music.
My only suggestion would be that because Ke$ha is a new artist, it would be nice to know a little bit more about her. Other than that I thik you did a great job!
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI like how you bring a visual to the review when you talk about Ke$ha needing a shower 90% of the time. This offers a better understanding about the artist's physical style in accompaniment with her music style.
There are not any huge errors in the piece. In fact, I feel like you really know how she is creating a presence for herself in pop music. The style you used when writing the review seems to flow into the one quote from Ke$sha. I feel like you both could speak the same "lingo." Punctuation is something you may want to double-check the piece for. Maybe rewrite the ending to be less generalized?
Nice work.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteNice. In addition to citing specifics, your choice of information painted a general picture of Ke$ha and the kind of expectations one should have before picking up the album. You don't pick apart her sound as much as compare this album to Ke$ha's work in general, which is a oft-used rubric for reviews. Quoting her interview with Maxim and comparing her to the ubiquitous Lady GaGa are good points to include for context.
The tone of your piece is very specific - if you're writing for a women's magazine, or one that includes music as an additional (rather than primary) interest, you're right on target. The "we"s used with each little evaluation are in the same style as a lot of magazines who approach reviews as extra features by the staff as a whole, or a kind of "from the magazine" input - as opposed to a single reviewers' take.
GINA-
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your incorporation of song titles into sentences that help tell the reader a little bit more about the album. I think you make it very clear what type of music Animal has, and phrases such as “upbeat party anthem” make the album seem truly epic. I think your assessment of the album’s failure to balance upbeat with downtempo is a crucial critique of the album, and makes your review seem a little less unbiased.
Gina:
ReplyDeleteI think your casual, almost playful, tone fits this review extremely well. It's definitely lighter subject matter, and you use that to your advantage especially in the opening paragraph. Some of your sentences drag a little bit, and are repetitive in spots. My only real recommendation would be to try to be more concise in your writing. But overall, a well written review.