It's been a mere 11 months since Ke$ha's first album, "Animal," skyrocketed her to success, and Ke$ha's fame train isn't showing signs of slowing down anytime soon. With the Nov. 19 release of "Cannibal," Ke$ha continues to entertain and live up to her wild reputation: infectious beats, synthesized melodies and Auto−Tuned vocals combine to create the very definition of "catchy," and listeners, regardless of musical preferences, will find themselves involuntarily toe−tapping and head−bobbing in time with her songs. With her sophomore effort, Ke$ha does not disappoint.
Ke$ha's musical breakthrough began in early 2009 after she was featured on Flo Rida's number−one single "Right Round." Her first album, "Animal," was released in January of 2010, and had a number of hit singles, including "Your Love is My Drug," "Blah, Blah, Blah" and "Take It Off."
"Cannibal," with its nine tracks, may be less substantial than "Animal," but remains solid content−wise. Ke$ha stays true to her sound, and her signature dance−pop fused with electronic elements reigns beneath a layer of talk−sung vocals.
There isn't much technical variation between tracks on the album, but the songs manage not to blend into one indiscernible mass. The second track on the album, "We R Who We R," is an upbeat, belt−it−out anthem with an infectious rhythm. The title track has a somewhat inconsistent sound structure, with verses dominated by a lone bass beat under Ke$ha's whispery rap vocals, while the chorus contains a slower, more echo−y build−up. "Crazy Beautiful Life" is a buoyant, positive tune, complete with cadenced drumming and electronic, video game−esque noises, while "Sleazy" is heavily percussion−based and includes a deep, Auto−Tuned male voice in the background.
The truth is that anyone could create the kind of music that Ke$ha churns out. What makes her distinctive are her edgy lyrics, which showcase her extroverted, live−it−up personality. She is typically characterized by crazy, party−girl antics, complete with blatant lyrical honesty about alcohol and sex.
Yet it is this very candor that makes Ke$ha unique. On tracks like "Grow a Pear," she, using crude language, professes that she just can't date a man with a vagina. "When you grow a pair, you can call me back," she says. On "Crazy Beautiful Life," Ke$ha sings about her friends being "all pretty and plastered" and notes that she's risen above her "sketchy phases" by "running my mouth."
Ke$ha's album is an order to party: in the opening of "Blow" she sings that she wants everyone to dance, and many tracks include references to her favorite craft supply — glitter — which can be seen adorning both of her album covers. Though frivolous and silly, Ke$ha's inappropriate humor and lack of boundaries make her songs that much more interesting and allow her to stand out in the current generation of interchangeable pop artists.
Though "Cannibal" generally lacks stylistic and thematic diversity, there are some exceptions. In "The Harold Song," an ode to lost love, Ke$ha gets emotional, explaining, "While you watch my heart bleed/young lobe murder, that is what this must be." She also takes a break from the clubbing and partying on "C U Next Tuesday," which tells the story of a romance with a man who is seeing someone else.
As the subjects of these tracks are somewhat serious, the music is correspondingly mellow — for Ke$ha, at least. On these tracks Ke$ha presents an earnest, compelling vocal style amid tempered beats and lighter notes.
Ultimately, "Cannibal" is all about enjoyment. It's hard not to smile while listening to her bubbly tunes and candid lyrics. The singer said it herself in an interview with MTV last March: "I just want to inspire people to have a good time."
