Pomegranate Seeds: 9/10

Kesha has released her fifth studio album, Gag Order. Only being familiar with Kesha’s older music, I was excited to hear her new album. Here are my thoughts on the pop star’s latest release.

Track one, “Something To Believe In,” has a melodramatic opening that caught my attention as I wasn’t expecting this sound from Kesha. While the song starts on a slower note when it gets into the drums and various instruments it brings a lot of energy. The instrumentation is very dramatic, and the song had a good beat and picked up speed quickly. Kesha sounds very good and the instrumentation and production are both perfectly done. I enjoyed the dramatics of the song and it had a fun, fresh vibe. It’s a good length and a good opening for the album.

Track two, “Eat The Acid,” shares all the good qualities of the first track without being repetitive. The instrumentation is very dramatic and has slightly less energy than the previous song. Kesha sounds good throughout the entire song and the lyrics are well-written. Although, the song is too long which means the instrumentation and lyrics start to feel repetitive. Even as the song picks up energy, it still feels a little repetitive. Track three, “Living In My Head,” had a lot of energy for being an acoustic song. The entire song has a very dramatic tone, which is done through the instrumentation, lyrics, and Kesha’s vocals. This is a track where Kesha’s singing gets to shine and you’re reminded of how talented she is as a singer. This is a guitar ballad where Kesha really shows off; both her voice and songwriting abilities. The song simply feels refreshing.

Track four, “Fine Line,” was a song that was packed with raw emotion and anger. Kesha lets us know what she’s really thinking about with this song through lyrics that not only call out others but are self-reflective. The instrumentation is dramatic and angry, and that mixed with the lyrics and singing style sets the heated tone of the song. It’s a creative song that’s one of the best on the album, and Kesha does a great job of executing it. Track five, “Only Love Can Save Us Now,” is my favorite song on the album. It immediately starts with a high level of energy; the lyrics and instrumentation are very fun. Kesha also sounds like she’s having a lot of fun, and the bridge into the chorus is great. The chorus is the best part of the song and has an amazing beat, rhythm, and instrumentation. I love the vibe and energy of the entire song and it’s simply a great listening experience.

Track six, “All I Need Is You,” brings down the energy of the last two tracks and serves as another ballad for Kesha. Her singing and emotion shine on this track and that mixed with the lyrics are the best parts of the song. The instrumentation and production are well done, but, more importantly, highlights Kesha in a good way. Track seven, “The Drama,” has very intense instrumentation and gets very cheerful and happy as the song progresses. The beat and rhythm are good, and the song overall has an electronic feel. The song is too long which means it gets repetitive at times. While overall it’s well done, it feels like Kesha didn’t know how to end the song, which resulted in a poor ending and a song that is too long.

“Ram Dass Interlude” was a nice moment that seems to highlight the overarching theme of the album. It seems to explain the idea of the album; that we’re holding onto grief and past trauma, that we wish others liked us, and finally realizing that the strongest you can be is when you’re vulnerable. Track nine, “Too Far Gone,” is another slow song that allows Kesha’s vocals a moment to shine. The lyrics are very well-written and I enjoyed paying attention to all the details in the songwriting. The song has a good beat and feels a bit electronic in its instrumentation and production.

Track 10, “Peace & Quiet,” transitions very smoothly from the last track and continues that electronic sound. Kesha sounds very flirty and happy which helps give the track its energy. The instrumentation and production sound great and the entire song has a bit of beach-song vibe. “Only Love Reprise” didn’t necessarily bring down the energy, or increase it, so it doesn’t feel very necessary for the album.

Track 12, “Hate Me Harder,” is easily one of the best songs on the album. The song starts off very dramatic and continues that vibe throughout the entire track. The lyrics stand out in this song as not only are they well-written but they feel very deep and reflective. Kesha sounds great on this track and is complimented nicely by the great beat and instrumentation. The instrumentation itself is very minimal which is perfect for this song. The song is very emotional and is simply fantastic. The album ends with “Happy” which encompasses the main idea of the entire album. Kesha sounds good, and the entire song is clearly well-made. “Happy” showcases the emotion and pain you feel throughout every song. and it’s a great ending for the album.

Gag Order was nothing like I expected, but I couldn’t be more happily surprised by an album. Gag Order is refreshing in a landscape of mediocre pop and you will not believe it was made by the same artist that created “Tik Tok” and “Timber.” Kesha sounded stunning the entire time and every song was well-written. The only bad thing about the album is some of the songs felt repetitive as there wasn’t much of a change in instrumentation or lyrics. Overall, Gag Order is a great album that gets 9/10 pomegranate seeds. I’d recommend any Kesha or pop fans give Gag Order a try.