Album Review: High Road | Kesha

This is Album #6/20 that I listened to for my 2020 challenge. I listened to this album 8 times for my review.

Here are some quick stats about High Road by Kesha:

• Album #4

• Released January 31, 2020 (Last album release 2017)

• Album length: 48:33, 15 tracks

• Peaked at #7 on US Billboard 200 (2 weeks on the charts so far)

• Genre: Pop

• Metacritic score: 73/100

I really did not like this album. It is not going to be fun to write this review because I had so many thoughts... I gave this album a chance because I heard a lot during Kesha's last album cycle about how she's changed and grown up. But this album just seems to be a reversion to her 2009 Tik Tok phase. Kesha is 33 years now. It doesn't seem fitting for her to still be singing about getting drunk and partying. Especially when I had heard that she had changed and was a serious artist now. Not only should she have outgrown that phase by now, the songs also sound extremely dated. They sound like songs that would have been out 5-10 years ago. According to the "High Road" Wikipedia page, it appears that some of the songs on this album were written before the "Rainbow" album. So this explains it. It was a real struggle for me to listen to this album more than twice. As I started recognizing some of the songs, it got easier.

The album has grown on me a little bit because I'm a sucker for pop music. Pop music is super easy for me to recognize and memorize, so it's easier for me to get attached to the album once I am able to point out all the songs. But I think objectively, this album is really bad. Kesha doesn't have the best singing voice, and then other songs are so overly autotuned. Kesha's "rapping" is not good either, it sounds like she's stumbling over her words and the melodies and harmonies of some songs heavily clash ("Tonight" is the worst of all these offenses).

Here's a breakdown of my thoughts on the tracklist:

1. Tonight

2. My Own Dance

3. Raising Hell (Feat. Big Freedia)

4. High Road

5. Shadow*

6. Honey

7. Cowboy Blues

8. Resentment (feat. Sturgill Simpson, Brian Wilson & Wrabel)

9. Little Bit of Love

10. Birthday Suit

11. Kinky**

12. Potato Song (Cuz I Want To)

13. BFF (feat. Wrabel)

14. Father Daughter Dance

15. Chasing Thunder

(Bold- dislike, *- like)

Reviews for this album have been pretty positive. I saw one review that said that the lyrics have such emotional depth. Yes, I agree with such hits as "Bitch, we going out tonight / Bitch, we going out / b-b-b-bitch we going out tonight," "You got any secret tattoos? / Shit, goddamn, baby / Shit, goddamn / I wanna get you in your birthday suit / Is it gonna happen in a hotel room?" and last but certainly not least "Don't circumcise my circumstance." I realize there are some songs on the album that are deeper, but I wouldn't claim that the album is full of emotional depth when at least half the songs are Tik Tok-era drugs, sex, party Kesha. Even songs that have been praised for their emotional depth sound childish, surficial and like such a basic and lazy attempt at poetry (such as "Cowboy Blues" and "Resentment"). I can usually overlook lyrics if the music is good or catchy enough. But in this case, the music clashes, the vocals are not good and the lyrics are so egregiously bad.

"Kinky" is the only song that I really like and have added to my playlist. I like songs like "Shadow" but Kesha's voice does not suit the song in my opinion.

I had heard so much positivity about Kesha's new sound during the "Rainbow" cycle about how Kesha has matured into such a deep songwriter and performer. It really bothers me that she retracts to her Tik Tok era here, and loses all the momentum and growth she built during the "Rainbow" cycle. From the bits that I've heard from fans, this album is supposed to be a battle or collaboration between Kesha and Ke$ha. But to me it doesn't seem like a battle, it just seems like the old Kesha coming back, and the new Kesha giving up. She worked so hard to rebrand herself during her last album cycle, so I don't understand why she would give all of that up. It doesn't make sense to someone like me who doesn't follow Kesha and doesn't research the purpose and concept of the album before I listen. I just listen to the album as it is. This album backstory is completely unintelligible to me as someone who just picked up the album without the additional information. The album should be able to stand on its own without needing an external explanation.

Kesha is listed as a writer on all of the songs. This is in addition to 1-3 other writers. I believe that she had a big influence on writing the songs. I do feel like it's authentic to what she wants to create. I just don't understand or like it really. But I do always really appreciate it when the artist is more active in the behind the scenes processes.

Would I recommend this album for anyone to listen to? No, definitely not. Some of these songs have the potential to be a successful radio singles. I would just stick with listening to any of these songs that pop up on the radio. Will I go back and listen to her previous albums? Probably not. Will I look out for any of her future albums? Probably not, but I may give it a chance. I won't completely discount her yet. I would rate this a 3/10.

Have you listened to this album? I'd love to hear your thoughts.