Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By P!nk, RCA Records/Sony Music 2019.
There are a couple of divas I’ve never listened to in any depth and P!nk is one of them.
I can’t really explain why I have avoided her and after listening to this album I feel I need to backtrack and take in some of her earlier work to get a fuller appreciation of her talents.
Hurts 2B Human opens with a clever up-tempo track, Hustle, which is sure to be a radio hit with its catchy country rhythm and easy to learn chorus.
This catchy pop approach runs through approximately half the tracks. (Hey Why) Miss You Sometimes, Walk Me Home, and Courage are all pure pop.
The title track features Khalid and it does little for me. Khalid is a go-to artist at the present time but I’ve yet to be impressed by his work.
I like 90 Days (featuring Wrabel). The song tells the story of falling in love but you’re unsure if your feelings are being reciprocated.
Both participants are trying hard, but maybe a little too hard, to make it work. It’s a scenario that many of us can relate to.
Can We Pretend (featuring Cash Cash) is a return to the pop of some of the earlier tracks but the lyrics are more complex and therefore more interesting.
This album is really an amalgam of differing styles.
There’s the story telling of tracks like 90 Days, Happy, Love Me Anyway (which is a really good track featuring Chris Stapleton) and Circle Game, another good song sung from her perspective as a mother.
Then there’s the rhythmic pop of tracks like We Could Have It All with its emphasis on catchiness.
In these tracks her lyricism takes a backseat to the requirements of the pop hook.
It’s not say that they are bad tracks, they’re quite good, but to my ears not as interesting as the more thoughtful tracks.
The last song on the album, The Last Song of Your Life, sees a return to her quieter storytelling style and I think it’s the best cut on the disc.
I can’t say that the album has entirely won me over.
P!nk fans are sure to love it and it’s certainly sparked my interest without completely firing up my imagination.
