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Review: Kesha Leaves Us On Our Knees And Praying On New Album, "Rainbow"

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Kesha learns to love and let go.



Kesha learns to love and let go on vibrant new album, Rainbow, her first full-length project in five years.



Kesha's recent legal dramas surrounding her and producer Dr.Luke have been well publicised. So much so that it was feared Kesha would never release music again, a fear that she too shared. Yet here we are, five years after "Warrior", and Kesha has dropped her brand new album; Rainbow. Whilst it's hard to disconnect Kesha's personal life experiences from her career, finally... her music is now the focus. She's putting herself back out there and laying her soul bare, and the result is triumphant.

Rainbow was preceded by lead single "Praying". Her pain is honest. She finds strength in her battle wounds and uses them for self-preservation; the result is beautiful. It's perfectly written and the instrumental progression is euphoric. The whistle note is the ultimate release. As she hits it, you feel the demons are exorcised and her spirit is freed. It's utterly stunning. As a lead single it was the only choice – it perfectly demonstrated Kesha and who she's become. Her talents and soul suddenly became exposed for everyone to see. Even those that didn't pay much attention to Kesha beforehand stood up, listened, and loved it.



Her vocal delivery is one of the main highlights of this record. On album opener "Bastards," we hear Kesha in a stripped back acoustic setting. It's a stark contrast to the openings of her previous projects, instantly highlighting that this is a departure from her expected sound. That being said, the lyrical content is familiar Kesha, so much so you could easily see this getting sped up and remixed into a throbbing four-to-the-floor beat. "Don't let the bastards get you down," she confidently proclaims. The ending of the track evokes memories of The Beatles' "Hey Jude," and once again let's listeners know this isn't the Ke$ha we're all used to, but rather Kesha Rose.

The "Warrior" follow up delves even further into the pop star's diverse musical tastes with two collaborations alongside The Eagles Of Death Metal. On "Boogie Feet," we're welcomed to embrace the carefree party girl of old, but see how she's grown on this journey. Same for sister track "Let Em' Talk" – it's reminiscent of the pop punk rock made popular by Paramore. Once more, Kesha emphasizes the importance of unapologetically being yourself; it's the overarching theme of the record. "I've decided that all the haters everywhere can suck my ****," she sings. It's so Kesha, and a natural evolution of 2013's Iggy Pop assisted "Dirty Love".



On the album title track, the "We R Who We R" singer sings about falling "back in love with being alive". Here she finds joy in the mystery of life's unpredictability. Rainbow perfectly evokes that message; discovering yourself and owning who you are. "What's left of my heart is still gold," she croons. Kesha is all about the colours, the glitter, the sparkle, and here she tells herself to reclaim the vibrant hues and brighten up the world once more. It's a gorgeous sentiment and works as the truest self-love song, doing "Hymn"'s job a million times better.

At times, the lyrical content of the LP borders on repetitive (more than five tracks are dedicated to loving who you are). However in 2017, the message is imperative. It's a semantic field that Kesha freely admits to owning in track "Learn To Let Go," and as the record ends you can't help but wonder if the album could have covered more. The only true moment where Kesha shows her bare bones was on "Praying". It's understandable she doesn't want to delve into the true darkness she's felt at an exhibitionist level. Perhaps she legally isn't able to, but you can't help but wonder if just one self-empowerment anthem less could have made way for something with more emotional depth.

The album closes on; "Spaceship," the longest-running track on the record and finishes the entire affair perfectly. Kesha has always had a love for the supernatural and other-worldly (see Warrior track "Supernatural"). By likening her passion to leave for another planet, it is unmistakably her. It's oddly comforting to hear her sing about looking up at the sky and the stars and think of her. She doesn't belong on this planet anymore with its hate and lack of love. Thematically, the track is a little crazy, but lyrically it's such a beautiful listen that I smiled the entire time. It's a perfect way to end the record because it's all encompassing. She takes the themes of self-love, growth and letting go and wraps them up in a pretty rainbow bow. It acts as the climax for what she's learned – Kesha has moved on, and now it's time for her spaceship to beam her back to where she belongs. As it ends, you're melancholy at the thought of losing her... again.



Overall, Rainbow delivers everything you'd expect and more. The record feels like a natural progression of Kesha's musical journey. Nothing is misplaced; nothing sounds outdated or redundant, but is rather the pot of gold found at the end of a very, very, long Rainbow.

Favourite Songs: Praying, Boots, Learn To Let Go, Hunt You Down
Favourite lyric: "I know you love me wearing nothing but your boots"
BreatheHeavy.com scores it: 4.5/5

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fnfurter Master

fnfurter

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3 minutes ago, Spearsfan said:

Is it out tonight? It might have said in op idk

I listened to the singles today and they were really good. Maybe I'll buy a hard copy. I'm debating 

Supposedly it drops tomorrow. I haven't gotten my digital copy yet though, so I don't know if it dropped early or this is all still just the leaks.

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LostInAnImage Master

LostInAnImage

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I've never been a fan but will buy a copy after listening to these tracks. I'm really happy that she a) was able to release another record, and b) was finally able to showcase her vocal abilities.

The latter really surprised me, since I had only known her by her past radio hits, which largely relied on talking rather than singing. It's great when you can see the artistry in someone, especially when it's previously been stifled. 

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Chaoscontrol Master

Chaoscontrol

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I can't wait, I love Kesha. I was never a fan of her whole 'illuminati' vibe, but conspiracy theories aside I really do think she is a beautiful person at her core, and truly does care for her fans. 

I am super stoked to go get it tomorrow morning, this is my 'Glory' of 2017. I've been anticipating all summer. I've heard a few snipets of some songs that we haven't gotten and I'm not sure how I feel about the country vibe, but I will support her and buy no matter what. I'm also seeing her in October and am super stoked about that! 

Congrats Kesha, you deserve it all.:clap:

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Guest XxWolverineHommeFatalexX

Guest XxWolverineHommeFatalexX

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Great album!  I agree that some of the themes are a bit repetitive but at least it isn't a scattered mess like Double Dutches. My favorite tracks are Bastards, Woman,  Boogie Feet,  Hunt you down,  and boots. I kind of like Godzilla as well - its cute with a lot of meaning between the lines.  I say 4 out 5. I'm so happy for her

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