143 Album Review: Katy Perry couldn't make us Roar.

Katy Perry released her 7th Studio Album, titled ‘143’, with groovy aesthetics and beats but at the cost of her catchy songs. Following up on her last Studio Album ‘Smile’ released in 2020, 143, is better for the clubs than our empty rooms.

On the first listen, some things are pretty clear! This album is mainly about love because 143 is a code for ‘I Love You’ in chats, but it’s also about self-acceptance, growth and motherhood. This album is very different from the rest of her discography, something completely new. Last but not least, this album is made to be played in a club or party. 

ALSO READ: Willem Dafoe confirmed to make Saturday Night Live hosting debut with Katy Perry as musical guest

The album consists of 11 songs, with an approximate length of 3 minutes. The album is very beat-centric, and that’s where the first flaw comes in. While listening, one can easily be lost in the beat, completely forgetting the lyrics. The production has taken a front seat in this album, at least in the first half. Katy shines with her voice kept in front, and the production builds on her. A great example is the song Unconditional, where the production gives you goosebumps but still supports Katy’s voice and not the other way around.

The second half of the album understood this, and the production slowly started to take the backseat as each song passed by. One thing that stood out was the transition between the songs All the Love and Nirvana. The execution was so smooth and effortless that it felt like the same song.

Lyrics-wise, most songs were very repetitive, and none had some bars that were catchy enough to stay in the head. Only the songs Crush and Lifetimes had that catchiness, but even that didn’t last long before the beats took over. However, the song Wonder was the highlight of the album. It is about childhood and a message to keep wondering, to enjoy childhood, and to live their teenage dream.
 
Even the four collabs in the album didn’t work in its favour. Overall, the album failed to keep Katy in the centre like her older albums did, and that is where it lost its catchiness. But hats off to the efforts, and it might grow on people over time. After all, it's the first listen review.