6 - Tuesday, October 22, 2013Tc
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Perry churns out
chart-ready album
'Prism' just another
product of the
pop machine
By GREGORY HICKS
Daily Arts Writer
In 2010, Katy.Perry let loose
an album that would shatter
many a record with its single
releases yet
had a massive C-
initial under-
selling in its Prisi
first week. Katy Perry
Three years
later, Priam Capitol
began taking
form, and lis-
teners-weren't about. to repeat
the mistake of overlooking
another Perry record upon its
debut. This begged the ques-
tion, however, of how the Teen-
age Dream singer was going to
satisfy a crowd that had come
to see her as an artist capable of
spitting out No. 1 after No. 1.
After toying with the rumor
that this fourth studio album
would be a darker change-
over from the happy-go-lucky
dreams of Perry's third record,
the California girl settled for a
less contrastable spiritual ambi-
ence as Prism's overall flavor.
The album's divinity is read-
ily apparent in the track titling
("Unconditionally," "By the
Grace of God," "Spiritual"), but
Perry's revered lyricism tends
to come in over-concentrated
doses.
Prism's straightforwardness
carries major ramifications
with respect to predictability.
Take the record's second pro-
motional single, "Dark Horse."
Prism's only dark track not only
contains "dark" in the title, but
also features every melodic
sequence and sound featured at
your local haunted house. Like-
wise, this spiritually character-
ized album actually has a track
titled "Spiritual." Perry's motifs
BET
"She does look like a plastic bag."
BE T 'Real Husbands'
out-sasses housewives
Not pictured: Boobs shooting something.
couldn't be less subtle.
The "Firework" singer plays
to her strengths on Prism's
purely jubilant songs - songs
that (combined with the
album's ethereal tracks) consti-
tute the record's primary nuts
and bolts. "Birthday" is Perry's
sequel to "Last Friday Night,"
with a near-identical guitar
strum, interrupted by sporadic
bottle popping and an explo-
sive finale. The lead power-pop
single, "Roar," is the album's
obligatory K.P. empowerment
track, sporting an unorthodox
bassline that proves to be sur-
prisingly catchy.
The religious infusion gives a
somewhat original take to this
pop collection, but not enough
to label Perry as anything other
than easy listening. Time and
time again, the former pop-rock
singer brandishes a one-track
mind with an appetite for No.1
songs at all costs. After One
of the Boys, Perry henceforth
became a hit-making machine,
nearly incapable of working
with anybody other than Dr.
Luke and Max Martin.
Just because Prism aims to
advertise itself as a religious
pop album (by way of point-
ed track titles and excessive
reverb) doesn't mean Perry
deserves thunderous applause
for having a meager stylistic
twist. The record is still just
another Max Martin-Dr. Luke
production, magnetized to
the radio in hopes of the top
spot for each single-worthy
track. And if that top spot isn't
reached, expect a few hundred
remixes until it is.
For music that's allegedly so
supernal, Prism shouldn't feel
so uninspired.
By GRACE HAMILTON
For the Daily
"I didn't choose Hollywood
... it chose me," comedian Kevin
Hart says, kicking off "Real
Husbands of
Hollywood," B-
which just
returned Real
for its sec- Husbands of
ond season
on BET. This Hollywood
semi-scripted Seasontwo
series, a par- premiere
ody of popu-
lar reality Tuesdays
television, is at10 p.m.
loosely based
on the "Real BET
Housewives"
franchise, following the lavish
and drama-filled lives of sev-
eral married men, with Hart's
fight against inner demons at
the center.
The season premiere takes
the audience back to "MTV
Cribs" days, beginning with
Hart giving a tour of his offen-
sively opulent home, featur-
ing. fr
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Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com
ee-roaming tigers and Such arguments are the outlet
ry pool. Like most of for most of the punch-line jokes
vial commentary in the in-the episode, delivered through
the target and criticism back-and-forth insults. Dialogue
ious. Hart's narration and interactions between char-
s messages like, "In this acters are at a constantlyelevated
who you're married to is level.At a certain point, watching
important than talent," feels more like following a game
lollywood is about living of slandering ping pong than it
eam ... no matter what it does comedy or satire. One noisy
The aim is not subtlety. quarrel between Hart and his
Hart exploits stereo- fictional ex-wife lasts for almost
o their limit, leaving no five minutes before wrapping up
or questions, confusions and her character disappearing
iphering. The show is for the remainder of the episode.
rated from top to bot- And here lies "Real Hus-
'om facial expressions to bands"'s weakness. For all of its
in footwear. humor, which is often incred-
il Husbands" gets most ibly sharp, like the introduction
buzz from its celebrity of a wallet-stealing 8-year-old
which include Nick Can- attending the party as a future
belly and Robin Thicke Tea Party member, there is lit-
will not be returning for tle narrative thread. The show
econd season). Playing attempts to weave together a
ished versions of them- series of random and undevel-
the actors are there to oped conflicts, as opposed to
size Hart's own struggle holding the viewer by expand-
ntain fame and signifi- ing on one. As a result, the com-
in Hollywood. In addi- edy relies on many short-lived
these regular characters, squabbles. Even in the actual
ow is boosted with guest reality shows that "Real Hus-
ances, most notably bands" finds its inspiration,
Kardashian in the season producers are able to exagger-
re. While these appear- ate certain conflicts to in order
are used as fancy props to provide the resemblance of
han anything, intended a narrative arc, which is key to
some extra legitimacy or keeping viewers hooked.
factor, it works, and the Another result of this struc-
ce is held by the prospect ture is that there is little room
ng Young Jeezy or Katie for emphasizing smaller and
walk through the door. more nuanced moments of
ridiculousness, which make the
original shows so entertain-
Noth-d- is5. ilg. Without attention to such
~Noth g5 is moments, the show appears
understated confused between being an
ndersated actual satire of the H~ouse-
ithisrealit wives shows, which uses irony
to reveal something significant
low parody about popular culture today,
and just an outlet for making
silly jokes.
The episode climaxes with
Hart's compulsive purchase
episode is loosely tied of a $12,000 car for $150,000,
er by Kevin Hart's crush and ends with a brawl over a
ll and recognizably Holly- woman, bringing some of the
esque socialite, and guest drama viewers relish in the
Wanda Sykes's command original shows. "Real Hus-
he be able to use Hart's bands" is successful in high-
for a social event. Sykes, lighting the absurdity of such
g herself in a predictably shows, and the lifestyles off
ashion, is the first of many of which they are based. Its
rt's never-ending argu- challenge, ironically, will be
with those surrounding to avoid becoming exactly that
absurd in the process.
0
6
RELEASE DATE- Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
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