the 31 best of 2008 – 15: P!nk – Funhouse

While I have kind of liked P!nk since she burst onto the scene with her hip hop tracks and trademark pink hair, it wasn’t until her last album until I really considered myself a true fan. One of my favorite things about her, is how she entered the music business as one thing (what they wanted her to be), and she forcefully transformed herself into what she is (which is what she wanted to be in the first place). The shift from hip hop to rock and roll has been an interesting journey, musically, and has given her the chance to try out lots of different things. I will say, that as she has progressed as an artist, I really think P!nk has only grown, and refined her music in the process. Perhaps it is fitting that So What ended up being her first solo number one hit, given that she has really come into her own with her previous album, and even more so with her current release, Funhouse.

P!nk’s soulful, smoky vocals have always been a great compliment to her songs, and as I mentioned before, she has only refined that pairing over time, and with Funhouse,she has released the strongest album of her career to date. Each song is well produced, and well written; and the sting of a recent break up with her husband can be felt throughout the album. In fact, the way in which she hits the upper register of her range, and allows her voice to achingly screech really exemplifies the emotion and angst in the words she is singing. P!nk is no stranger to pouring her emotions into her music, and I for one am glad that she continues that trend on Funhouse, and even ups the ante a few notches.

Working with Max Martin and Billy Mann on this album was a GREAT choice for P!nk, and she has turned out a fantastic pop rock album that is FULL of ear friendly, “I’ve been through heartbreak but I’m not broken” anthems (placing la la la’s and upbeat music to lines like “I’m your perfect little punching bag” and “please don’t leave me” really highlights that attitude), that are sure to please any fan of great pop music. P!nk really does well with the high tempo rock tracks like So What, but she also masterfully stands on her own with the stripped down, acoustic tracks like Crystal Ball and Glitter In The Air; showing that there is much more emotion and tenderness to this rock star than her “balls out” attitude would have you believe. I will say, that P!nk’s only slight misstep on this album is the inclusion of a few tracks that feel like filler; especially when you listen to them among the stellar stand out tracks (listed below). However, a couple slight missteps aside, I will say that I was anxious to get my hands on this record after hearing So What (and especially after loving her previous album so much), and I was NOT disappointed; this album, overall, is amazing, and shows P!nk’s true talent as an artist. I’m glad that she was able to take a lot of that pain from her breakup, and channel it into her music; because the result is a magnificent record that is sure to make even more people sit up and pay attention to this true pop rockstar. P!nk has proven that she is an artist that is not going anywhere but up, and I count myself as one who is very happy to be along for the ride.

Sparkle Factor:
Stand Outs: I Don’t Believe You [audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_1031_pink-idontbelieveyou.mp3]
So What, Sober, Please Don’t Leave Me, Crystal Ball, Glitter In The Air.