Funhouse!

Not being a huge P!nk fan, listening to Funhouse was a risk. I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was hoping it would be mediocre at the worst, as the only songs I’d heard from her weren’t my favorite songs in the world. By the time the CD was finished, to my surprise, I wanted more music by the pop-rock singer. It was perfect. It had upbeat dance songs such as So What, but had more mellow moments like Glitter in the Air. It kept me engaged in the music. It isn’t easy to make a good CD, but to really engage the listener is another thing. The sound was unique, no two songs sounding alike. The lyrics are masterpieces on their own. Her voice is to die for. I think all of these elements made one of the greatest CDs I’ve ever heard.

1. So What

So What was the lead single of the CD, and her biggest hit at the time of the release. I understand why. It consists of pop-rock elements put into a really catchy and addictive dance song. I had heard and enjoyed the song before, but I had no idea it was a P!nk song! It’s one of the more generic songs on the CD, and one of her most generic songs to date, but it’s still a cut above most pop music now days. What I like about the song is that it’s so fun. She manages to make a fun dance song without relying on autotune. She sounds amazing on this. There are few reasons to not like it. If it bothers you, the lyrics are a little mean (even going as far to directly insult Jessica Simpson), but it doesn’t kill the song. Personally, I love So What!

9/10

2. Sober

With Sober, I expected another dance song (The only songs I’d heard by her had been Raise Your Glass, So What, and Perfect, so you can see why). I didn’t expect Sober to be what it was. It was a pleasant surprise. Sober is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Everyone should hear this masterpiece. Whether you love or hate P!nk, Sober is simply perfect. The lyrics are beautiful and mean a lot (despite the misleading name). Her voice is outstanding on it. I love the little rasp she has in her voice. It’s certainly not as catchy as So What, but it is deeper and much more addicting. It’s got such a great vibe. It showcases her ability to cross genres. It’s pop-rock, but it almost has some R&B roots in it. What’s not to like?

10/10

3. I Don’t Believe You

I Don’t Believe You makes a perfect follow up to the pop-rock uptempos. It completely changes the course of the album into a more introspective, slow feeling. As a P!nk fan now, I’ve learned that her ballads are amazing. I Don’t Believe You is no exception. It’s one of the most sad songs on the album. Her voice sounds so flawless on the song. It’s strong, yet it feels like it could break with emotion at any moment. She really carries the emotion of the lyrics in her voice. It’s a great song to listen to and just think. It makes a great addition the the album, and it has to be one of the best songs on the album.

9.5/10

4. One Foot Wrong

It’s a hard task to follow three of the best songs on the CD. One Foot Wrong isn’t a bad song by any means, it’s just overshadowed. It’s more R&B-rock then the rest of the album. It’s forgettable on this album, but put it on most any other CDs and it’d be a highlight. I think her vocals shine here. They’re so unpolished, which I love when it comes to her. It’s very experimental. Maybe that’s why it’s so forgettable. She’s proved by this point that she can cross genres, but throughout the course of One Foot Wrong, I hear elements of pop, rock, soul, jazz, R&B, and country. I think it’s too much for one song. That being said, it’s a really good song. It’s a little bit slow, which is nice in some cases, but One Foot Wrong comes across as a little bit boring.

8.5/10

5. Please Don’t Leave Me

On Please Don’t Leave Me, she changes direction again. It’s more pop than the previous three tracks. She shows on PDLM that pop doesn’t necessarily have to be generic. Her voice is absolutely flawless here, again raspy, yet really cool. I love the little ‘da da da da’ in the background (You’ll know what I mean if you’ve heard the song). It’s super catchy & addictive. It’s not really what I would call fun, but it’s got a really great vibe to it that almost makes me want to dance. Most people refer to it as the best song on the album. While I agree it’s great, I find it overrated. Compared to some of the other chefs-d'oeuvres on the album, it’s almost forgettable. Is it wrong that my favorite thing about the song is the ‘da da da da’ in the background? It’s just SO addictive!

9/10

6. Bad Influence

I like to compare Bad Influence to So What. Both are uptempo party songs. One remains better than the other. Bad Influence is a lot better than the lead single. It’s much less glamorous, and much more smudged sounding. I think that’s great. The lyrics are party-orientated. It’s really catchy, and every time I hear the song, I want to get up and dance. Lyric wise, it is average for music in general, but above average for party songs. It shows that you can make a dance song without being generic. It’s got a really, really cool vibe that really changes the mood of the CD again. The melody is really catchy. Personally, it’s one of my favorites on the CD.

10/10

7. Funhouse

Funhouse is one of the weaker songs on the CD to me. It’s acclaimed as one of the highlights, but I disagree with that statement. While the chorus is super catchy, it doesn’t have any qualities that are to die for. The lyrics are nice. They’re a little bit creepy. Whenever I hear it, I think of Lindsey Pavao’s performance on The Voice, but that works in the song’s favor. The one thing I think it does outstanding on is fitting the theme of the album. The theme is supposed to be carnival-like. To be honest, most songs here don’t fit the theme, but Funhouse does (hence the name…). I do like the song, and for it to be one of the weaker songs says really great things about the CD, but I just can’t listen to it over and over again without it getting old.

8/10

8. Crystal Ball

I didn't like the transition between Funhouse and Crystal Ball at all. A dancy song suddenly turns to a really melancholy ballad. Crystal Ball is a country-rock ballad. It’s really sad, yet it almost has a feeling of hope to it, as the lyric “I’m not scared at all of the cracks in the crystal ball.” The song is really sad. Her voice is perfect for it, as she can do this type of song very easily. The only thing that makes me count off is that it’s very forgettable. It’s somewhat boring, and I usually love her ballads.

8/10

9. Mean

At Crystal Ball, you might have noticed that the songs get worse and worse every song. But Mean will instantly revive the hope for the album. It’s the best country-ballad I’ve ever heard. I think that this was exactly what Lady Gaga wanted with You and I. I see why she would, as Mean is really great. The lyrics are really beautiful and honest. “How did we get so mean? How do we just move on?” It’s really nice to listen to, and I think she can do songs like this really well. If this were my first impression on her, I would have thought she were a country star. I really don’t care for country music, but Mean is really great. It’s got a great tune, and her voice almost sounds like it’s made for these kinds of songs.

9.5/10

10. It’s All Your Fault

Her label made a huge mistake by not releasing this as an official single. It’s so catchy! It almost reminds me of something Kelly Clarkson (my favorite singer of all time) would do, so that’s a HUGE compliment to P!nk. It’s really fun! It’s a huge change from the previous two songs, which were much slower. I love the unnecessary autotune in the bridge, surprisingly, as I hate autotune. It’s so catchy though! It almost compares to So What in that category. I think it being the lead single would have been a great idea. It’s catchy and radio friendly, but not generic. And the lyrics are really nice. If I had to play one song to define the album Funhouse, I’d pick It’s Alll Your Fault. It has all of the elements that define the album. It’s a catchy pop-rock song relating to her divorce, and it’s fantastic!

10/10

11. Ave Mary A

I love the lyrics on Ave Mary A. They’re really deep. P!nk’s version of the song is better than any other one I’ve heard. It puts a very interesting spin on the song, as you’d expect it to be a ballad, but it’s a pop-rock song. I was shocked, and happy, that it was more pop-rock than a ballad, as it would be too many ballads if it were a ballad. Her voice is really cool in it. Personally, Ave Mary A was one of the best songs on the CD. The three best songs are buried at the end of the CD.

10/10

12. Glitter In The Air

At my first listen, Glitter in the Air was one of my least favorite songs on the CD. Looking back, I don’t know why I thought that. It’s now one of the best. The lyrics are just absolutely beautiful! They’re not only the best lyrics on the CD, but some of the best lyrics I have ever heard. They’re really deep & introspective! Her voice is really strong here. I really love her voice. In songs like this, she sounds like she could have been one of the rock legends from the 80’s or something (Good thing she isn’t… I wouldn’t have the chance to grow up listening to her). This will probably go down as one of my favorite songs ever.

10/10

The album Funhouse is one of the strongest albums out there. Whether you like pop, rock, country, or R&B, I really advise you to give the CD a listen. It’s so diverse! The CD is made up of lots of thoughtful ballads, such as Glitter in the Air or I Don’t Believe You. But it still manages some really electrifying party tracks like So What or Bad Influence. There are pop-rock anthems like Sober and It’s All Your Fault, too! You can even find country-ballads like Mean. Picking a favorite is hard. Each track brings something different and unique to the table. Comparing So What and Glitter In The Air is like comparing apples to oranges, it just cannot be done. That being said, the most enjoyable song is Sober.

But don’t just listen to the best. The entire album is spectacular! Leaving the album, I was intrigued with her music. I just had to have more. There isn’t a dull moment! I really don’t have any complaints about the CD. It made a great first album to hear by her. It made me a fan! I hope it has the same effect on you! It may not be as R&B as her older work or as rock as I’m Not Dead, but I do think that Funhouse is one of the best albums of all time! Will you feel the same?