Rated KPTD.

Two years ago, the controversial, nutty and incessantly charming Katy Perry unleashed her debut album. One of the Boys spawned one of the catchiest and silly songs of the decade, 'I Kissed a Girl', and the album itself sold over 1 million copies in the US alone. Following a string of ridiculously catchy tracks (Hot 'n' Cold, Thinking of You, Waking Up in Vegas) Perry is back with Teenage Dream. It's an onslaught of intoxicating pop songs, only this time she's moved away from the American girl rock band sound of her debut to dance-pop.

The title track 'Teenage Dream' sounds like the theme song from an 80s teen movie. It's one of the most summer friendly songs of the year and one of the most uplifting and exhilarating Perry has ever written. Singing about a road trip, getting drunk on the beach and 'going all the way tonight', the song is an ode to teenage romance like no other. "Let you put your hands on me in my skin tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight", Perry sings in the most orgasmic chorus of any song on the album. By the climax you'll be jumping about like a 17 year old in an imaginary room covered in Brat Pack posters.The tone of the album is now set and it doesn't diverge from this nostalgic dance-floor path for some time. 

Teenage Dream is definitely the 'girl's night in' album of the decade (but boys can enjoy it as well, of course). 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)', like the title track, sounds like something from a teen flick. Perry sings, "we danced on table tops, and we took too many shots" - sounds like a typical work night out to me. Next up is the global, number one, behemoth 'California Gurls'. Its cheeky lyrics about dancing on the beach, "daisy dukes, bikinis on top", and Perry's teasing "all that ass hanging out" alongside Snoop Dogg, makes for an eponymous summer anthem. 'Peacock' continues the sexual innuendo of 'California Gurls', essentially talking about the pleasant surprise a guy's 'member' provides her with. Breaking this cheek is the potent 90s dance sound of 'Firework'. With a build up reminiscent of N-Trance, Perry births her own idea of dance infused pop. The most notable part of this song is Perry's voice, which seems to have matured since her debut and harnesses much more power and depth.

Stepping back in time to the rocky feel of One of the Boys, we have 'Circle the Drain'. This attack on drug addiction and/or alcoholism (perhaps that of her ex?) has Perry putting down the effect the habits have on her relationship, "You think you're so rock 'n' roll but you're really just a joke". The chorus is immensely catchy (as expected), "You fall asleep during foreplay, because the pills you take are more your forte, Wanna be your lover not your fucking mother...". It's impossible not to love this song and it's a definite classic, perhaps more so once Perry reaches album number 4 or 5. Furthermore, 'The One that Got Away' is a strong contender for single number 3, with its bouncy, twee, pop beat engulfing your senses like some kind of mouth watering, musical candy floss. "In another life I would be your girl, we'd keep full of promises, be us against the world...".

No album is perfect. I enjoyed most moments here, however 'E.T' is not one of the tracks I would choose as first play on Ipod shuffle. It's interesting that to continue the retro feel of the album we have one of the most retro icons of film in a song title, but it's just not as memorable as the superb tracks I've already touched on. 'Who Am I Living For?' doesn't live up to earlier ballads ('Lost' = beautiful); Perry's voice is big, but the song just doesn't captivate. However, 'Pearl' is a fantastic tale of a girl whose talents and beauty are stifled by an unnamed male who is jealous of her potential. The beat thumps on this dance ballad as Perry belts out lines like, "She is a pyramid, but to him she's just a grain of sand" and "Oh she used to be a Pearl, she used to rule the world, can't believe she's become a shell of herself...". Recovering from the two less interesting tracks, Teenage Dream gives us vintage Katy Perry with the teen rock of 'Hummingbird Heartbeat', which is as charming as songs like 'One of the Boys' and 'Fingerprints' from her debut. Closing track, 'Not Like the Movies' is a surprise ballad to round of an album which has such a strong dance vibe. Singing about how love isn't as perfect as it appears in, well, the movies, Perry dishes out 'Lost' style vocals on a track I am indifferent to.

It's definitely a step forward from her debut and Perry's vocals seem to be a lot more controlled and distinct. Injecting a different genre into her sophomore album was the best concept in pre-production, as had we been presented with an identical effort to One of the Boys, we would be feeling rather deflated. Interestingly, the two albums work quite well together when shuffled as there are enough similarities to cement this music as Katy Perry's. It’s unfortunate that some of the songs here are overshadowed by their friends, but the good ones are so good it doesn’t really matter. What we have here are the signs of a potentially great artist. She may not warble like Christina and GaGa, but she certainly knows a punchy pop song when she hears it and proves here (along with her debut) that she can write a bloody good pop album.