album Kesha - 'Gag Order'

[Ampersand13]

Spoiler

It was difficult anticipating what exactly Gag Order was going to be. If we look to the past, we see an artist who has magnificently exercised her versatility, triumphing numerous genres at a time which makes her future wonderfully ambiguous. If we interpreted the snippets teased over agonizing weeks without a release date, perhaps you’d think this latest effort would be more of the same. Regardless of expectations, I don’t think anyone could have successfully prepared for the discomfort, the vulnerability, and the artistry upon hitting play. I certainly wasn’t. 

 

The truth is Kesha has always embodied a myriad of things and while Gag Order puts them all on display it still manages to feel completely individualized. The autotune on Peace and Quiet nods to her early pop days, while All I Need Is You demonstrates an unbridled rawness that’s both comforting and debilitating two extremes of many. And, of course, if wouldn’t be complete without a healthy dose of that unadulterated fighting spirit which brims throughout Only Love Can Save Us Now and Hate Me Harder. This is Kesha at her most hurt, her most transparent, her most realized. 

 

I think it difficult, if not impossible, to listen through without acknowledging how unique, personal, and cohesive Gag Order is. Therein lies the rub, however. Kesha said it best herself, if you’re up for this journey it will be moving and rewarding, but it will also be unlike any experience she’s provided before. Echoes of all the personas she’s dawned remain, but they work together to inform a portrait of a woman who has experienced significant trauma. Gone is the capricious nature of previous efforts. Everything here is related, even the emotions that seem contradictory. “I desperately want to think people are good, but if you’d seen the things I’d seen, I don’t know if you would,” she quietly offers on the adventurous The Drama before declaring her refusal to become “jaded” on album closer Happy. A testament to her enduring strength and a reminder that it's human to possess sentiments that are at odds. We can't be just one thing all the time, thankfully Gag Order celebrates and validates emotional dichotomy. 

 

Where Rainbow, and to a lesser extent High Road, boasted self-love and overt confidence as methods of defense, Gag Order poses the question; underneath all the bravado, the coping mechanisms, the profanity, everything, what remains? Is it possible to be the person who wrote Tik Tok and Fine Line simultaneously? I’d argue this album is less concerned with giving clear cut answers about universal truths so much as it wants to showcase the intricacies of a formidable artist’s mind as honestly as possible. “It’s really all about you, it’s really not about me,” she claims in the acapella conclusion to Hate Me Harder. It’s easy to read that lyric and ascribe it a superficial meaning, but if you wrestle with it for a more than a second you begin to realize its gravity. Having always wanted to spread love inclusively, Kesha has been a persistent beacon for those who have often felt marginalized or trivialized. Yet so much of her early career was dismissed, discredited, and disemboweled for reasons that truly had nothing to do with her and everything to do with society’s wrongful projections. 

 

Now, fourteen years later she can proudly hold the mirror up and acknowledge all that misplaced scrutiny she’s been forced to carry. That freedom, to me, is the prevailing throughline. By presenting her inner most thoughts, Kesha has reached liberation in a way artists seldom have. It’s not an easy listen, or accessible, it’s not a reiteration or a victory lap, but it is always intentional. How many singers, writers, and performers can offer an experience like Gag Order? I’d argue none, this is a record only Kesha could make and that’s a beautiful thing. 

Just some longwinded thoughts. Even now after many listens I'm still pondering themes, questions, and interpretations but I figured I'd share this for fun. Not ready to rank the album yet, but maybe soon! 

[Del Savior]

1. Eat The Acid

2. Something To Believe In

3. Peace & Quiet

4. Living In My Head

5. Fine Line

6. Hate Me Harder

7. Too Far Gone

8. All I Need Is You

9. Happy

10. Only Love

11. The Drama

 

This album is excellent. I always loved her more stripped back sound, so I'm living for this. This is an album that will only get better with time, I fear 

[Alaska.]

 

These vocals

[JoeAg]

15 hours ago, CroNich said:

I find it awfully funny that the only mixed to negative reviews that were getting are ones that count for metacritic. All the other ones have been at least an 80/100. Makes me think something is going on behind the scenes still…

I agree babe, it's feeling like they're stiffing her for some reason... even Pitchfork's review read like it's higher than the score they gave it  anyway i'm writing a review for a magazine i'm freelancing for and I'm giving it a 9.2/10

 

also @ATRL Kesha gaycats when? 

[Alaska.]

9 minutes ago, JoeAg said:

I agree babe, it's feeling like they're stiffing her for some reason... even Pitchfork's review read like it's higher than the score they gave it  anyway i'm writing a review for a magazine i'm freelancing for and I'm giving it a 9.2/10

 

also @ATRL Kesha gaycats when? 

The Old ATRL had a few of them

 

[JoeAg]

1 minute ago, Alaska. said:

The Old ATRL had a few of them

 

omg thank you love

Clockwork Orange eye makeup and Warrior dress will both be forever iconic!!

[Ampersand13]

26 minutes ago, Alaska. said:

 

These vocals

We need a full performance video this is everything! 

[sam.teas]

It’s still hard for me to create a proper ranking for this album, track by track. Definitely The Drama, Living In My Head and Peace & Quiet are masterpieces

[josesuxx]

1 hour ago, Alaska. said:

 

These vocals

[SmittenCake]

 

 

 

 

 

[bearman]

She missed the Top 20 in the US, according to HDD. She sold less than 25k but we don't know how much because they only publish the Top 20. 

 

Sad. 

[josesuxx]

Just now, bearman said:

She missed the Top 20 in the US, according to HDD. She sold less than 25k but we don't know how much because they only publish the Top 20. 

 

Sad. 

It was delusional to expect any different 

[josesuxx]

Another listening session on StationHead starting right now! 

[bearman]

Just now, josesuxx said:

It was delusional to expect any different 

Shortest era in history, I fear. 

[Lost In Paradise]

I love this album but it feels like it made zero noise with the GP? I haven't heard a single mention of Kesha's name outside of ATRL this entire cycle

[perfectillusion204]

3 minutes ago, Lost In Paradise said:

I love this album but it feels like it made zero noise with the GP? I haven't heard a single mention of Kesha's name outside of ATRL this entire cycle

Girl what did you expect lol... Kesha has not been on the GP's mind since 2013, a little bit in 2017 when Praying came out, but nothing since then. And if you listened to the album then you'd know it's not very GP friendly at all, as well. So there is your answer

[bearman]

They really just dumped the album and moved on with no promo whatsoever. It sucks because most people are enjoying it once they get to hear it.

[josesuxx]

9 minutes ago, bearman said:

They really just dumped the album and moved on with no promo whatsoever. It sucks because most people are enjoying it once they get to hear it.

Her label doesn't give a **** about her 

[collin]

I was just hoping it went Top 100 at this point. At least they gave her the tools to make a fantastic record that is growing the quality and diversity of her discography. This actually isn’t that uncommon of a career arc — look at Cyndi Lauper’s singles and albums chart history and you’ll be surprised how identical they are.

[Fancyhoodlum]

Fantastic album

[CroNich]

1 hour ago, SmittenCake said:

 

 

 

 

 

Rise streaming numbers riseeee

[TomTom]

2 hours ago, bearman said:

They really just dumped the album and moved on with no promo whatsoever. It sucks because most people are enjoying it once they get to hear it.

At least the vinyls come out soon so that there is something to look forward to even if it’s not much.

[CroNich]

3 minutes ago, TomTom2288 said:

At least the vinyls come out soon so that there is something to look forward to even if it’s not much.

We also still have at least one music video 

 

But in all seriousness if she can't perform on Talk Shows and stuff at the moment, can they not at least give her more Vevo performances. Its a crime that the only song we've seen her sing live so far is Eat the Acid.

[AnonnonA]

6 hours ago, Ampersand13 said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

It was difficult anticipating what exactly Gag Order was going to be. If we look to the past, we see an artist who has magnificently exercised her versatility, triumphing numerous genres at a time which makes her future wonderfully ambiguous. If we interpreted the snippets teased over agonizing weeks without a release date, perhaps you’d think this latest effort would be more of the same. Regardless of expectations, I don’t think anyone could have successfully prepared for the discomfort, the vulnerability, and the artistry upon hitting play. I certainly wasn’t. 

 

The truth is Kesha has always embodied a myriad of things and while Gag Order puts them all on display it still manages to feel completely individualized. The autotune on Peace and Quiet nods to her early pop days, while All I Need Is You demonstrates an unbridled rawness that’s both comforting and debilitating two extremes of many. And, of course, if wouldn’t be complete without a healthy dose of that unadulterated fighting spirit which brims throughout Only Love Can Save Us Now and Hate Me Harder. This is Kesha at her most hurt, her most transparent, her most realized. 

 

I think it difficult, if not impossible, to listen through without acknowledging how unique, personal, and cohesive Gag Order is. Therein lies the rub, however. Kesha said it best herself, if you’re up for this journey it will be moving and rewarding, but it will also be unlike any experience she’s provided before. Echoes of all the personas she’s dawned remain, but they work together to inform a portrait of a woman who has experienced significant trauma. Gone is the capricious nature of previous efforts. Everything here is related, even the emotions that seem contradictory. “I desperately want to think people are good, but if you’d seen the things I’d seen, I don’t know if you would,” she quietly offers on the adventurous The Drama before declaring her refusal to become “jaded” on album closer Happy. A testament to her enduring strength and a reminder that it's human to possess sentiments that are at odds. We can't be just one thing all the time, thankfully Gag Order celebrates and validates emotional dichotomy. 

 

Where Rainbow, and to a lesser extent High Road, boasted self-love and overt confidence as methods of defense, Gag Order poses the question; underneath all the bravado, the coping mechanisms, the profanity, everything, what remains? Is it possible to be the person who wrote Tik Tok and Fine Line simultaneously? I’d argue this album is less concerned with giving clear cut answers about universal truths so much as it wants to showcase the intricacies of a formidable artist’s mind as honestly as possible. “It’s really all about you, it’s really not about me,” she claims in the acapella conclusion to Hate Me Harder. It’s easy to read that lyric and ascribe it a superficial meaning, but if you wrestle with it for a more than a second you begin to realize its gravity. Having always wanted to spread love inclusively, Kesha has been a persistent beacon for those who have often felt marginalized or trivialized. Yet so much of her early career was dismissed, discredited, and disemboweled for reasons that truly had nothing to do with her and everything to do with society’s wrongful projections. 

 

Now, fourteen years later she can proudly hold the mirror up and acknowledge all that misplaced scrutiny she’s been forced to carry. That freedom, to me, is the prevailing throughline. By presenting her inner most thoughts, Kesha has reached liberation in a way artists seldom have. It’s not an easy listen, or accessible, it’s not a reiteration or a victory lap, but it is always intentional. How many singers, writers, and performers can offer an experience like Gag Order? I’d argue none, this is a record only Kesha could make and that’s a beautiful thing. 

Just some longwinded thoughts. Even now after many listens I'm still pondering themes, questions, and interpretations but I figured I'd share this for fun. Not ready to rank the album yet, but maybe soon! 

Fantastic write-up 

[Ampersand13]

6 minutes ago, AnonnonA said:

Fantastic write-up 

Thank you!!