One of the Boys Reviews

• Bubblegum hybrid rock

  
  By A2NMPDBX9HEJCS on 2008-06-19
  It's no surprise that the ghost of Alannis wanders throughout this album, since Glen Ballard was on production duties. Unfortunately, Perry is no Morrisette. Perry has lots of bark but little bite, and One of the Boys is firmly targeted at the teenage crowd who will probably enjoy it a lot. But for the rest of us, there isn't much to sink your teeth into.
  
  The beats are catchy, and the choruses will probably stick in your head for a while. But ultimately, it's the kind of album you may listen to a lot and find stuck in a CD binder years later. You sit there and stare at it for a few moments, wondering if it's worth another spin. And you usually decide it isn't.
  
  Personally, I think it's a little too polished to really rock out, and the lyrics are generally clever posturing instead of having the subversion strongly suggested by getting Madonna's seal of approval. She has a great, throaty voice that slips easily in and out of falsetto. But the package is over-produced, frankly. This slick, meticulous engineering is constantly at odds with her adventurism, to the point where you wonder how much substance is underneath all the stifling gloss and flourish.
  
  I think she could have a really hot album on her hands -- if and when she cuts herself free from the Starmaker Machine. If she stays on this path, she'll probably make a lot of money from touring and another album or two, and shovel more money into the coffers of people like Ballard. Then her fan base matures and starts listening to other stuff. And unless you're a Madonna, you're not going to be able to adapt.
  
  If she could make a real rock album, instead of this bubblegum hybrid, who knows. Sky's the limit. Joan Jett's the only one who's gotten close, and that was a while ago. You don't have to be another Avril Lavigne. One is more than enough.
  
  Edit: There's also Sleater-Kinney -- I can't believe I forgot them. Unfortunately, they disbanded a few years ago. But they might actually rock *too* hard for Perry's liking.
  
  

• Katy Perry's Strong Debut

  
  By A3PMEJAYKF3VUC on 2008-06-17
  There's a lot to like about Katy Perry. Her song "I Kissed a Girl" is reigning high on the iTunes chart right now. For those unfamiliar with her, I'd place her sound and style in the genre of pop. Her sound is reminiscent of 80s pop and with a bit of a edge that makes her comparable to other new acts like Sarah Bareilles. Don't be fooled by the cover; Katy Perry's music is far from frilly and girly. In fact, often times it's the opposite as she spins out songs and lyrics that have caught the attention of pop royalty such as Madonna.
  
  What you'll like about "One of the Boys" is the chances Katy Perry takes with her lyrics. The song "I Kissed a Girl" isn't truly groundbreaking or edgy but it's a rock-style song with Perry bending gender a bit, taking on the position of a 'girl gone wild' whose just out to have fun and experiment rather than looking for love. The other stand-out song "Ur So Gay" plays with the beat, with Perry's voice dripping and hanging off words and phrases as she rips into her loving boyfriend whose qualities brings questions to her mind. This is what makes Katy Perry so appealing; her music doesn't sound like anything being played on American radio and sounds very fresh and appealing to all audiences. Other stand out songs are "Lost" which is rather ballad-like without being overly mushy and features some great vocal work on her behalf, the very 80s-pop orientated "Mannequin" and "Self Inflicted".
  
  What you may not like are the down-tempo songs that definitely feel like a let down compared to her up-temp songs. While these are okay, they distract and feel like filler-tracks or like something that any other new-act would put out. They sound far too safe for an artist that has the ability to pen some great lyrics and match it to a unique and fun beat. These tracks make the cd drag out and feel a bit unbalanced.
  
  In all, a great debut that deserves your attention and is worth your money. Check it out.
  
  

• Misandry (n.): Hatred of Men

  
  By A3O8YT41TDXL0B on 2008-07-16
  Sometime, 20 years from now, when the teenage girls of today are in their mid-late 30s are single and jaded, with the marriage rate declining and divorces on the uprise, they will look back toward their youth and wonder what made the difference between their generation and those that came before. That the music of Katy Perry and the sentiments of misandry it pushed upon their young, impressionable minds will be no small part of it I have no doubt.
  
  Although she is heavily aided by a bevy of experienced songwriters and producers, I will give Perry credit where it is due. This is some very catchy pseudo-rock (no matter how gritty the music may pose itself to be this is pop at its purest, but people are more likely to buy it if it's marketed as rock), and I have no doubt she has more than enough hand in these songs with their unshakable melodies and smart, sassy wordplay.
  
  However, the sentiments they put forth are equally angering and saddening.
  
  Take club hit "UR So Gay," for instance. While in the context of the song there is nothing directly homophobic, by using this slur as the title and centerpiece of her song she pits straight men and gay men against each other. How? By using an anti-gay slur to cripple a man's sense of masculinity (read: straightness, since in the contemporary woman's world straight men and gay men are always polar opposite stereotypes of masculinity and femininity, respectively), she therefore validates the fact that the term "UR So Gay" is indeed insulting. This will certainly not make straight men more accepting of their gay counterparts any time soon. The man behind this review doesn't care for the fact that she tries to emasculate the subject of her song for being a vegetarian, either. Here's wishing a nice bout of Mad Cow on you, Miss Perry. How low can you go?
  
  The double standards this 23 year-old promotes are downright horrendous, and legitimize hostility toward men, keeping women safely sequestered from ever being able to truly understand the opposite sex. This makes Miss Perry the absolute, POLAR opposite of Alanis Morissette, whom she has been touted as the natural successor to. Morissette's talents as a songwriter are unprecedentedly eloquent, due in no small part to the fact that, while certainly a feminist icon, she realizes there are differences between men and women that she will never come to fully understand, and that men, like women, are responsible for much of what is good and harmonious in the world - it's not all black and white; Perry's sentiments are the stuff of a very simple mindset.
  
  Whereas a song on Morissette's new album is titled "In Praise of the Vulnerable Man," Perry wields the proverbial ax at men in many of her songs such as "Hot 'N Cold" (You change your mind like a girl changes clothes/Yeah, you PMS like a bitch, I would know) only to proudly declare "I Kissed a Girl" and title her album "One of the Boys," wearing the very badge of semi-androgyny she denies her male counterparts, although she cops out on the title track.
  
  These lyrics from "If You Can Afford Me" may be the most offensive here. Strongly holding men to outdated tenets of masculinity that reigned a half-century ago, at the same time Perry declares her right to break free from similar chains, all the while cheapening herself:
  
  "If you want me you're gonna have to break the bank tonight/`Cuz some don't have the patience, some call me high-maintenance/But you pay the bill, cuz that's the deal/If you wanna ride, just name your price, don't play cheap with your heart/Don't make a bet if you can't write the check for me, for me/`Cuz I can be bought, but you'll pay the cost/If you can afford me."
  
  She later goes on to stipulate that one thing will be free - "a lovin' me." Of course, love only arrives after the wallet has been taken out. How convenient.
  
  If young women continue to have sentiments like these bombarded into their consciousness by popular culture, they will never find intimacy with men, and why would any man want to put up with such double standards? More and more women will wonder why they never found the right man, and men will remain bachelors for their whole lives, never allowing themselves to be vulnerable to women beyond one-night stands. Furthermore, sentiments like these are mighty egotistical and self-aggrandizing. Feminists from groups like the AAUW argue that girls these days still suffer from intense insecurity and are "shortchanged," but if Perry and her music are any example, what they really need is a good dose of modesty.
  
  It may sound like a lot of pressure to put on a pop music album, but that lyrics like Perry's have been accepted with open arms and little scrutiny sure says a lot about current culture's hostility toward men. As a man, I consider myself a feminist, but this is surely the most convoluted, unfair feminism I have witnessed on a mass scale.
  
  Indeed, as she puts forth on the emotionally weighty conclusion "Fingerprints," which shows her great songwriting potential, "I'm leaving my fingerprints on you/Representing you and me/Don't you wanna go down in history?" Indeed, she is leaving her fingerprints on the minds of young listeners and representing their generation. How it will all go down in history, however, is not something to be lauded if my predictions are grounded in truth.
  
  

• Utter Crap

  
  By A18E47647WYV3W on 2008-07-01
  The music is like Kelly Clarkson and Avril Lavigne got together and had a satan child. The content is nothing but gender stereotypes and stupid clichés. If you have any taste, you will avoid this album at all costs.
  
  

• Not your little sister's pop

  
  By A2EF64HUKVH6IU on 2008-06-23
  After lately hearing plenty of songs I like that don't have a CD full of similarly good stuff to back them up, I was pleased to finally find a must-buy when I was impressed by "I Kissed a Girl" on the radio. Katy's CD is exactly the kind of debut I like, showing off a range of song styles but still fitting firmly within the pop genre. I'll begin by debunking two criticisms I've heard: The CD is supposedly too slickly produced, and some say she tries to be edgy without going far enough. Such cookie-cutter criticisms should be saved for cookie-cutter groups. Claims of overproduction ring false when you can occasionally hear vocal slips that add humanity, and as for edginess I think one of the things that pleases me most about this CD is that Katy is very good at pulling off brash and irreverent flair without being obnoxious. I wish I could say the same of a lot of other acts.
  
  Pop is Katy's strong suit but her songs mostly resist pigeon-holing past that point. Not a single song fits the bubblegum Disney mold, another bogus criticism I've seen aimed her way. "I Kissed a Girl" is almost bouncy rock, unlike anything else I've heard on the radio. The title track, "Waking Up in Vegas", and "Self-Inflicted" are the closest to "classic" pop that she gets; the latter two are among the best tracks on the CD. "Hot n Cold" is another mold-breaker though, reminding me very much of an early '80s sound with a more modern twist to some of the vocals. And I would be remiss not to mention "Ur So Gay", easily the most playful song on the album but one I would hardly classify as pop; hearing only this single would give anyone a very distorted picture of Katy's repertoire because it's little like any of her other songs musically, but among the rest it doesn't feel out of place.
  
  While most of the rest of the CD is likable pop, there are a few slower ballads like "I'm Still Breathing", "Lost", and "Thinking of You". Each of these is different in some way, but "Thinking of You" has the strongest melody and complements that with beautiful vocals. Two days after first playing the CD, this song found its way back into my head and I was pleased to remember it so well.
  
  Katy Perry is a breath of fresh air in an industry that seems to like churning out one-hit wonders with boring CDs, one-style-fits-all vocalists who have no ability to mix it up, or in-your-face yet unoriginal attitude. I like her style, range, and voice, and she manages through it all to be boisterous but not annoying. For me this is a winner.
  
  
• It sounds like the girl is a bit confused....
  By A2U4PLAUZQOSCH on 2008-07-13
  ...but somehow you get the idea that it's all in fun. This pop/rock recording makes for a fine debut. Katy does seem to have a bit of gender dysphoria...she kisses girls when drunk [and enjoys it], sometimes she feels like "one of the boys", and "ur so gay" and "hot n cold" depict her boyfriend has having some confusion of his own {PMS, indeed}. The lyrics, though are clean...well, there is a line in "if you can afford me" about not being a piece of a**...and I, at least, was left with the impression that she doesn't really mean it, and is just having a good time with us. "i kissed a girl" is not only not offensive, it's my favorite song on the album...really catchy.
  
  Katy is a pretty girl, with a clear, strong, voice...she should go far. The album is well recorded, and presented, with great artwork. The recording may be a bit more "rock" than I like, but only a bit. She manages to take themes which some could use to gross us out, and make a real "feel good" album...that's an accomplishment, right there. You go, girl...
  
  Addendum: I liked it when I first got it, but this is a record that actually IMPROVES with repeated listening...Very high recommendation. Six stars, at least.
  
  
• Disposable but strong
  By A3KAEWHGDCWZEN on 2008-06-25
  "One of the Boys" is great for what it is: catchy and timely pop music. No doubt about it, these are some very well-crafted tunes, designed to quickly grab and release without leaving any long-term damage. You might find yourself humming a few well after the songs end. Loaded with easy melodies and perfect production (Ballard has not lost his mass-appeal touch), it's harmless fun.
  
  But don't look for Alanis here. This is pure and simple "sing and dance" stuff. Nothing to trouble you or cause you to reflect. "I Kissed a Girl" is an irresistible piece of ear-candy and the cd overall is much the same.
  
  You'll like it fast and then move on to the next thing of the week. Enjoy!
  
  
• Heterosexist, Sexist Crap.
  By A3UOE58FV25K28 on 2008-10-06
  Katy Perry is another wayward female jumping on the Sex and the City "I talk about how much sex I have and therefore I am empowered as a Woman despite the repeated making of ill-advised sexual decisions" bandwagon. The songs are boring, glossy, and far too over-produced to suit Katy's fake indie image. Shopping at Fred Flare does not an indie goddess make.
  
  
• Total garbage!
  By A17IDC7EAZMBX8 on 2008-11-19
  I can't believe all the 5-star ratings for this CD, this has to be a joke! I would give this 0 stars if I could.
  While somewhat catchy, the hyper-produced songs have a familiar radio-ready quality that becomes infuriatingly mind-numbing over time, and Perry's vocals sound like a less-soulful Kelly Clarkson at best, a drunken, spurned sorority girl at worst.
  Madonna and Perez Hilton may be fans, then, but if you've got even a passing interest in actually enjoying a record, don't buy this one.
  
  
  
• absolutely a 5 star
  By A3NK3OSRQOOVQ3 on 2008-06-17
  i really do love this girl , her lyrics are catchy and her music is memorable and fun. as said by some others yes a little blend of pink , avril and others but i think katy is truly original
  
  
• Tragic...
  By AWUKLC1OFT1Z8 on 2008-07-08
  I found out that this girl released a Christian album when she was 16, but under the name of Katy Hudson. It's really tragic to see the path she's gone down since then. She definitely needs a whole lot of prayer. :(
  
  
• Worst album of 2008
  By AD6G5M3KL7GTB on 2008-09-23
  2008 brought us some pretty bad albums, but "One of The Boys" probably tops that list. I really disliked the #1 single "I Kissed A Girl", and her new song "Hot N Cold" sounds like a ripoff of Alanis Morisette. I don't like any of the songs on this album. I never hated an album more. Music has seemed to go downhill lately and I hope it gets better. From Rihanna's ear torture single "Disturbia" to Chris Brown's horrible song "Forever." I seriously hope there are better albums later in 2008 because I am very dissapointed with the music scene right now. Sorry Katy but this album is horrible, one of the worst of 2008 along with Miley Cyrus.
  
  
• amazin
  By A3GNG078TUNZ8Y on 2008-06-19
  This is definitely a well thrown out there album composed of great lyrics and a very powerful voice from katy. I honestly don't know why people criticize so much and give this album bad ratings only because it ain't revolutionary, well not everything that comes out there is..it is just as good as others were, and there isn't nothing wrong with it...there are some crappy singers out there who don't even know the meaning of singing and yet they get good rave ratings...how dies that work huh..? anyhow..tha album came along pretty well, this girl knew how to pull it off pretty well, with some amazing tracks in here that address themes of love no one had ever addressed in particular ways...
  
  One of the boys: 7/10 Not that of a great song, just okay...it shows katy being a tough girl who is parallel to being a boy, sort of a tomboy yet even though she is this way she wants to show she still likes to be a girl, and that there ain;t anything wrong with being a strong woman. the message it has its pretty well delivered i guess, though a different beat would have saved the song a bit..
  
  I Kissed a girl: 10/10 great song..she definitely wonders about bisexuality in here, true being bi on these days is not well seen, something I consider immoral myself but even though it deals with this, the song that is, it is extremely infectious, very out there and edgy, which is what makes it cool, after all is just a song, and I love the way she depicted the song in the video, she kept it very low profile and very respectful to the audience. Smart move.
  
  Waking up in vegas: 10000000000000000000/10 one of my favorites..deff a great song, nothing groundbreaking but the usual and known cliche of vegas...but the beats and the way she puts it with her vocals and her lyrics is very effetive, besides I sense the song to have a "reading between the lines" kinda thing going on, of not giving up on things we already decided to do but to carry on with them.
  
  Thinking of you: 10/10 I dont know if its a single or not but there is a video for it...anyways, the song is a very nice rock oriented ballad kind of thing, is terribly catchy and has amazing vocals from katy.
  
  Mannequin: 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/10...infinite/10 haha...probably one of the best songs she has in here, and should deff be a single...it is very radio friendly ad has this really catchy chorus and besides it has these hidden connotations and suggestions I would say that make it funny to listen to...for example when she sings: "I wish i could turn you on" to what she immediately adds "with a battery" haha, just way too amusing, of how you get the notion she's unto something but turns out to be the corniest thing you could come up with. Deff a very effective and cool song, besides it denotes us men as mannequins, wooden made, kinda like the pinoccio thing going on, on how we sometimes we don't give a darn for the girl we have no matter waht they do for us we just don't consider them good enough...kinda a bit of a slap in the face I gues...no? well, haha that's y perception of it, check it out yourself, maybe you get something diff out of it :)
  
  Ur so gay: 10/10 fun, amusing but not that idk...cool sometimes, the riff is pretty good, so are the lyrics but sometimes the beats get too monotonous, her voice is what saves the song.
  
  Hot n' cold: 1000000000/10 demands to be a single as well, she just delivers the message of the song sooo well, and describes ups and downs in a relationship as well as to the point of contrasting it with bipolar disorder o.0 hahaha
  
  If you can afford me: 10/10 getting a bit over her head here huh..haha it is a tremendously well put otgether song & her vocals are just so good in here she shows her vocal range, showing the way of singing to a normal range and sometimes switching to higher notes. typical pop rock song course
  
  Lost: 9/10....just any other ballad, nothing special besides her vocals which are amazing in here as well, very rough and powerful at the same time.
  
  Self inflicted: 10/10 very poppy i would say, well thrown out there too, very emotional but she pulls off to make it as positive as she can, her vocals...geez no comments, she just knows how to sing, undeniable.
  
  I'm still breathing: 8/10 least I hear in the album, her vocals are great though, but the song is just too generic, too plain.
  
  Fingerprints: 10/10 fun song to listen to and to close the album as well, she sounds very garbage like, the band of course haha, and kind of avril like at the same time...though their vocals cannot certainly compare, my apologies to katy perry who actually sings and doesn't whine just like avril does..
  
  overall a very cool well put toegther album, worth eevry single penny of your money, definitely a must have, even though many claim it'll get old later, whoh cares the album is very uptempo and it'll have you amused for a while, a long one I should say cause I've been listening to it for the past days and not even bored yet....not even a bit.
  
  Carlos
  
  
  
  
  
• Fun summer album
  By AT0VTEG7M6HR6 on 2008-06-22
  This is a very good album. Obviously very "Pop", but is that so bad? Pop stands for popular and I believe this album will be VERY popular in the coming months. I don't know what professional reviewers may say, but there is a lot to chose from on this, and the tunes are catchy with great sound.
  I Kissed A Girl,Waking Up In Vegas,and Hot N Cold are immediate stand-outs. With Hot N Cold, I hear a strange ABBA and E.L.O. sound to it, with the bass and keyboards/piano thumping. Listen to the sample....maybe it's just me.
  Bottom line: BUY IT. I don't know if she'll still have a career in 20 years, but for now, just enjoy it!
  
  
• I dunno....
  By A1KISYZSUGHL5P on 2008-07-31
  It's a pop-hit, that's for sure. But...
  
  "Ur So Gay"? Uhm, NO. Substitute the word "black" or "jewish" and describe your urban or frugal ex-boyfriend and you would be blacklisted in the musical world. I'm tired of "gay" being thrown around as a derogatory phrase. Grow up, already. It's not funny.
  
  "I Kissed a Girl". Nice catchy song. But again, feeding into numerous stereotypes that aren't really cool, and by the way, why don't good girls kiss other girls? Sad attempt at shock-pop.
  
  The rest of the album is good, but not great. Catchy tunes and music, sure, but not very memorable. "Mannequin" amd "Self-Inflicted" stand out the most in my mind as favourite songs. "One of the Boys" would be more enjoyable if it weren't being sung by a 23-year old, but it's something a teenage girl might dig. But honestly, I can barely remember most of the other songs.
  
  It's only "ok" for me. Grow up a bit and maybe I'll enjoy it better.
  
  
• Don't buy the benz just yet.
  By A2S3ZLA5CZU4Q7 on 2008-09-22
  I don't want to be harsh but this album is candy coated throwaway flash in the pan tripe. A lot of teens, particularly teen girls, love that kind of music but good luck making a career of it. The lyrics are what you would expect a 14 year old to come up with and the backing music is just stale. Maybe this kid can pull off a decent album one day but I'm not banking on it. If I were her I wouldn't start living like a rock star just yet. I'd probably wait ten years and see how it goes.
  
  
• Summertime Pop Fun
  By ATI491ZHUTVNF on 2008-06-17
  Nothing really new here: a little Alanis, a good bit of Avril and throw in some Pink while your at it. But these catchy songs will be swimming through your head all summer. Probably 5 or 6 bona fide top 40 hits on this disk. Katy's voice is impeccable, the lyrics better than average and the music is great. I'd probably have given it five stars had it been a bit more original and been more guitar-oriented. Katy's definitely going to be around for awhile.
  
  
• One of the...best albums of 2008 so far!
  By A1PE1PM3NVQTPO on 2008-06-19
  Katy Perry hasn't been one to disappoint long-time fans (including myself) in the past. That said, she doesn't do that on her debut major-label record, 'One of the Boys'.
  
  While many reviewers of this particular record have thrown around the words 'attention-seeker' and 'desperate' (rather loosely, I might add), I disagree. The album's tongue-in-cheek and sometimes controversial lyrics give it a unique touch among countless teen pop and bubblegum-flavored albums, which are essentially a dime a dozen in today's modern pop world. The album is hook-heavy and slickly produced, but Katy's raw, genuine talent for both singing and writing are quite apparent, mostly in the cleverness of songs like "Waking Up in Vegas" and "Fingerprints", which rank among the album's top songs. Songs like "I Kissed a Girl" and "Ur So Gay" (not-so-ironically, the album's lead singles) give the biggest dose of controversy to the album, with Katy (embarrassingly yet humorously) yelling the word "penis" at the end of the latter track.
  
  While hardcore fans of Perry have long embraced her quirky personality, one worry that I have personally is that incoming fans may be turned off by it, especially since her persona appears on ever square inch of the record from front to back. Nonetheless, 'One of the Boys' places Katy in front of today's modern up-and-coming female solo artists such as Colbie Caillat and Sara Bareilles because the album has serious tracks (including standout "Thinking of You') and fun, upbeat tracks ("Hot N Cold") that combine all that is popular on Top 40 radio at the moment - pop, rock, and dance music.
  
  In "Fingerprints", Katy sings "I want you to remember me"; well, that's exactly what I predict is going to happen for years to come. Welcome to the big leagues, Ms. Perry.
  
  
• Love the music!
  By A36ILY7Y5806YW on 2008-07-14
  I love her music! Very original. My only complaint about the CD is that I didn't realise it was going to be edited when I bought it. Of course, I think there is only one or two words edited out of the whole CD so its not a big deal.
  
  
• What's next?
  By A31Z34UH19N2MK on 2008-07-18
  Where does the line get drawn for top 40 music? What's next -- "I Got it On With A Sheep (and I Loved it)" ?? I know this music has its niches, but it's not for everyone, and not for my house. Being that we all have our own tastes and beliefs, I donated this CD to charity in leui of the landfill.
  
  
• An overall decent debut meant to be tongue in cheek
  By A15E84QSW2NCVU on 2008-06-17
  My impressions of Katy Perry were pretty much limited to the release of her previous singles of "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl" before listening to this album. If going by the measure of those singles alone, I would have likely labeled her in the progressions of artists like Madonna or Cyndi Lauper, producing fun, upbeat catchy power pop melodies but having little personal impact.
  
  Yet, if you look a little deeper into "One of the Boys" as an overall album, you see she goes beyond and intentionally crafts the album as one that's distinctly tongue in cheek, taking influences from artists like Alanis Morissette or perhaps even Fiona Apple. Is she as strong as the aforementioned artists? Difficult to say, but the album on the overall spectrum provides an interesting listen for a debut. I found it interesting that she also cites Paul Simon and Queen as influences on her musical style overall.
  
  The title track begins the album on an upbeat melodic note, with a rebellious tonal bite. It expresses a tear between sexual identity stereotypes that sounds more genuine than, but in the same progressive stance as "I Kissed A Girl" (which conveniently follows the first track). "I Kissed A Girl" is undeniably catchy, both in its easily recognizable chorus and melody, but only takes root in its true meaning in the progression of the album. It still feels lacking compared to some of the other stronger tracks on the album. "Waking Up in Vegas" is a nice change in tonality, an expression of escapism through a nice rock progression. I liked the track far more than I thought I would (I'd name it among the best the album has to offer), noting the power in her vocals when not covered by lavish synthesizers. I don't know if it differs too much than other songs with similar textures, but it's a nice change of pace for the album.
  
  "Thinking of You" is strong in its lyrical construction, with a good, raw emotional feel regarding a strained relationship; it's one of the strongest examples of Perry's cited influence of Alanis Morissette. It features a pretty much cut and dry indie feel, but I don't know if it stood out distinctly to really connect with me fully. "Mannequin" I liked in the same progression as "Waking Up in Vegas", she really carries the emotion best in this song, full of bitterness and sporting some of her strongest vocals on the album. "UR so Gay" seems to be another distinctly impacting song in its overall note of controversy, very tongue in cheek and controversial, like that of "I Kissed A Girl", but has a little more tangibility because the underlying message communicates a frustration with a relationship. Strong sexual assertions here, and you can either take it as hilarious and pressing the bar or a progression of misguided stereotypes, or even somewhere between the two. "Hot 'N Cold" returns to the distinct power pop style of the opening of the album. Easily singable, catchy and memorable in that progression, and her personality comes through without being too oversteeped in its "impact for shock" value (something I found a problem in both singles for "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl").
  
  I enjoyed "If You Can Afford Me": it never feels overdone and manages to be moderately catchy, good vocal and overall tonality, but while it makes an easy listen, it doesn't quite stand out as distinct from the album on an overall note. "Lost" is a genuine track with a calm, solemn feel. It's one of my favorites on the album because she actually seems like she feels the emotions radiated from the song, and allows it to come through her vocal as well. It's not lyrically complicated, nor overshadowed by any external elements - which makes it work all the better. I liked "Self-Inflicted" for its moderate indie rock tonality and message, decent track, but didn't so much stand out as strongly as a few of the other tracks on the album. "I'm Still Breathing" seems a stark contrast to the rest of the album, because it looks at a crushed relationship and the speaker takes on a suicidal mentality in ironic context - again not the strongest song for me personally, but I think it can find a point to connect with others. "Fingerprints" seems to wrap up the album with everything right: catchy, clear meaning in its message, and retains enough bite to let you know who Katy Perry is as an artist. And who is she? someone who definitely doesn't mind pushing the envelope a bit, radiating bitterness in the scheme of conflicting relationships.
  
  Overall, I think she definitely has potential to grow as an artist and appeal to those in current music. Would I remember this album in a few years? Not as readily, it's enjoyable with a few hits and misses in its wake, but I'd recommend giving it a go and seeing what you can take from the album. It's not always my cup of tea, but I found it worth the time.
  
  
• How Entertaining She Is - Great Voice Too!
  By A27Z5IUEOIZGIQ on 2008-06-20
  I heard only one song from Katy Perry, and really liked the sound of her voice, so I thought I would buy the entire CD and hoped it would be worth the money. How fun she is! And what a great female strong voice. Keep writing the catchy tunes Katy, I will continue to buy your CD's.
  
  
• My Summer Album!
  By ANFZ7CVJGZ3TH on 2008-06-21
  This cd is going to be one of my most listened to cd's this summer. I love it. It is so much fun and you can really tell she loves doing what she is doing. She sounds great on all the tracks and I would definitely recommend this cd to anyone.
  
  My Favorites :
  
  1) One Of The Boys
  3) Waking Up In Vegas
  7) Hot N Cold
  8) If You Can Afford Me
  10) Self Inflicted
  12) Fingerprints
  
  All the tracks are awesome and this is not just the "I Kissed A Girl" girl. Buy this!!! :)
  
  
• Straight up fun!
  By A13DYO53P24BF7 on 2008-06-23
  This album is not going to win a Grammy for album of the year, but I think it is going to be my album of the summer. It is full of really fun songs. Katy Perry's voice is as unique as the songs that she sings. It's an all around good album to load on the iPod and take with you everywhere.
  
  Don't miss... I Kissed a Girl, Waking Up In Vegas, and Ur So Gay, Hot N Cold
  
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• This is an edited version of the album
  By AR3OIYT0O3IJT on 2008-06-27
  I love this album, it is playful and witty. My only issue is that it is an edited version with a few bleeped out words. I have the UR So Gay unedited single, so was disappointed that the entire album wasn't the same. I am very disappointed that the album isn't labeled either way, so I didn't know what I was getting until I listened to it.
  
  
  
• ...We've been dead for a while (4.5)
  By A8TM0MI3D9T29 on 2008-07-11
  Hands down, the best thing about Katy Perry--and One of the Boys--is that she doesn't take herself too seriously. Every song is based in reality and makes its point clear, but there's also a tongue-in-cheek aspect to each track as well. Yes, this is pop in every single aspect, but it's also not trying to be anything else. If you're buying this CD in hopes of hearing something that's never been done before, well, I'm sorry but you'll be sorely disappointed. One of the Boys is simply a fun CD to put on and let play.
  
  I'm sure most everyone was drawn to Katy Perry from her single, I Kissed A Girl, I know I was. Word has it though (and by 'word' I mean Amazon's product description) is that Katy found popularity with the digital release of Ur So Gay...but that's only hear-say. Whatever the case is, whichever song you heard first, this CD basically follows suit. Full of mostly upbeat, danceable songs, its really quite hard not to like this if you give it an unbiased listen.
  
  Immediate hits, for those of you unwilling to sit down and listen to the entire disc, include (of course) I Kissed A Girl, Waking Up In Vegas, Ur So Gay, and Hot n Cold. For those who will actually give this CD some attention, Thinking of You, Self-Inflicted, I'm Still Breathing, and Fingerprints are all slower songs that beg for noteriety.
  
  My favorite songs are I Kissed A Girl, Waking Up In Vegas, Thinking of You, Ur So Gay, and I'm Still Breathing. One of the Boys was everything I expected. I expected a fun romp through the pop genre...I got that. I expected some interestingly coy lyrics...got that. I expected to hear some great vocals...I also got that. I wasn't planning on being blown away or anything like that, so I came out insanely happy with what I was given. Pretty sure if you did the same you'd come out pleased as well. Enjoy!
  
  
• Solid effort from an artist with huge potential
  By A2EUG9W2IAVCT on 2008-08-25
  Katy Perry may have started her career in the Christian genre, but this alt-pop goddess soars on her mainstream debut in the form of One of the Boys. Her smash single "I Kissed a Girl" is one of the catchiest songs this summer, and surely received most of its attention due to its off topic subject matter. "Ur So Gay" is another gem, albeit not nearly as catchy melodically, but more so lyrically as Perry lists all the reasons her ex is "so gay" even though "you don't even like boys"; I personally don't find any anti-homosexuality remarks here, but obviously songs like this have grabbed attention from those in the homosexual community for usage of the "Ur So Gay" moniker. But "Hot & Cold" stands to be just as catchy, if not more, than "I Kissed a Girl." One of the Boys is simply a delight to the ears, a piece of rock-infused pop that displays a powerful voice intermixed with some great songs. Sure, not everything here can match the incredible heights of "I Kissed a Girl," and yet moments of brilliance permeate throughout: for example, "Thinking of You" is a powerful ballad of heartbreak with a driving bridge and knowing lyrics. Overall, One of the Boys can easily be considered one of the best pop albums of the year, and deservedly so.
  
  
• real gimmicky
  By A9Q28YTLYREO7 on 2008-08-30
  after I kissed a girl there isn't much else you can go because that track caught on, but Kathy Perry is another artist who is trying to re-sell a 80's style hybrid vibe and while good on the eyes she is way short on talent.vocally she is weak and nothing on here speaks on lasting. cute slick Production, but short on material and songs.
  
  
• LOVE IT!!!!
  By A37C37JY4PNO3D on 2008-06-19
  I LOVE Katy Perry!! This album is fabulous!!! Fresh fab pop sound. Worth checking out for sure!
  
  
• BORING.....UGHHH.....
  By A2SP25LCGYT07G on 2008-11-09
  THIS IS TRULY THE YEARS BIGGEST SLEEPER....AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY....DID I MENTION THIS IS THE MOST BORING PIECE OF MUSIC(IM NOT SURE IF IT SHOULD BE CALLED THAT). WHEN LISTENING USE CAUTION. COULD POSSIBLY MAKE EARS BLEED.
  
  

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