Artist: Pink
Album: Funhouse
Release Date: 10.28.08

Pink’s catalog of music typically consists of fun yet brutally honest music. She’s known for her killer party anthems (Get This Party Started, God is A DJ, and U& Ur Hand), her strong lyrics (Who Knew, Stupid Girls, Dear Mr. President), and her self-analyzing music (Just Like A Pill, Don’t Let Me Get Me). Emotions run high on Funhouse, her latest project, which deals heavily with her breakup and divorce to BMX’er Carey Hart. It’s definitely a break-up album, but who would have thought breaking up could sound this good?

Think of So What as the smile that hides the tears; it’s the only song of it’s kind on the album – high spirited and fun. The majority of the remaining songs are spent drowning in a sea of pain, wallowing in her despair. The second single, Sober is a song of introspection and personal reflection; one of those songs that everyone can relate to – but not in the literal sense, more metaphoric. I Don’t Believe You is easily a favorite on this project; it has a very stripped down, unplugged and vulnerable vibe to it, and the feelings of denial tell a painful story. Throw a little country with a little rock and roll into Funhouse, mix well and you get one of the album’s highlights: Mean, a song that analyzes the downward spiral of the connection between two people, searching for answers and explanation while clinging to what’s left of the emotional bond. Pink turns self-consciousness into social awareness on Ave Mary A, attacking world issues from drugs to war and terrorism.

Chalk this one up as another solid album from R&B-singer-turned-rock-star Pink. Although it lacks some of the party vibe of some of her previous releases, there’s a theme of emotional struggles here that the album conveys wonderfully. She co-writes on every song, and delivers an album with excellent vocals, and some great production. It can get a bit depressing at times, and if you’ve never been through a serious breakup, you may not fully enjoy this album. Her ability to tell the truth and keep it real is admirable, especially when she does it so well, even when it hurts…

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Pink says 'So What?!?'

-Mack-