P!nk’s “Beautiful Trauma” fails to impress

New album lacks usual spontaneity and creativity

Fair Use by RCA Records.

Fair Use by RCA Records.

Maddie Lund

After a five year break of writing movie scripts, diving into the country music genre, and being a mother, Alecia Moore, otherwise known as P!nk, is back with her seventh album “Beautiful Trauma,” and it’s not something to write home about.

Moore’s performance and speech after receiving the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award at the 2017 VMAs moved lots of people, including myself. Why couldn’t her new album have the same effect?

“Beautiful Trauma”, produced by Jack Antonoff, Max Martin and Steve Mac, is a shift from P!nk’s more light-hearted albums, leaning toward a more heavy and emotionally draining vibe. Moore worked with an array of well-respected writers and artists on this album including Antonoff, Martin, Shellback, Greg Kurstin, Tobias Jesso Jr., busbee and Eminem.

The album’s leading track and single “What About Us” was released on August 10, 2017, and has continued to top the music charts around the world (currently 25 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100). According to P!nk, the song stemmed from the hectic political climate and carelessness of the government within the last year. This song is none other than a rally cry with its upbeat tempo and powerful lyrics. From the album, this is the only song that deserves any true type of attention.

In terms of lyrical content, on “Beautiful Trauma,” P!nk tries to get everything she has to say off her chest, whether it’s going back in time to when she was a little girl in her song “Barbie” or talking about the ups-and-downs of her relationship with husband Carey Hart in the album’s title track, “Beautiful Trauma”.

P!nk is not afraid to let listeners in on some of the personal struggles she has faced and overcome, however, her need to throw more than a few “f-bombs” in a lot of her songs is less than desirable. On “Revenge” featuring Eminem, her uses of the “f-word” and “whore” may definitely cross a bit of a line for listeners. While any song that digs at a cheating ex is appreciated, hearing all the profanity that goes along with it will not be something listeners can get behind.

If anyone else thinks P!nk’s third track “Whatever You What” sounds very similar to her other song “Just Like Fire” from the soundtrack of “Alice Through the Looking Glass”, I am in complete agreeance with you. The drumming patterns and tempos of both songs are much the same, leaving listeners with a sense of deja-vu.

All in all, while P!nk has had success in the past with many of her albums, “Beautiful Trauma” doesn’t quite make the cut. If you are in the mood for a P!nk kind of music day, I would definitely recommend some of her older music.

“Beautiful Trauma” is available for purchase on iTunes and streaming for Spotify.