When I heard Hot And Cold on the car radio I recalled liking I Kissed A Girl during summer 2008, so I bought the album on the strength of those two songs, on the offchance that I would like some of the rest of it.

I must add here that I am a 56-year old male British accountant, with taste firmly rooted in the 60s, and the last album I bought where I unequivocally enjoyed every track was Blue Hotel by Fox in 1977.

Well, now there is another one. One Of The Boys joins a very small club - there isn't a track on it which I don't like.

Let me get my reservations out of the way first. While I very much like the quality of Katy Perry's voice - she's a husky pop shouter with a delicate breathiness in her upper register (I suspect, from Youtube clips, that she requires some studio assistance to deliver a vocal take with no tuning issues, but that's not a major problem on a record!) - I don't much care for a) the Alanis Morisette-style vocal mannerisms (viz. the register-changing yodel), b) the croaking groan at the ends of lines and c) the intakes of breath (stylistic choice, or poor mic technique and/or poor production?). I'm also not a big fan of breaking words up ar tificially (if you see what I mean).

But I love the songs - each and every one of them. Every one has a strong melodic hook, and I love melody more than anything. The lyrics, though sometimes gauche, are funny, witty, and often heartfelt (and, even when not, they still tell an entertaining story - how can you resist an album where the second line is "I can belch the alphabet, just double dog dare me")?). And they are delivered with gusto and good humour in arrangements which are mostly spot on, if occasionally a little anonymous. I was delighted to see that Katy had a hand in writing all of them (and two of them solo).

I had a quick look at critics - they seem to be centred on ciriticing the fact that these songs are exactly what they are - fun. I don't think any big statement is intended here. After some seesawing back and forth, Katy has found the image she was looking for - Fruit, Betty Grable, big eyes, Minnie Mouse bows, and good-humoured theatricality, and this is reflected not only in her visual impact, but also in the material presented.

I loved every second of this album, and I can't wait for the next one.

omg..i love ur music

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love,
angel