★★★★★ | P!nk – Beautiful Trauma
P!nk has never been one to shy away from changing with the times. With her seventh studio album, the multi-platinum selling artist shows that she’s more than capable of keeping up with the times and with her fans. Beautiful Trauma is sure to be a hit with the whole of the LGBT community with enough attitude and timely angst to make any episode of Drag Race Untucked look more like Toddlers and Tiaras in comparison.
Of course, there are the beautiful and heartfelt songs, such as “Beautiful Trauma”, “But We Lost It”, and “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken” that prove P!nk still knows how to write a track that could – given the right/wrong day – bring you to tears. However, it’s the show-stopping anthems on this album that will really leave a mark for me. In such a delicate and politically fragile time worldwide having an artist like P!nk remind us all that we’re stronger together might be exactly what’s needed. The always empowering “What About Us”, which has already made its mark on the Billboard charts, will be sure to be a greatest hit of hers for years to come. The anthem train continues with tracks like “Where We Go” and “I Am Here”, both of which scream of a yearning to live life to the fullest – with catchy, toe-tapping, sing-along chorus’ that will undoubtedly remain in your head for days to boot.
Now, if you’re worried and wondering where the sassy breakup tunes don’t you fret. Eminem is back again, featuring on yet another track with P!nk, for the brilliant “Revenge”, a perfect diss track to take your mind off of any ungrateful ex you might be struggling to forget. “Whatever You Want” and “Secrets” could also fall under the breakup tune umbrella in a slightly more solemn tone that harkens back to The Truth About Love Era ever so slightly and in the best way possible.
Overall, Beautiful Trauma is a solid and fairly eclectic collection of 13 un-skippable tracks. Fans of the old school P!nk are sure to be just as happy as any new fans might be with this one. The one and only gripe from all of us – I’m sure – why isn’t it longer?
