Animal

Pop’s new “bi” on the block is the kid Katy Perry would have if she could birth a 22-year-old smart ass. Her stock elocution is an almost-clone of the “I Kissed a Girl” phony’s. But Ke$ha likes booze more – or so she sings (and sometimes raps) in her teen-sounding tone. The no-BS-taking brat is hammered on much of her drunk-on-dance debut, sneaking alcohol into her purse, guzzling it like water or using it as a metaphor. Oftentimes she unleashes some snarky, cackle-causing zinger. All this is sloshed over electro-pop beats via music-making majors like Dr. Luke and Max Martin, who manipulate Ke$ha’s Katy-meets-Miley vocals to crazy robotic, half-Chipmunk effect. Much of Animal is cut from the same blippity-blooping that assaults the first single, “TiK ToK,” with the opening lead-in of songs offering irresponsible fun – especially on the fuzzed-out “Take It Off,” promoting drunken hot messes. But as if to make her seem like a real person, she turns to insufferable ballads that aren’t believable when she’s channeling more machismo than a frat boy. There’s still instant gratification to some of this disposable, processed party-pop, but it’s on par with a night of nonstop drinking. You won’t remember much of it tomorrow. Grade: C