"Dance. It's all I wanna do so won't you dance." Such are the fitting first lyrics one hears when popping in Kylie Minogue's latest offering, "Aphrodite." For most of her long career, Miss Minogue has served up fun, bubbly dance pop music, especially since the start of the new millennium."Aphrodite" is no different with its 12 throbbing songs that would make almost anyone want to immediately get up on the dance floor.
The CD was executive produced by famed DJ and British producer Stuart Price, who has a history of great collaborations with artists including Seal, the Killers, the Scissor Sisters, and, most famously, Madonna. His skills as a producer (and co-writer on most of the songs), along with the writing abilities of many talented artists including Calvin Harris and Jake Shears, no doubt helped shape the album into the pure dance-pop perfection it became.
The album begins on a strong note with the first single and perhaps most unique songs on the album, "All the Lovers." The lyrics are simple but memorable and the melody and instrumentation will no doubt turn the song into a Kylie classic. "Cupid Boy" is another high point on the disc. Beginning with a simple guitar riff, the song takes twists and turns, utilizing everything from auto tune to a pulsating chorus that will definitely stay playing in your head long after the song ends. "Illusion" and "Closer" are also standout tracks that start off simple but turn into complex and hypnotizing dance songs. The title track, "Aphrodite," on the other hand has the opposite effect. While the chorus is fairly memorable, the rest of the song is simply repetitive and boring. "Can you feel me in stereo?," Kylie sings over and over again, to the point where one almost wants to turn the stereo off.
"Looking For An Angel," one of only three songs Minogue co-wrote on the disc (the other two are "Illusion" and "Too Much"), may have lyrics that could have been written by a 12 year old girl dreaming of marrying Justin Bieber; but the melody is sweet and Kylie's vocals truly make the song sound like an angel is singing it. Kylie has never been known as a strong songwriter (although her lyrical efforts are a bit stronger in the other two tracks she co-wrote), and perhaps this is one of the disc's greatest flaws. While the album is a fun non-stop dance party, full of well produced songs with killer hooks, it really is nothing more.
Another Stuart Price produced album, Madonna's "Confessions On A Dance Floor," had the non-stop dance party feel with well produced songs and killer hooks, as well. But that album also had more lyrical substance: in "How High" Madonna struggles with what she had to do to achieve fame and success. "I Love New York" is about her attachment to the city she will always be fond of. In "Push," she sings about her relationship with her (ex) husband. And "Isaac," which incorporates heavy middle eastern influences, is a dance pop song unlike any other that speaks of universal life struggles.
Kylie also has a lot that she could sing about: she's been dating gorgeous Spanish model Andres Segura for 2 years, she beat breast cancer less than 5 years ago, and she has said numerous times that she's very happy with her life at the moment. Surely she could have used her happiness to write an additional song or two? On her last album, "X," she co-wrote 7 songs on the 13-track CD, including 2 that were about her battle with cancer and her post-cancer life ("No More Rain" and "Cosmic").
It almost seems that Minogue has taken a step or two backwards instead of forwards with "Aphrodite." Yes, she is happy and the songs on the album are all happy songs about dancing and love, but when she didn't even write most of those herself, it's a bit hard accepting that it's indeed her own voice singing about the positive feelings she is experiencing in her life. Musically, the album also does not deviate from the proven Minogue formula she's perfected over the past decade. Fans will no doubt enjoy the album, because it is up to par with everything Minogue has already accomplished. But it seems like she is making no efforts to grow, expand, or reinvent herself as an artist.
On the other hand, perhaps Minogue's greatest asset is that she sings fluffy and fun dance pop with no deeper meaning or hidden agenda. Sometimes a person is feeling really happy, or even really sad, and just wants to hear a fun, simple, happy song about love or dancing without getting pulled into deeper thoughts about universal life struggles or complex relationships in their own lives that they may want to escape from for a bit. Such escapism is definitely accomplished with "Aphrodite," because sometimes you just need to be happy and dance...it's all you want to do, so won't you dance?
Free Bitch Grade: B+
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