Life and all of its hurdles are a circus. That’s the point P!nk wants to make with her latest CD titled Funhouse. From the artwork on the cover to the musical influences on several tracks, P!nk drives her point home that we are all taking part under the grand old tent of life.
At first listen Funhouse can feel like a trip through the Hall of Mirrors, a staple at any good carnival. The distorted shapes that appear in the twisted mirrors can inspire laughter, disgust and even horror, much like P!nk’s new tracks. And while the supposed purpose of this new album might seem to compare life with the craziness of a mad circus, P!nk chooses to focus solely on relationships, or more specifically the breakdown of her marriage with motorcycle daredevil Carey Hart.
While the topic of breakups has always inspired pop music and audiences alike, after a few songs a sense of discomfort might appear, almost as if we are watching the breakdown of a relationship. Some tracks might appeal to people who have experienced such emotions, but as a whole the CD can make the audience feel like others did when watching the Jennifer Aniston/Vince Vaughn film, “The Breakup.” There is something very uncomfortable about witnessing two people air their dirty laundry in front of others. The audience could begin to feel like a voyeur and out of place. Has anyone ever felt inspired when watching a couple yell at each other in public? I hope not.
However it would not be wise to dismiss the entire album. P!nk uses her raspy and powerful voice to fill out a few songs that immediately jump off the album. The first single and Billboard powerhouse that is “So What” comes to mind. It may not be for everyone, but there is a huge chunk of America that loves a party mood-inspired “I Hate You For Many Reasons That Will Be Discussed Later” anthem.
“Crystal Ball” and “Glitter In The Air” are also powerful, but their power comes from the melodic music in the background that takes a backseat to the raw emotion in P!nk’s voice. These two tracks reveal a vulnerable side to her otherwise “I Don’t Care About Anything” attitude.
There are tracks that attempt to capture the emotion found in the latter two songs, but “I Don’t Believe You” and “Please Don’t Leave Me” are too overproduced, too schmaltzy. With string arrangements and over-sung vocals, the effect appears to be fake and insincere with these two.
Overall Funhouse reminds us that P!nk has multitudes of talent. Her voice has never sounded better and there are many tracks on here that will speak to individuals who are going through similar episodes. The album also gives us hope that once she works through her relationship problems she’ll be back with an album that doesn’t have just one message-life is one big, messy carnival and breakups make us sad clowns.