Album review: Katy Perry, Prism

Katy Perry sings at the iTunes festival (GETTY IMAGES)

She burnt her blue wig in the short promo video for the single “Roar”, but any tweaks to the Katy Perry formula are cosmetic on her post-Brand album. Self-help and sauce remain the remit, which might have been less tiring if “Roar”, “Walking on Air” and “This Moment” offered forms fresher than, respectively, the robo-stutter of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, weary Italo-house pianos and strenuous stadium bluster to enliven their empowerment-speak.

“Birthday” is lewd fun – “big balloons” feature – and “By the Grace of God” will touch anyone still upset about Perry’s divorce. Otherwise, the restorative route towards self-love trotted out in “Love Me” is one that only devoted followers of Perry’s marital affairs need concern themselves with. KH