Kesha: High Road review – An explosion of bratty pop

On her fourth album – and her second since herfailed high-profile court case against her former producer, Dr Luke, who she sued for sexual assault and abuse in 2014 – Kesha returns with a full-blown pop sound and reclaims all sides of her personality.

“‘You’re the party girl, you’re the tragedy” but the funny thing’s I’m f***ing everything,” she sings on My Own Dance, knowing that she can navigate the lows in life without having to sacrifice her identity.

Kicking off with the going out anthem Tonight, there’s a sense of liberation in her voice as she moves from a mock-ballad to the dance-rap style we now associate her with. Noting her personal struggles on the very sweet BFF, the defiant Shadow and the beautiful Resentment, which features Brian Wilson and Sturgill Simpson, there’s a new depth to her songwriting.

Love-ins

However, she still gives equal importance to going out all night on Raising Hell, late night love-ins on Little Bit of Love and falling in lust on the fragile and whimsical Cowboy Blues.

Celebrating life in an explosion of bratty pop, country music and confessional songwriting, she provides a constant dichotomy of happiness and sadness, seriousness and silliness and, as the album’s title track goes, morals and marijuana.

While this isn’t technically a comeback, it feels like Kesha the bona fide pop warrior is back and stronger than before.