Kesha . (...)
Kesha's . (...) stages a bold reclamation of party-pop identity, mixing country detours, disco kitsch and moments of genuine vulnerability to uneven but often thrilling effect. Across professional reviews the record earns a genteel vote of confidence: it holds a 62.56/100 consensus score from 9 reviews, and critics repeatedly point to a handful of tracks that prove Kesha still knows how to surprise a room.
Critics consistently name “FREEDOM.”, “JOYRIDE.”, “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” and “CATHEDRAL.” among the album's high points. Reviewers praise “FREEDOM.” for its cinematic build and club-ready payoff, while “JOYRIDE.” draws notice for its accordion-tinged disco bravado and reckless charm. “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” earns credit as a rollicking, country-tinged crowd-pleaser and “CATHEDRAL.” is repeatedly singled out as the emotional coda that grounds the spectacle. At the same time several critics flag inconsistency: some cuts aim for art-pop or hyperpop experimentation and land, others drift into safe, trend-chasing territory that undercuts the album's more ambitious reaches.
The critical consensus frames . (...) as a record about liberation and reinvention - liberation from industry constraints and from past trauma - even if that narrative sometimes collides with commercial impulse. Across nine professional reviews reviewers agree the best songs show Kesha reclaiming voice and joy, while the album's uneven production and stylistic pastiche keep it from being a full artistic rebirth. For readers asking whether . (...) is worth attention, the short answer from critics is yes for the standout tracks and the moments of raw, celebratory energy; the longer answer acknowledges a rewarding but imperfect return to form.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
JOY RIDE.
1 mention
"The accordion’d out cataclysm “Joyride.”"— Pitchfork
CATHEDRAL.
6 mentions
"The closing piano ballad "Cathedral" wisely isn’t even trying to be a sequel to "Praying"."— PopMatters
YIPPEE-KI-YAY.
7 mentions
"dynamite couplets like "Bitch, I just got a brand new start / Call the cops, baby / Kumbaya" (from "Yippee-Ki-Yay")"— PopMatters
The accordion’d out cataclysm “Joyride.”
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
FREEDOM.
JOYRIDE.
YIPPEE-KI-YAY.
DELUSIONAL.
RED FLAG.
LOVE FOREVER.
THE ONE.
BOY CRAZY.
GLOW.
TOO HARD.
CATHEDRAL.
TRASHMAN.
BOY CRAZY. (feat. JADE)
ATTENTION!
YIPPEE-KI-YAY. (feat. T-Pain)
DELUSIONAL. - Edit
YIPPEE-KI-YAY. (feat. T-Pain) - A. G. Cook Remix
YIPPEE-KI-YAY. (The Hosed Down Remix)
JOYRIDE. - Revved Up Remix
BOY CRAZY. - ONLY FIRE SMASH REMIX.
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 11 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Kesha’s . (...) is at its best when it leans into the unexpected, and the reviewer singles out tracks like “JOYRIDE.” and “BOY CRAZY.” as pure, unadulterated pop wins. The record is a summation of eras, where the ambient trick of “FREEDOM.” opens into house-tinged chorus moments and “RED FLAG.” and “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” show her sharper emotional bite. There are a few lesser moments, like “TOO HARD.” and “LOVE FOREVER.&rdquo., that feel safe, but overall the album is a party-starting good time that proves she can still make hits on her own terms.
Key Points
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The best song, "JOYRIDE.", is the album’s standout party track for its attitude, accordion line, and thumping synth chorus.
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The album’s core strength is combining Kesha’s eras into hits that mix unconventional moments with pop craftsmanship.
Themes
Critic's Take
Kesha arrives on . (...) with her usual party-fueling hedonism intact, and the review keeps returning to the album's best tracks - notably “Joyride.” and “Freedom.”. The writer’s tone is wry and sharp, praising how “Joyride.” squeezes accordion disco into a memorable hook while noting “Freedom.” starts as a mission statement before slipping into middling party-pop. There is admiration for Kesha reclaiming her sound, even as songs like “Glow.” and “Love Forever.” register as modest but revelatory moments. Overall the critic frames the best songs as evidence of Kesha’s freedom and weird charm rather than cohesive artistic triumph.
Key Points
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The best song(s) like “Joyride.” stand out for bold, accordion-driven hooks and undeniable earworm power.
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The album’s core strength is Kesha reclaiming her persona and blending disco, country, and hyperpop into a defiantly personal pop record.
Themes
Critic's Take
Kesha's . (...) reads like a victorious party sermon, equal parts brazen and tender. The review revels in high-octane moments like “JOYRIDE.” and “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.”, praising their absurd, joyful spectacle while flagging quieter catharses such as “CATHEDRAL.” as the album's emotional payoff. The tone is celebratory and slightly sardonic, calling out Europop bangers like “BOY CRAZY.” and “RED FLAG.” as instant club hits even as it notes a return to more contemplative pop on songs like “LOVE FOREVER.” and “THE ONE.&rdquo.
Key Points
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‘CATHEDRAL.’ is the emotional high point and best song due to its cathartic, spiritual resolution.
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The album's strengths are jubilant pop spectacle and a blend of club-ready bangers with moments of genuine catharsis.
Themes
Critic's Take
On Kesha's . the best songs are clearly the ambitious opener “FREEDOM.” and the dreamy penultimate “TOO HARD.”, because the review keeps returning to those moments as true artistic high points. The critic praises “FREEDOM.” for its fluttering pianos and operatic wails and calls it a six-and-a-half minute introduction that promised a breakthrough, while “TOO HARD.” is singled out as a rich, smooth exercise in dream-pop that ranks as probably the second best song. Other tracks like “JOYRIDE.” and “RED FLAG.” are noted as serviceable party bops, but the overall tone laments that most of . settles into nostalgic, Warrior-lite territory rather than realizing Kesha's full creative freedom.
Key Points
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The opener “FREEDOM.” is best because it promises ambition and an artistic breakthrough that the rest of the album fails to match.
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The album's core strength is catchy, carefree pop hooks, but it is weakened by nostalgic, recycled production and missed experimentation.
Themes
Critic's Take
In a searching, candid voice the reviewer frames Kesha and . (PERIOD) as an album about freedom and uneven thrills, pointing to “THE ONE.”, “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” and “FREEDOM.” as its clearest moments. The review leans conversational and evaluative, noting how “FREEDOM.” builds cinematic anticipation before erupting into club energy, why “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” captures unbridled joy, and how “THE ONE.” functions as a genuine pop standout. That tone - admiring but blunt about inconsistency - answers readers asking for the best songs on . (PERIOD) by foregrounding those three tracks as highlights amid a somewhat uneven record.
Key Points
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THE ONE. is best because it is called a standout and contains the essential elements of a solid pop song.
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The album’s strength lies in moments of genuine pop craft and vocal range, but inconsistent song quality creates an uneven listening experience.
Themes
Critic's Take
Kesha returns to form on . (...), and the best songs — notably “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” and “Cathedral.” — make that reassertion feel convincing. The reviewer's tone is affectionate and clear-eyed, praising the rollicking “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” country detour and the piano-ballad closure of “Cathedral.” as a moving coda, while celebrating hooky pop like “Delusional.” and “Love Forever.”. Overall, the strongest tracks combine cheeky, self-referential lines with smart production choices that put Kesha back at the centre of pop.
Key Points
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The best song is “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.&rdquo.; its country-facing sound feels timely and authentic.
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The album's core strengths are catchy, varied pop production and Kesha reclaiming her liberated persona.
Themes
mu
Critic's Take
There’s a giddy sense of rooting for Kesha throughout Maura Johnston’s review, and she frames the best songs as the record’s proof points: on . (...) the opener “FREEDOM.” transforms from amorphous to pointed, while “JOYRIDE.” and “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” wear the album’s playful experimentation like armor. Johnston’s voice loves the mess - she celebrates the post-punk dance-floor fury of “FREEDOM.” and the throbbing, accordion-laced gusto of “JOYRIDE.”, then credits “Cathedral.” with delivering the album’s clear-eyed, surviving climax. The narrative she uses makes clear why listeners asking "best songs on . (...)" will find those three tracks essential listening.
Key Points
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The best song is driven by its transformation and bold production, with “FREEDOM.” functioning as the album’s standout center.
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The album’s strengths are adventurous pop experimentation, bold vocal performances, and a throughline of survival and independence.
Themes
Critic's Take
In a voice that alternates between fondness and exasperation, Kesha delivers . (...) as a glossy return to party pop that never quite sticks. The review repeatedly singles out “JOYRIDE” as one of the only fresh moments, while tracks like “BOY CRAZY” and “LOVE FOREVER” show the album’s tendency toward derivative, safe choices. The best songs on . (...) are those that still spark mischief and texture - chiefly “JOYRIDE” - but the record too often favors trend-chasing polish over grit and memorable hooks.
Key Points
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“JOYRIDE” stands out because it channels Kesha’s bratty charisma and offers fresh arrangement details.
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The album’s core strength is its polished party-pop production, but it suffers from derivative, trend-chasing choices and weak hooks.
Themes
Critic's Take
Paul Attard finds the best songs on . (...) when Kesha lets loose, and that means “Boy Crazy” stands out as the album's funniest and most effortlessly chaotic moment. He notes that early cuts like “FREEDOM.” and mid-album moves such as “DELUSIONAL.” aim for art-pop credibility but often swerve into calculated pop, leaving only occasional victories. The review argues the record is torn between eras, so the best tracks - above all “Boy Crazy” and to a lesser degree “RED FLAG.” - reveal what works when pandemonium feels unforced.
Key Points
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The best song is "Boy Crazy" because it balances bratty energy with buoyant pandemonium that feels effortless.
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The album's core strength is its scattered impulses and occasional flashes of unpolished creativity, undermined by uneven production and indecisive sequencing.