Pink - I'm Not Dead Review

Bottom-Line: My embrace of I'm Not Dead was by no means immediate, but the CD grew on my with each listen. 

With the release of her fourth CD, I'm Not Dead, Pink is back where she started, meaning she is back with La Face, and the old sauce and sass is back albeit packaged in Rock-n-Roll clothing.  And since she acted as Executive Producer of this project, I have to ask is this the real musical face of Pink?  While Can't Take Me Home was decidedly hip-hop in its musical flavorings, I'm Not Dead would do Pink Floyd proud.  As I mention above Pink's voice isn't exactly dynamic, meaning she lack real range, nor is it loud.  The result on most of I'm Not Dead is a sometimes washed out Pink; her voice often gets lost in the maelstrom of electric guitar licks and other rock inspired beats.       

However for me the stand out song on I'm Not Dead is Pink's collaboration with the Indigo Girls, track No. 5, Dear Mr. President, (a song Pink co-wrote) in which she takes Bush to takes on a number of issues.

Here are partial lyrics: Dear Mr. President by Pink, and BB Mann

Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proud

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why

Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine

(Chorus)

While I very good friend of mine referred to the song as "interesting" and when pressed thought it was "stupid, simplistic" and took "liberties with the truth," I consider the song one of the best, it not the best song the album has to offer.  Take out the lyrics and the simple rhythm guitar licks are wondrous to listen to; they give the song a folksy grassroots tint that is instantly compelling.  Add the lyrics and you have a political kick-in-the-rear song that could very well be the anthem for present day America under the Bush Administration.

But Pink hits other emotionally jarring touch points on I'm Not Dead as well; track No. 10, Runaway and track No. 13, Conversations With My 13 Year Old Self speak to teenaged angst that are probably autobiographically in nature given what I know about Pink's teenaged years (that is of course if Pink's telling is true to life).

Be forewarned, I'm Not Dead is not for featherweight listeners; there is fair amount of swearing throughout the CD, but it certainly isn't overly obscene.  Pink pulls few punches; she is not trying to appeal to one demographic or another Pink is Pink and those willing to man up and embrace her are in for a wild though enjoyable ride. 

The comparisons between Pink and Kelly Clarkson are inevitable only because they have both chosen to traverse the same Rock inspired musical road.  But that is where the comparisons should end; Ms Clarkson is blessed with a deliciously lush set of pipes, while Pink's vocals are just okay; and while Clarkson's last CD was a little edgier then her debut offering, when compared to I'm Not Dead, it might as well have been released by Disney.  

My embrace of I'm Not Dead was by no means immediate, but the CD grew on my with each listen.  I give Pink high marks for recording Dear Mr. President, but I am disappointed that she has not promoted the song the way she has Stupid Girls.  Perhaps in time.