Why 'Prism' Will Be Epic

It's here. Well, sort of. Katy Perry's Prism is available on iTunes to preview in 90-second snippets, before its official release on Oct. 22. The 13-track deluxe edition of the album is what's available for listening now, and the songs range from classic Perry pop-fun to dreamy EDM and ballads. The album's tagline "let the light in" is fitting because that's exactly what it feels like it's done: pulled the Katy we know and love out of her Russell Brand-shaped hole and brought her back better than ever.

Of course, the album opens with and powers through "Roar," the girl-power anthem that Katy released in August and performed live at the MTV Video Music Awards. Kind of like a, "Wake the hell up, kittens! Momma's back," type of thing. You've got our attention, you've had it for the past two months, which is approximately how long "ro-oh-oh-oh-oh-arrr" has been stuck in my head. The album then opens up into the airy, dream-like, EDM-esque "Legendary Lovers," a song about epic loves, that has a serious base-line with hints of Bollywood.

Just in case there was a lack of birthday songs in our lives, the album's third track "Birthday" is a sticky-sweet confection that feels like it could've fit seamlessly into Teenage Dream. Perry sings over the pounding beat high up into Mariah Carey's vocal happy place. Speaking of '90s super stars, the '90s-esque "Walking On Air," will make you nostalgic for J.Lo's "Waiting For Tonight."

The album's first ballad, "Unconditionally," is set up with a strangely-upbeat arrangement that's kind of distracting but sounds so epic when it soars into the chorus. We've all already heard Perry's collaboration with Juicy J on the cautionary tale of falling for the "Dark Horse" that's dark enough to off-set the sweetness so far on the album.

Were you wondering what happened after Taylor Swift's "22" ended? Well, Katy Perry has your answer with "This Is How We Do," a girls' night anthem that shouts out to "all these kids buying bottle service with you rent money" and that girl eating breakfast at the diner wearing last night's dress. Another dance song, but this one's about all of those irresistible girls (you know, all of those girls that are just muses and seem inhuman), think "California Gurls," but on the world-scale and you've got "International Smile."

The album slides down to a more solemn and earnest note with "Ghost," about memories and what life used to be, before sliding back up into two driving and earnest songs. "Love Me" and "This Moment" are about seizing the moment in love and in life and jumping into it instead of asking questions. In line with the seizing your love is "Double Rainbow," where Perry sings about the rare kind of magnetic love that changes your entire outlook on life (dreamy). The regular-length album will close on "By the Grace of God," a heart-wrenching ballad about clawing your way back out of the dark hole of a love failed and lost.

The final three songs, which will be featured on the deluxe album only, are "Spiritual," "It Takes Two," and "Choose Your Battles". The first is inspirational and ethereal, like being under the spell that it describes, the second is a relationship version of Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," about taking responsibility and being the change you want to be in yourself, and the third gives the phrase "all's fair in love and war" a run for its money in likening the two.

Prism is worth a listen whether you're a veteran Katy Perry fan or not. It's dreamy, empowering, and vulnerable at the same time and if you don't like it, you might as well get used to the fact that you'll be hearing it everywhere for the next year. Like a typical Perry album, it's catchy as hell and sweet enough to grow on you... even if you're a hater.