Trustfall (Tour Deluxe Edition)

P!NKの最新アルバム『TRUSTFALL』に新曲2曲と最新ライヴ音源を追加収録したデラックス盤『TRUSTFALL (Tour Deluxe Edition)』

全世界トータル・アルバム・セールス6,000万枚超え、シングル・セールス1億3,000万枚超えを誇り、スーパースターとしての顔を持つ一方、2児の母として育児にも奮闘しているグローバル・ポップ・アイコン=P!NK(ピンク)。今作は2023年2月に発売した通算9作目となる最新アルバム『TRUSTFALL』に、マシュメロ&スティングが参加した新曲「Dreaming」及び「All Out of Figh」の2曲と、「Summer Carnival 2023 tour」からの最新ライヴ音源6曲を追加収録したデラックス盤。

Bouncing back after the relative stumbles of her late-2010s efforts, P!nk recaptures her spirit and voice on the cathartic Trustfall. Her ninth studio effort overall, the set is a motivational therapy session that hinges on themes of change, self-acceptance, loss, and love, reminding listeners (and herself) that everything will be OK if theres faith in the face of fear and the unknown. Buoyed by this spiritually liberated energy, P!nk pushes her vocals to higher highs with shiver-inducing results, backed by some of the most thoughtful messages in her catalog. As with past releases, she blends sentimental moments of introspection with grand pop highs, tugging the heartstrings one minute and inspiring physical release the next. Dancing and singing through tough times, P!nk delivers the albums gospel message on the pulsing title track, a synth-washed, Robyn-esque pop sparkler where she implores, "Picture a place where it all doesnt hurt/Where everythings safe and it doesnt get worse." The equally uplifting Max Martin/Shellback entry "Never Gonna Not Dance Again" is one of those euphoric singalong crowd-pleasers that is custom-built for an eternity at school dances and weddings, while the fast-paced, 80s synth blast "Runaway" pushes the urgency to the fore and the rollicking "Hate Me" jolts the album to life with a punk-rocking gang chorus, sinister riffs, and abrasive percussion. These more immediate earworms are scattered throughout to appease anyone looking for a radio-ready hit, but they cede the bulk of the album to more reflective fare that provides a different kind of spiritual nourishment. On the wistful "When I Get There," she mourns her late father with tender vulnerability atop contemplative piano and string backing, while the pensive "Lost Cause" boosts the same piano/strings approach with dramatic choral harmonies. The Lumineers, First Aid Kit, and Chris Stapleton make appearances across a trio of folk- and country-tinged tracks, but the spotlight shines brightest whenever P!nk is at the fore. Additional midtempo standouts include the stunning "Last Call," which laughs the pain away atop bittersweet twang and a swelling chorus, and the stirring piano ballad "Our Song," which packs a powerful gut-punch with a show-stopping vocal performance destined to bring the house down. In the end, Trustfall leans firmly on these powerful moments of personal growth, sidestepping P!nks sometimes headstrong brattiness in favor of a confident defiance that speaks to triumph and maturity in a way that she hasnt done before. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

ライヴ盤を挿んでおよそ4年ぶりとなったアルバムは本人が〈過去最高傑作〉と胸を張る強力な一枚だ。マックス・マーティン&シェルバックによる超ポップな"Never Gonna Not Dance Again"をはじめ、ジョニー・マクデイドとフレッド・アゲインを起用した美しい表題曲で胸いっぱいの昂揚感を表現。もちろんルミニアーズやファースト・エイド・キットといったコラボの人選でもわかるようにピンク持ち前の優しさが全体を通底している。
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