Album review: Kesha, Rainbow

US recording artist Kesha. Photo / Supplied

After nearly five years out of the game and a harrowing public legal battle with Dr Luke, Kesha is back, and it's immediately obvious she hasn't let any of her troubles get her down.

Rainbow is exactly the kind of album you would've expected; it's full of anthems and party tracks about empowerment, independence, survival and forgiveness, and if the ultimate revenge truly is living well, then she's sure as hell getting it.

When Kesha first blew up the airwaves with Tik Tok, she sang about partying and hangovers and was dismissed as inconsequential pop. And she didn't care. She still doesn't.

Even with so much to address, she's still singing about going out and having a good time and that's the real triumph of Rainbow; it's about letting go of pain and living your life how you want.

The opening track is literally a "don't let the bastards get you down" acoustic track, in which she sings "I could fight forever, but life's too short" - a statement of where she's at, and what this album is.

Let 'Em Talk is a high-energy pop-rock anthem preaching: "Shake that ass, don't care if they talk about it...do your thing", and Woman is a song of empowerment filled with horns and expletives in a way that makes you automatically walk a little taller.

While her lead single Praying is still an obvious standout with its message of forgiveness and its killer soulful vocals, another huge hit in the waiting is Boogie Feet; a raucous, Sleigh Bells-esque, lo-fi jam imploring you to "dance with me, please", in the most infectious way possible.

Kesha's vocals have stepped up on this album, proving she can belt out massive notes and throw vocal tricks with the best of them, but she never loses her style.

And while the album doesn't make a whole heap of sense - it goes from pop dance tracks to powerful ballads to stripped-back confessionals to rambling country songs, to Kimya Dawson-type musings about taking Godzilla to the mall - I don't think I care.

This is an artist who's been kept from making music for the better part of five years and now she's finally free to say what she wants, however she wants to say it and you can feel that.

Kesha, Rainbow

Artist: Kesha
Album: Rainbow
Label: Sony Music
Verdict: A beautiful comeback with tracks that are fun as hell