For her final album on the nearly 20-year-old contract that doused her in several oceans’ worth of legal troubles and life-altering trauma, Kesha is finally starting to process things. The survivor’s glow of 2017’s Rainbow and the messy verve of 2020’s High Road have given way to Kesha at her most honest and fearless. Helmed by Rick Rubin, Gag Order is a riveting survey of the current state of Kesha’s psyche — her regrets about how the last few years have unfolded, her struggle to find peace in her own heart and mind, the looming darkness of death, and, of course, the strength it takes to still prioritize and pursue love in a world so clearly bereft of it.

Introduced by pair of singles titled “Eat The Acid” and “Fine Line,” Gag Order is Kesha’s most authentic album because it is her most unpredictable. The record rips through a grab-bag of musical influences, emulating the thumping conviction of gospel revivals one minute and tip-toeing along the gentlest folk melodies the next. Executive producer Rick Rubin, masterfully makes everything fit together as one unit, but it is Kesha’s voice that is the anchor of the record. She opts for a more restrained vocal approach on Gag Order, choosing to focus on highlighting the sharpness of her songwriting and evoking the high drama of sitting with your own thoughts. On “Something To Believe In,” she sings, “You never know that you need somethin’ to believe in / When you know it all.” A callback to foundational childhood lessons and the tug-of-war that debates around higher powers present, this is the kind of songwriting that makes pop music such a pertinent part of culture. The track, which also serves as the intro for Gag Order, sits somewhere between arena rock and electro-country, it’s a gorgeous start to the album that defies definition.

The two aforementioned lead singles are the album’s most explicit references to Kesha’s ongoing legal battle with disgraced (and, unfortunately, re-embraced) producer Dr. Luke. “Eat The Acid” is a biting rejection of being too aware of the evils of the world (“Been dodgin’ gods I didn’t want”), and “Fine Line” combines notes of punk music with an unsettling harp for a wry reflection on what choosing your battles from a place of maturity and self-preservation looks like. The album’s most immediate standout arrives near the middle of the record in the bombastic “Only Love Can Save Us Now.” Between the dark dance synths of the verses and the pounding country-gospel of the chorus, the song is unlike anything Kesha has ever made, yet it feels strikingly familiar. It’s a combination of the best of Rainbow and High Road funneled into a single track, and it’s absolutely fantastic. The showiest vocal performance on the album, “Only Love Can Save Us Now” is a praise song that fashions beauty out of discord to create a throughline that connects the sonic cores of both Ke$ha and Kesha. Speaking of Ke$ha With A Dollar Sign™, the glittery sleaze of the world’s favorite early 2010s party girl returns on the hyperpop-leaning “Peace & Quiet.”

While Kesha can never completely divorce her sound from dance music, she still flies across the musical spectrum on Gag Order. “The Drama” and “Too Far Gone” are probably the least instantly palatable tracks, but they’re both undeniably beguiling. The former is the album’s best showcase of how Kesha’s unfussy, almost ambivalent vocal approach allows the attention to land squarely on the tension housed in her lyrics. The latter, the album’s most interesting ballad, juxtaposes grandiose synths against a relatively quieter vocal performance wracked with vulnerability. Gag Order begins to trip over itself once Kesha starts piling on the ballads. “All I Need Is You” is a sweet dedication to her late pet cat that unfortunately drags, and “Hate Me Harder” lands as the record’s most generic offering with its cheesy refrain and plodding melody. There’s also “Happy,” a song that can actually carry the weight of a bit of schmaltz. Nonetheless, few songs can rise to the level of “Living In My Head,” a harrowing number that recalls the muted mania of conflicting inner voices by way of cleverly mixed background harmonies.

With Gag Order, Kesha has unlocked a level of freedom that she was only emulating on Rainbow and High Road. The album is unafraid of the frazzled mess that is recovery and healing, and Kesha is crafting songs that can soundtrack both her own metamorphosis, and that of the fans that have been by her side throughout the journey.

Vote for Kesha at the 2023 Bulletin Awards.

Key Tracks: “Eat The Acid” | “Only Love Can Save Us Now” | “Living In My Head” | “Peace & Quiet”

Score: 74