Ok, it's time for a massive single rundown. I had a pretty easy clinical rotation last month so I had some time to listen to more music than I've been able to in the past few months. So here we go, a quick rundown of every current and future 2007 single I've heard thus far. Like always, songs categorized by "Bad", "Meh", "Good", and "Great", just like my hard drive folders. Singles tapped mainly from
Billboard,
UK charts,
Popjustice, and
Stylus. Sorry there's not more hip-hop. Record companies sometimes make those singles difficult to "acquire".
BadCooper Temple Clause - "Waiting Game"
Cringe as a band tries to write a soaring chorus and fails miserably.
Corbin Bleu - "Push It To The Limit"
Disney channel kid whose parents almost named him "Bullet" after U2's "Bullet The Blue Sky". "Push It To The Limit" sounds nothing like that. Based on the lyrics, I think I'm supposed to get pumped listening to this.
Evanescence - "Lithium"
Way too melodramatic for my tastes.
The Fray - "How To Save A Life"
Coldplay has ushered in a new age of wimpy rock bands with pianos.
Freemasons - "Rain Down Love"
There's a whole lot of bad mid 90's Eurodance lurking beneath the surface here.
Guillemots - "Annie Let's Not Wait"
Definitely from the new school of overproduced, Postal Service/Decemberists styled indie pop. Let's just use a bunch of different instruments and insert lots of zany sounds because we can. I know I sound like an old man, but whatever happened to craft?
Gym Class Heroes - "Cupid's Chokehold"
Downgraded to the "Bad" folder due to the annoying "dah, dah, dah, dah!" hook.
Norah Jones - "Thinking About You"
Yawn. Whatever happened to the
Norah Jones punk band?
Kaiser Chiefs - "Ruby"
After releasing four singles and two re-issues from their first album, they've finally decided to stop milking it and come out with something else. Based strictly on this new single, I think they're going to struggle. "Ruby, ruby, ruby, ruby!" Not a good chorus.
Little Man Tate - "Sexy In Latin"
Myspace indie band #4329. How is it I'm so cynical about viral internet rock bands but my favorite band was born from reality TV, the ultimate endpoint of manipulative music marketing? Oh right, because Myspace bands are usually awful. This one's so nondescript it's offensive.
Ben Macklin - "Feel Together"
It's probably fair to say I overrate good house music. The flip side of that is I'm extra critical of bad house music, because I don't see how you can really mess it up if you have a reasonable idea what you're doing. "Feel Together" is bad house music.
Mason - "Exceeder"
Blips and bloops and "thump, thump, thump".
Musiq Soulchild - "Buddy"
Mediocre R&B artist with a pompous name (I thought he was just Musiq now?). Tries to capture an old soul sound, but doesn't quite make it. Obviously wants to sound lush, but fails miserably. Should try to be subtle, but is as discreet as a flashing neon sign. Three "buts" and you're out.
My Chemical Romance - "Famous Last Words"
It's too easy to just sit around and bitch about these guys. They've been around for a long time now, so I'll just say I don't get it and leave it at that.
Nickelback - "If Everyone Cared"
Generic 90's alt rock > Generic 00's alt rock
Ordinary Boys - "I Luv U"
It's like some sick mutant hybrid combining the intent of a Magnetic Fields song with the lyrical complexity of a McFly one. That's not a good combination.
Placebo - "Running Up That Hill"
I first heard this song on the season premiere of The O.C. and it confused the hell out of me. Took me a few seconds to recognize it was the Kate Bush song, and a few more after that to realize it was the "Friend in need / with weed / indeed" guys butchering it. Why are they still around? And what was the reasoning behind this travesty?
Eric Prydz vs. Pink Floyd - "Proper Education"
Wow, he's really grasping here. I guarantee Eric Prydz doesn't release anything of worth again for the rest of his career. You can quote me on that.
Sasha - "Coming Home"
Nauseating how sugary and simple this is.
Shiny Toy Guns - "You Are The One"
Nothing worse than super earnest synthpop.
U2 - "Window In The Skies"
Is it fair to say that the Top 10 worst U2 singles have all been released in the last six years?
MehSadie Ama - "Falling"
Undifferentiable, run-of-the-mill R&B.
Beyoncé - "Listen"
Dreamgirls song. "Hi, I'm Beyoncé and I can sing BIG too!" When will these people learn that I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS.
Bloc Party - "The Prayer"
Bloc Party songs are always sonically interesting and "The Prayer" proves the continuation of that trend from the very start. Nice intro with creepy tonal humming transitioning into sinister background guitar noize. Unfortunately, the rest of the song doesn't really go anywhere, and though the chorus is lyrically well written, it doesn't do much for me melodically.
Cheetah Girls - "The Party's Just Begun"
Disney girl group that sounds like second rate Destiny's Child.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - "Satan Said Dance"
Indie hype band with an all new single off an all new album. The instrumentation keeps things interesting and the messy, groove oriented rock formula certainly isn't the worst one to adopt. The problem with this song is the same one shared by every CYHSY song, and that's the fact the vocals are irritating as hell.
DJ Shadow - "This Time (I'm Gonna Try It My Way)"
I'm thinking that this song's a little too efficient, that something like this should have the time to simmer and build. The main lyrical message doesn't really mean anything in such a singular context; there's no push or pull, no variation. Cleanly detailed coffee table music, crammed into the span of 3 minutes.
Girls Aloud vs. Sugababes (or is it Sugababes vs. Girls Aloud?) - "Walk This Way"
An utter travesty. This is not what you expect when the two best pop groups of the past five years get together to record a single together. First of all, what's wrong with an original song? Sure "I Think We're Alone Now" was decent, but usually when Girls Aloud do cover songs, bad things happen. And second, why "Walk This Way"? That song is terrible. Just hearing that horrible guitar riff makes me want to stab myself in the ear with a screwdriver. I know this is supposed to be some Comic Relief tie in single, but why can't they go in with the intent of actually making something good? This song should have been epic. Shame on you Dallas Austin. Shame on everyone else involved. The only good to come from this is it proves you should never take Girls Aloud away from Xenomania. Ever. (I can't bring myself to put this in the "bad" folder, though I want to.)
Jennifer Hudson - "And I Telling You I'm Not Going"
Single from Dreamgirls. I remember the raves she used to get on American Idol after oversinging everything. Frankly, I thought she was terrible. Guess she found a suitable platform for her talents.
Jamie T - "Calm Down Dearest"
The easiest way to get to the top in the UK these days is to be eclectic. Nevermind that you don't do anything particularly well, just make sure you cite a lot of different influences and try not to sound like anyone else. Bonus points if you have a terrible voice. Because then you'll be seen as a damaged genius.
Camille Jones - "The Creeps"
What "Losing My Edge" would sound like produced by the Neptunes. Unfortunately, nice beats and production are all we have here. There's no musical progression to speak of and I seriously get the impression she just decided to throw out random utterances and phrases to fill out time. Not good enough.
Mike Jones - "Mr. Jones"
So many rappers are fixated with reminding us what their names are over and over. The fact that this guy's made an entire two year career out of this with the name Mike Jones is bewildering (and genius). Propers. As for the song itself, not as clever as it thinks. Singing kids in hip-hop is so three years ago.
Just Jack - "Stars In Their Eyes"
There is absolutely nothing interesting I can say about this one. Is it "Bad"? Is it "Meh"? Do I care? Ladies and gentlemen, last week's UK #2.
Keane - "A Bad Dream"
More post-Coldplay dreary piano rock. Not quite as bad as The Fray track. Hell, who am I kidding. This is getting moved to "Bad".
Klaxons - "Golden Skans"
I want to like these guys because they complimented Girls Aloud. I'm suspicious of them because the
Popjustice guy likes them and when it comes to guitars, he has a tendency to like all kinds of random garbage. This song is built around the vocal hook, which honestly, isn't strong enough to warrant the attention. Their old material must be a lot different, as I've seen them described as "acid-rave sci-fi punk-funk". That's most certainly not a valid description of "Golden Skans".
Kleerup - "With Every Heartbeat (feat. Robyn)"
Despite not liking anything she's done, I greet every new Robyn single with high hopes. She is of course the pop blogosphere's reigning hype champion, and well, they were so on with Annie, right? This one is just another in a long line of disappointments for me. Synth twinkles, strings, a firm house beat, emotional singing...this SHOULD work, but it just...doesn't. My theory? I think pop aficionados just assume that if something's from Sweden, it's quality.
Koopa - "Blag Steal And Borrow"
I have to say, it's hard rooting through all these new singles, mostly because of all the nondescript indie, pop-punk, and alt-rock. So when I saw the name Koopa, I started to get excited. What could this be? Just a generational Nintendo reference, or does the name give any insight into the sound? Electro-pop? Cartoon style hip-hop? Nope. Just more pop-punk.
Lady Sovereign - "Love Me Or Hate Me"
I was genuinely surprised about a month ago when I walked into a Best Buy and saw a Lady Sovereign album sitting next to all the usual featured artists and albums. Is she actually popular here now? When did this happen? I may just be making this comparison because she's white, but half her songs really do seem like second rate Eminem tracks with a female MC. I mean, seriously, just look at the title of this one. If that's not perfect name for an Eminem song, I don't know what is. I think you have to have a strong personality to pull off these ego-driven confrontation tracks. Let's just say she has Tatum Bell level charisma and leave it at that. If you want to hear a good Lady Sovereign single, this one's not it. You should go track down "Hoodie" instead.
Mika - "Grace Kelly"
Pop music with street cred bags yet another chart #1. Mika seems to be the next in a recent line of "personality" based UK pop artists. I suppose that makes him the male Lily Allen. People have this idea that "different" is automatically good, but in most cases (like this one) it's nothing more than just another neutral descriptor, like "brown" or "rectangular". Though this song has quite the sunny disposition, it just doesn't supply any of the emotions that typically go along with that. Completely forgettable.
Nerina Pallot - "Learning To Breathe"
Mid-90's radio singer-songwriter comback! Most I can say for this is that it isn't actively bad. This is the kind of song they'd use to soundtrack a movie scene where a woman is running around the streets in broad daylight with outstretched arms embracing life or something.
Natasha Ramos - "So Sick (feat. Clipse)"
"Drop It Like It's Hot" set a dangerous precendent showing that hip-hop minimalism can be uber successful. Ok, I liked "Mr. Me Too", but I think we've already hit the creative endpoint of this particular thread. Last thing we need is people trying to copy this stuff.
The Shins - "Phantom Limb"
Pleasant and polite. That's all I can think to say about this. There's a tambourine too. Wikipedia says this resembles
Psychocandy. Yeah sure, minus all the sonic wonderment, which was mostly the point. Stupid
community driven information depot, don't you know anything?
Sloan - "Who Taught You To Live Like That"
Catchy. I suppose. If this song suddenly ceased to exist, nobody would care.
Gwen Stefani - "The Sweet Escape"
Again, yet another case of building a song around something that doesn't quite deserve it. Sorry, "woo-hoo, yee-hoo" NOT as cute or funny or crazy as you think it is. And just as an aside, is Gwen Stefani the least fun pop star of all time? Her whole post No Doubt career is like a step-by-step exercise in legacy building.
Ania Szarmach - "Silna"
Slice of Polish pop. Thanks
Stylus, for the cultural enlightenment, but please expose me to just the European pop singles that matter from now on. I get enough of this cookie cutter R&B pop from my own country, ok?
Teddybears - "Punkrocker (feat. Iggy Pop)"
Swedish rock band somehow teaming up with Iggy Pop. Enjoyment of this song is entirely dependent on your appreciation of the chorus; how you reconcile the whole "old man rock legend"/punkrocker dichotomy and whether you find that funny, ironic, interesting, or whatever.
The View - "Same Jeans"
Hey, let's rewrite "Brimful Of Asha"!
Good8 Ball & MJG - "Relax And Take Notes"
Fright night hip-hop. Sinister bass, drama chords, church bells, all included. While not entirely memorable, good enough in the moment to be worth a listen.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - "Catch You"
Debut single off new album
Trip The Light Fantastic, written by Cathy Dennis and Greg Kurstin. Her last set of singles from the previous album were too casually performed, too non-chalant for my tastes, so I'm glad she sounds like she actually gives a damn again. The Blondie comparisons aren't as accurate as you'd like them to be, which I attribute mainly to the difference in vocal personalities. Still, lots of sudden guitar rev ups, which give it enough musical angst and forward burst to keep this a step above many of her previous offerings. Decent for a comeback single, though slightly disappointing.
Jarvis Cocker - "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"
First proper single from perhaps the most proficient songwriter in the history of popular music. I read something touting him as the next Morrissey, which I think is apt. His solo output thus far has been up to snuff, perhaps a little too comfortable musically, but still finely written and well regarded. The problem starts when you begin making the direct comparisons, and really, this new material pales next to the glowing brilliance of Pulp's catalogue. Which is hard to figure, because all the usual elements are still there. We have the distinct voice, well crafted lyrical structure, good musical ebb and flow. The problem lies in the message, mainly that what he has to say today just isn't as interesting as what he was saying just 5 years ago, let alone 10. And perhaps even more important is the nagging sense that Jarvis understands this just as much. Ambition or musical curiosity, I don't know which, but something definitely is missing here, and I'm not sure it'll ever be back. Don't let all this dissuade you from giving this song a listen though. Just keep in mind, you're not entirely getting the real deal here.
Fall Out Boy - "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race"
Urg, I can't believe I'm actually feeling this. I have no idea what they're going on about, but the title lyric is both funny (perhaps intentionally so, though probably not) and assertive enough to properly reach the anthemic heights they're aiming for. And the choir part is awesome in a "bunch of nu-emo hacks desperately trying to write the alt-rock equivalent of "Bombs Over Baghdad"" kind of way. I don't really believe in "so bad it's good", so the only way I can explain my enjoyment of this is likening it to the highly underrated film XXX. It's just so ridiculous and uninhibited and honest about what it is that it's difficult not to like if you even minutely buy into what they're selling.
The Good, The Bad, And The Queen - "Kingdom Of Doom"
Damon Albarn's new band. Sadly, right when the Gorillaz were starting to get better too. I haven't thought enough about it to decide whether the lyrics are crap or not, but the song is similar enough to early-mid era Blur, what with the detached, observational poetry kind of feel to it, that it gets a thumbs up from me regardless.
Kelis - "Lil' Star (feat. Cee-Lo)"
I was all ready to give up on her, because frankly, her "I'm not just a Neptunes puppet" phase wasn't her best. This is probably her best single since "Young, Fresh n' New", which was what, 5 years ago? Nothing particularly notable here, just nicely performed and cleanly produced. Cee-Lo has really made a name for himself as a writer/producer in the past year; I think I've liked pretty much everything I've heard from him. A real knack for melody. I don't think it'd be a stretch to say he might be best non beat based R&B songwriter today.
Regina Spektor - "Fidelity"
Apparently well known singer-songwriter type who I've not heard before. Normally something so precious sounding would annoy the crap out of me, but the end of this song is sung well enough to give it some real emotional meat. And the stuttered vowel thing is cute.
UGK - "The Game Belongs To Me"
Texas hip-hop veterans who I know of only because of "Big Pimpin'". But as for the song... I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to falling back on that old lazy criticism, "generic", when I can't think of anything else to say. Well, this is actually "good generic". Lazy, so confident "I can't be bothered" sort of delivery and some fat, punchy bass. Sometimes that's all you need.
Amy Winehouse - "You Know I'm No Good"
Didn't much like her before, until "Rehab" turned the tides. The style of "You Know I'm No Good" is much in the same vein, a little pop, R&B, and jazz. Interesting to see this was co-produced by Mark Ronson, whose probably best known for last year's cover of Radiohead's "Just". The guy clearly has a horn fetish.
GreatAmerie - "Take Control"
Alright, enough with all the faint praise. The songs in this domain are all the real deal. Another Cee-Lo production here, and let me tell you, it's amazing. Why this has only hit #66 in the Billboard charts, I have no idea. Insidiously catchy guitar riff that ingrains beneath the skin, exciting brass intrusions, a vocalist who knows how to properly work a nice rhythm. I didn't think she'd come close to "1 Thing" ever again, but in less than two years' time, she may have released something better. The new album out in the spring might be one to watch.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor - "Me And My Imagination"
Confirmed second single after "Catch You". This is more like it. The style of her previous album was mostly cold, precise, and clinical. I think her particular vocal traits, the posh accent and tight haughty tone, work best when contrasted with warm, inviting sounds, otherwise it all comes across as sort of distanced and impenetrable. "Me And My Imagination" gets everything right. Tidal synth haze and flittering strings accompany a playful disco beat while Sophie extols the process of love, a celebration of mystery and fantasy. Perfect.
Justin Timberlake - "What Goes Around Comes Around"
I like that Justin is a now a bonafide A-grade solo star, because people can finally admit how moving and heartwrenching some of his songs are. I can't remember the last time a male artist has been able perform something so emotionally bare and revealing without it devolving into eye-rolling pap. There's a certain respect for the message in this song, where he lets the usual pop star image crafting take a back seat. You almost forget who's singing this partway through the song, though it's not because he gives a bad performance. It's seamless integration of voice as instrument and it's absolutely gorgeous.
