Christina's back and this is just a ceremonious shout-out to her fans. Music video for Let There Be Love. So Xtina's back with her new single (not sure, an accompanying music video was made), but still, it's from her prominent 7th studio album, Lotus, which fans around the world have come to conclusion that it's pretty much amazing and well, showing off what Christina does best. I wouldn't say Bionic was my favourite, but Lotus kind of tops that any other side of the weighing scale. If it is a single, then Let There Be Love would be Aguilera's 3rd single off of Lotus, with Your Body and Just A Fool featuring Blake Shelton, with the latter feature Aguilera's partner on The Voice. If it goes this way, then Your Body would be your opening champagne, the hour that everyone starts dancing to. Just A Fool makes you start wondering where your partner went, and how miserable it is. Let There Be Love then makes you re-encounter these dreams again, and it is a basic reflection to basically the ones you love. Until now my favourite single so far though would have to be Just A Fool, easily hitting a remarkable high with Blake performing one of his best vocals to date. Is that to say this single is far from average or even worse compared to the first two? Not at all. There's the characteristics of a Christina song written all over it. From the beast vocals to even the pleasing falsettos, Christina just offers another way to put her vocals to test. She's done it for over a decade, and now it's soothingly easy to do it all over again, the pressure now slightly tipping off. It is a potential party anthem, but also an anthem for those who need to start over again, as the song also offers the piece of vibe that sticks with your throughout and plays in your mind for another few minutes. Let There Be Love had the right message, and seems more radio-friendly and a little complex to judge it as mainstream, though which Christina single isn't mainstream? Let there be let there be love Ratings:
Originality: 8/10 - Aguilera's Lotus hardly is even upsetting to say the least. The creativity and innovation is there, and she shines definitely. Sound: 8/10 - What is there to complain or even highlight? Aguilera's vocals are humongous. Lyrics: 7/10 - The song had me a little confused about what it was trying to be, but it was the chorus that mattered most anyway. Overall: 23/30 - Let There Be Love is a token to the Christina's fans, and this song will be truly related to them, all ways of how it's going to be heard. I'll be playing it for days, for sure.
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So the VMA's happened. Yeah. Get over it. Music video for Give It 2 U. Give It 2 U is Robin Thicke's second single off of his Blurred Lines album, of which the single with the same title name cause massive stir and controversy at the VMA's that happened to include one of Disney's darlings: Miley Cyrus. But let's put the past behind the blocks and go straight for the jugular as Thicke tries to impress with his tuned vocals once again. Now I'm all but okay with rappers appearing in pop singles, but it's probably a rap show to say the least for this one in particular. 2 Chainz is heard at the start as he spits whatever he does in most of his songs. Well, I've seen him twice in music videos now (Give It 2 U didn't feature him on the original), with the first time obviously in the video of Light Em' Up by Fall Out Boy. And I have to say I'm not on the fence with this one, and he is obviously better than he was previously. 2 Chainz is what he is, so there's no saying anything else here. But most of the people are here to definitely going to hear either Robin Thicke, or Kendrick Lamar, undoubtedly one of the most popular rappers due to his verse in the song Control. So let's talk about Thicke. Right off the bat, there's really nothing special to the song. Thicke's vocals contribute nothing to a whole lot of bass dropping and almost near-whole just music explosion. It was a totally complete opposite to what Blurred Lines was, this one maybe not as controversial nor even radio-friendly at all. More like a club song, Thicke expresses it in so many ways and pulls it through during the chorus, probably one of the better parts of the song and probably one of the two best ones on it. Other than it being just depressingly pop creative, there's not a whole lot to a pretty disturbing opening that grows on you only if you really try to inherit in. Hey, girl, you know you lookin' so damn fly Let's be real and honest. Did most people came for Thicke? Well, I'm guessing majority came for Kendrick Lamar, who obviously was now being made popular as said, due to his verse in Control. That wasn't only it, but previous songs I've heard have made me turn some of the things I have in mind on him aside. But this song obviously didn't fit a rap, in which both 2 Chainz and Kendrick did well. Kendrick's verse was cool, and offered something aside from Thicke's spotlight. However, the song's background stringing wasn't the best beat you'd bounce to. You're like a needle in a haystack Ratings:
Originality: 6/10 - The song tries too hard to make it really amazing, but there's nothing to differentiate it other than the song being born by most likely a DJ whirling his set around a pop procedure. Sound: 7/10 - Clearly less orbital on the chorus, still it was the best part along with Kendrick's. Lyrics: 7/10 - Lamar was the better out of the three, 2 Chainz was average, and Thicke is, well, Thicke. Did you expect much? Overall: 20/30 - Give It 2 U is a club-banger, nothing more and nothing less. It'll gain views, it'll gain chart-building momentum, but nothing about it is lit on fire nor going to get caught by one. It's tremendously disappointing, and obviously sub-par compared to Blurred Lines. It's mediocre effort, and I don't think many can dance to this one. You cause a massive stir at the VMAs, and before that controversy with We Can't Stop. Now, it's finally back to show us your real talent. I'm glad we got Wrecking Ball. Audio for Wrecking Ball. So I just heard Wrecking Ball on the radio, and my, Miley Cyrus just seemed to come from another planet only to release to totally polar opposite singles. Yes, I didn't like We Can't Stop. Nothing about it that I liked was really a factor to this one, however, as Miley also released the title of her new album, Bangerz (really?). But I have to say that Wrecking Ball is ten times above and beyond of her previous single. Now it's no surprise if Wrecking Ball becomes popular and gets the same views as We Can't Stop. I'll tell you why. Firstly, if there's comments on the audio on why they thought the old Miley was back, was because she was well-known for some of her past hits, including The Climb and many others, of which are plastered favourites on playlists of Miley's fans. Most of these tracks, are equally astounding, heart-breaking and exciting to be heard, but We Can't Stop was party-depressing mode 'on' and definitely not well-received by most people (myself included). However, most of them aren't going to be forgotten about the twerking incident that was caught on camera last week at the VMA's (one thing to celebrate other than Eminem's new Berzerk single), of which she's basically doing it in front of Robin Thicke as he exasperates over his two singles, Blurred Lines and Give It 2 U. Mother of Thicke and fiance of Miley both expressed displeasure, but who's to say who started what first? This time, Miley seems to really go head-to-head with herself, cause' Wrecking Ball is the by far her best song in months (comparable to Ashtrays And Heartbreaks by Snoop Lion). Secondly, Miley's talent outshines the content on We Can't Stop. This is the potential and the peak she was at before she hit a slumber, and going nuts and out of her mind with We Can't Stop. Wrecking Ball is pretty much what she can do, and she delivers exactly on point. Not throwing herself off a deep end anymore, if this is what the album would sound like, then I might like it a lot more than what I would have before. I came in like a wrecking ball Ratings:
Originality: 8/10 - Miley's finally done what is right and she's set the tone now for her upcoming album. Wrecking Ball is a lot more beautifully crafted and exceptional than the previous single. Sound: 9/10 - I'm going to go high on this one, and say that Miley's really doing it best here. I've never heard her as clear as before, and as more triumphant, as she bellows the lyrics over the large piano ballad with the accompanied drum beats. Lyrics: 8/10 - This single has a distinctive meaning that is close and heartened by fans alike. Overall: 25/30 - I was definitely unexpected by Wrecking Ball to be honest, jaw-dropped and just out of my mind. Who would've expected such an emotional piece after a controversial song that could almost be pitted against Blurred Lines for the most news feed article of the year? Well, I'll be playing it for days. Miley didn't go away at all. She's always been here. But she's finally showing the world that this time, she's true. Wrecking Ball is amazing. Dope, classic or straight confused? Well, the latter ain't for me. This is Eminem's first single off MMLP2, and the thoughts are explosive. So Eminem's eighth studio album was released in style as a commercial at the VMA's, along with the release date of 5th November 2013. Shocked by the date? Nope. The album title? Yes. In case you didn't know, MMLP2 stands for Marshall Mathers LP 2, sequel to Em's 3rd album that further pushed his fame into universal stardom and put him on his way to one of the best rappers of all time. He is, after all, one of my favourite rappers of all time and one I look up to, so I gripped and twisted my fingers hoping Berzerk, the first single, would be at least Recovery standard. But, it's gone high and above it. Let's talk about the producer for Berzerk: Rick Rubin. So if you haven't known, Rick has produced some of my personal favourites, and recently includes Linkin Park's Living Things and Jay-Z's Magna Carter... Holy Grail. However, his past work is where he shines, producing for The Beastie Boys, one of America's finest artists in previous years. However, this time, he lends his expertise and even samples the 'Go berserk' line during the chorus. The track blends brilliantly well with Em's aggressive style raps and verses, delivering punchlines and his often forgotten Slim Shady persona, now among the Eminem faithful, is finally back again. On to the song, Berzerk feels very lively and energetic. Off the top and simply regenerated, Eminem seems to have ditched the style he wore with Recovery, this time proving that the predecessor record might have been a mistake, as stated in the song with 50 Cent and Adam Levine in My Life. However, Berzerk was just a complete diffusion from the track that was simply firing and hammering, which Survival was, released last week for the Call of Duty: Ghosts game. It is a little radio hip, you have to no doubt claim that this is the closest Eminem has ever been back to his old self, which is during The Eminem Show and Encore (well, not much). Relapse seemed to feel like The Eminem Accents Show, of which my only favourite to be fair was Beautiful. I've heard praises from Recovery, but a true Eminem fan won't deny that it was his best record. In fact, The Marshall Mathers LP was the best record and one of my personal favourites. Now, a sequel is on it's way. Berzerk is classic and sheer vintage Eminem. You can hear the utmost perfect Slim Shady voice through the mic and as the dust settles, you nearly forget that Eminem had aged after all these years. Berzerk consists of some metaphorical nonsense including 'Mayhem to the a.m.' and a particular diss at the Kardashians. Even a close reference to Kendrick Lamar could be heard. Nostalgic about it? Berzerk may broaden Em's fan base, but let's be honest, 15.4 million followers on Twitter? This single is bound to be loved by fans around the world, but the Recovery patients might not like it. We're gonna' rock this house until we knock it down Originality: 9/10 - Eminem sounds better than ever, and with Rick pushing greater boundaries, the track consumes critics and haters alike.
Sound: 9/10 - Eminem's Slim Shady persona and alter-ego might be externalised, but it hasn't lost touch. The verses and hook is just granted the nucleus of the track. Lyrics: 9/10 - The verses packs punchlines, , metaphors and resolved words and vocabulary. The hook, combined, precedes over it well and sets us up for the next album. Overall: 27/30 - Eminem is back, and there's no doubt about it. Stronger, more aggressive and just rhyming out this world, he comes back to tell us that Slim Shady still lives under a certain shadow, this time it's his turn to shine. I'll be playing it for days, so let's celebrate Em's finest return in true glory. Berzerk is out on iTunes, so go grab it! So Christmas dropped early this year. And I did not expect this little present. Audio for Survival. So what's better than machine gun rifles and explosions all over the screen? Survival by Eminem. Obviously Call of Duty: Ghosts is unmatched at the gaming center while people from all walks of life got a shot at the multiplayer game trailer and also the teaser for probably his upcoming, one of the most anticipated albums of 2013. And that goes without saying that Survival is going to eventually end up on the record, but what's even more impressive is how the song didn't get leaked. At all. Roar and Applause, two of the most waited singles by each fans, were supposed to be released pretty much a week from now. Due to hackers, they had no choice and the track eventually went up to iTunes. So Survival, is it do or die; good or bad? I have to say, since it's a long time since we last heard from the real Slim Shady, it's obviously going to be hyped up that a new song is going to be revealed. And what a fashion show Eminem brings to the table, offering through the PRs and how the song went through to the CoD game after all. That goes without saying that Won't Back Down featuring P!nk, which was from his previous individual record, Recovery, released back in 2010, was also used in the Call of Duty game back then. Marketing? Maybe. But it's a good damn way to flaunt off your excessive rapping skills, especially when it's Eminem - your hard-hitting lyrical genius. And in Survival, he does it again. So Survival starts off with a relatively unheard vocalist, Lis Rodrigues, who does the intro. If that doesn't sprinkle you with chills down your spine, you might not have heard enough. And bam, the chorus goes sprawling out of control, before Eminem matches the tone with the beats - the rock solid foundation and the wacky guitar riffs that accompany - he kills it instantaneously. Pushing boundaries once more with his lyrical concept, he shoots it with 'Wasn't ready to be no millionaire; I was ill-prepared; I was prepared to be ill, though, the skill was there!' and once again, Em's angry visage was increased on various occasions, his anger splitting and his fury still forming. I'm not going to doubt the lyrics on here, but people are going to be picky and rant about Eminem's lyrical content still based on getting respect, but if that is what Eminem's looking for, he's got it for almost a decade now. Do newer kids on the block know the trademark? Nope. Survival wipes the floor clean for pretty much one of the best rap tracks I've heard in weeks (credits to Jay-Z for Magna Carter... Holy Grail - not the best, but there were tracks that really did the heavy-lifting.). But I want you to doubt me RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 9/10 - This is epic rock-rap interpolation and Eminem basically shoves a handgun up the track with pure grit and f-bombs. SOUND: 9/10 - The sound is just big, epic and huge. The background gang vocals, the percussions and the drum beats. Producer DJ Khalil (who also produced Not Afraid) might have gotten his cards right. LYRICS: 9/10 - What can I say? It's Eminem. What do you think? The lyrical expertise is still drawing circles in my head, but as far as it goes, he still hasn't lost touch and in fact, might be improving. The rhyme schemes and the words used in this track are just superb. OVERALL: 27/30 - Survival is just hardcore, rock and rap 'in your face' with a disturbing jaunt. If you don't like the song, it's most probably you're just here for the game trailer. Still, Eminem delivers solidly and I have to say I'll play it for days. There was nothing stopping me from giving it a grade-A rating, was there? Eminem's 8th album, here we come! I had high hopes for this Gaga. I really, really did... Audio for Applause. So Applause is the first single off ARTPOP which will drop on November 11. And the track is just... I don't even know which way to go from here. I'm having mixed feelings, and the beat that opens up the song is just not even as good as I expected it to be. Applause is like a grade-B track that offers generic tones and doesn't really offer much. Let's go by it slowly. Applause starts off with the beat that strings through almost instantly annoyingly that is almost repetitive until she hits a note and just keeps playing through until it hits the chorus. Come on. The lyrics at least are still a good imitation to her past singles, but if we're living in the future with your vast songs such as Born This Way, The Edge of Glory, Marry The Night and even Alejandro, I am not gonna' lie, this song has been underwhelmed and truly so. I know huge monsters have been waiting for this track and most of them might just count on the fact that it's a Gaga song, but nobody can deny if it's a great song. The verses seems to be as if Lady Gaga's doing a David Bowie impersonation? I can't even tell even if she's having fun or taking it a serious stretch too far. The breaking point doesn't even stop there. The chorus is a complete mess from front to back, but it is the only good song worth listening to on the track. I couldn't even hear the lyrics properly, nor even hear what comes after the song. She goes A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E and goes back and forth through 'Put your hands up/make them touch'. I'm not scratching my head, but I'm really on the fence, if not really just in disbelief. It's not a heavy hitter, as you'd call from Just Dance nor any of the Born This Way album tracks. The Fame was probably the one that you'd recall to be amazing, but if ARTPOP goes the route Applause is going, I might have to reconsider a little bit. It does sound like a different version of LoveGame (maybe worse), but it does do a throwback to The Fame, the album that caught fire and skyrocketed our monster mother to success. I live for the applause, applause, applause RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 7/10 - It's a big question mark over here. The generic tone easily heard like a grapevine. SOUND: 6/10 - I'm not on this. The chorus is the best thing on the song, other than that, I guess you can really digest. LYRICS: 6/10 - Gaga's been on her feet in writing (she wrote Just Dance in five minutes), so Applause is great, but it can't really push this track further anymore I suppose. OVERALL: 19/30 - Applause was what I'd feared going into this track. It didn't fit up to Gaga's vibe, wasn't exactly her type of song, and it just fell flat on instant the moment I pressed play. I'm sorry, but it's mediocre effort Gaga. It will hit number one on iTunes no doubt by her strong followers, but will the song really speak for itself? Until then, let's just give a clap for Gaga's soon-to-arrive album ARTPOP. This is a new album and a new single, and there are bound to be new expectations. Roar's lyric video. 22 October ladies and gentlemen, mark that date down. Prism will be in stores and look at the competition we're going to have. If cinema antics were like this, well, some company might get rich. So I wasn't exactly sure of what to make of this new track since it's Katy Perry. I had to say I loved all of Teenage Dream's singles, and they didn't disappoint. Roar on a gentle note, had a slight touch of error at some parts. First of all, you might want to bet on Roar breaking the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 right now because if anything is to go by of her previous singles (especially Teenage Dream), you might get a large pot of gold (just sayin'.) So Roar has been the first time since I've heard Katy in pretty much since Wide Awake? And that's quite some time ago, so it's going to take some time getting adjusted back into this hot seat. So, on second listen, I noticed the large amounts of metaphors on the second verse. That really caves in on the content of the song and didn't really feel as much valued as the chorus, which was the best part of the song really. Throughout the song, you'll feel that Katy Perry essence that just boils, but never imploding and exploding. That's like a problem that you don't wanna' talk because it's really hard to assume if Katy is just going straight for the jugular, or if she just wants to tone it down a little. Roar does have some pretty heroic lyrics for you installed, so you might be able to sing this in a belle or in a classroom. The track has that beat which Katy uses for half the song on Teenage Dream, and she does it again. Hey, it got her 5 number one Billboard singles, so, why not? Still, Roar doesn't feel like a Katy Perry song. The vibe only gets it half-right, and it doesn't even go full volume on it. I can't think of other reasons, but if she'd gone all out, then the track would be from extremely plausible to conquering greater heights. I've got the eye of the tiger, a fighter RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 7/10 - Not entirely awesome, just decent and ear-grabbing enough for most people. SOUND: 8/10 - The only best part comes from the chorus, and probably the outro, but the rest is just 'heard before'. LYRICS: 7/10 - Well you know it goes; the lyrics just half-great. Don't look at the lyric video, I got confused as well, but got it if you just used Google. OVERALL: 22/30 - Roar is your standard average radio smash hit. Expect it to go big due to large fans, and maybe hit a peak at say top 5. I don't know. The track stands out but it doesn't blur the lines between her past hits and the current trend. I'm playing it for days and I'll give the song lyrical credit. Well, they got their own spotlight now. It's a pretty damn good song, to say the least. Music video for We Own The Night. So with the new music video, The Wanted FINALLY announces the date for their next album, and it's dropping September 23. Now that's stiff competition from already in-bound rock band Kings of Leon, but I'm sure The Wanted can handle the pressure, and it's the decade old rock band that should be feeling the heat. After all, this song is pretty reminiscent to the start of their careers. We Own The Night is just a disco-ball and sets you in the dance mood in a club or at home. The Wanted never lets you down (Walks Like Rihanna - I know, I know), but at least now it's finally back to what they do best. Chasing The Sun was just riding under the shadows of Glad You Came, and I Found You to be honest, at one point I thought the song was the best song of the summer. I was so wrong and Walks Like Rihanna was just a radio jam, nothing spectacular nor shabby. So if you're releasing an album in a few weeks, you want people to know who you are right? So the boys hailing from UK stare down the clubs back in their hometowns as kings of the night as they intend to take over the place and really just make it their own. This song though, does one thing right: the vibe. I felt nothing with Chasing The Sun, I Found You and not even Walks Like Rihanna. This one hit the right notes, the right points and it's probably why I really wanted to listen to it more when I heard the snippet. The song starts off with Max's usual solo-rendition, before the crowd vocals starts ripping apart the production of the song through the gears, and that's the part I got through to the song. However, the lyrics did put off the composure, and I know most people who are double-standards to the words might have an issue with 'Tonight, we own the night', in which night is rhymed twice. Sure they're creatively drawn like One Direction, but make no mistake, comparing the two of them sure is not going to help, so maybe I'll refrain it from now. I still am enjoying this track, and this might be the point in which The Wanted will finally stop the people from recalling their past hits. May our hearts be full like our drinks tonight RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 7/10 - Face it, it wasn't original when you've got a top 3 Billboard Hot 100 track that's just staring at you waiting for you to repeat that feat. Inspiration has to come from somewhere. SOUND: 8/10 - The vibe is just stringing through and is probably one of the reasons why this song is still stuck in my head. LYRICS: 8/10 - Well, there's effort and I commend them. There's nothing like a party song with relevant lyrics, right David Guetta? OVERALL: 23/30 - The track is an abundance of joy, and it's really pleasant to finally listen to The Wanted with really their style. I just can't say enough of their previous single as it's just a downer. We Own The Night is just great, and you're going to have a great time listening to it. Play it for days guys. A slew of reviews are on the way, and This Is Gospel starts your train ride. This is probably the final package before I wrap it all up, so expect nothing more coming. These are the few songs left. Music video for This Is Gospel. What an opener and what a way to get the pump and hype going for Panic!'s At The Disco's new album, Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die! with a big exclamation mark at the end, just like the first word of the band. What this symphony, also known as This Is Gospel, instantly stares out straight is the vocoder-synced in with Brendon Urie's voice as he sings in the beginning. Now if you actually read some P!ATD news a couple of days ago, then you'd know that Spencer Smith, their drummer and close friend of frontman Brendon, has just been sent into rehab for his drug addiction. This is probably why they released this specific track as the second single in time for their tour with Fall Out Boy, of which, Spencer will not be joining the band in. This is a really rough time for him, and as close friend and singer Brendon states, 'I love you. I believe in you. Just show up and don't ever give up.' If Spencer's drums are anything to go by, then this track is short of nothing of it. The percussion is just winding through the track, ever-building and exploding at the peak of the chorus. That's one of the reasons why Brendon's vocals are usually immersive and tangible, as the hook emerges like another top-notch professional work that only Panic! themselves and themselves only, can create. It was a totally different void that they've left us in back when they released Miss Jackson, and to only average scores so far, This Is Gospel will top it all off and even get us amped for their album dropping October 8th (sadly, examinations will make me miss the album's date). The band has been well-known for instrumentation that is just amazing from the sights to the sounds, their music videos delivering since I Write Sins Not Tragedies, and they are just one band that never seems to have that controversy, if not the most consistent band around. The lyrics here are also a step higher than Miss Jackson, and Brendon Urie's really been insanely hard at it since their previous writer and drummer, Ryan Ross leaving the band, and is just bringing the lyrical craft to another level. Though it's really hard to know the lyrics if you're starting out, but I'd say slowly let it sink in before you try to tread the murky waters which are the words that you might not know. After all, they are one of my favourite bands of all time, so past albums are worth a tutorial much. If you love me let me go RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 8/10 - This is classic Panic! At The Disco. Nuff' said. SOUND: 8/10 - The drums are clear, and there's nothing that will leave you wanting. Everything set in place, it leaves you wanting even more. LYRICS: 9/10 - The lyrical content packs a solid punch. There's nothing out there like this, just nothing. OVERALL: 25/30 - Panic! At The Disco do like to try out new stuff, with the transition of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out to Pretty. Odd. was marked as one of the most daring moves in rock history. Will they surprise us again because if This Is Gospel is this great, then the album will be just embedded into us. This track is mighty, emotional and terrifically well-balanced that will leave you hanging on your breath. Play it for days until 8th October fans. One of my last reviews before I take flight for a couple of months (maybe checking in for a few times). Well, it had to be Jessie J. Music video for It's My Party. What can I say? I'm still carefully on the fence with Wild featuring Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal, both of which to be honest, isn't star-studded and doesn't give an impact to what the song had to offer. However it is catchy on the hook, overall still averagely okay. Does It's My Party up the hype? It certainly does. I think the first thing you'll notice right off the bat is the characteristics It's My Party latches on to that makes it suitable to be a Jessie J song. Cool, upbeat, dancey - all of which can be easily found in songs by her. This track does standout from her past singles though, as it's really been a long time since we last heard Jessie J apart from Wild, so it'll take some time getting used to Jessie back in our lives. So she's going to be releasing her second album, hopefully some time before this year ends, and we'll get a taste of probably witnessing a new year of Jessie J. If Wild and It's My Party are anything to go by, it could probably be a more upgraded version of Who You Are. And I'm not kidding. Jessie J fans loves her previous album, and so did I, which was an all-rounded spectacular piece of work that drives not only ambition, but true talent and passion. If you didn't know, Jessie J is pretty much on-par with P!nk live, sounding utmost similar to her studio tracks majority of the time. Also, it's not hard to notice that Jessie J really puts in a whole lot of effort into songwriting. Tracks such as Price Tag, Nobody's Perfect, Who's Laughing Now and Domino aren't just sub-par, mediocre, mainstream charting singles. They are electric powerhouses, with Who You Are the icing on the cake; the ballad of the album. And that's what it really is, maybe, as It's My Party feels a little Who's Laughing Now standard-ish, with this being an upgraded and a more upbeat, disco-dance feel vibe going into it. For a start, it's not really hard to love the song. You get enticed by the beat, captivated by Jessie's vocals, and find yourself swaying along to the song. It has the trademark Jessie J lines in between, such as 'Oh, come and give me a hug dude' which appears after the first verse. What this song doesn't need is basically what made Wild such an average song, is the features that jumps on the bandwagon. Yes, maybe Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal were trying to bring something to the table, but nothing was felt about it. They certainly aren't high-class and energy efficient rappers you feel you're going to count on to 'help' your track. So are some other features, but these two feel less significant. It's My Party sort of learns from it, and lets Jessie J do her own style, and just soothe us over easily. It's my party! RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 8/10 - As I've said above, it's a pretty much new-and-improved song of her past hits, but overall it is magnetizing enough to keep me hanging on for quite some time. SOUND: 8/10 - A little reminiscent of her past singles, and it seems to make us remember that Jessie J still has what it takes. LYRICS: 8/10 - Sounds a little too over-the-top and standard, I'd say it's equally enough for Jessie J and doesn't overdo it, which this current batch of musicians have done over the past singles. OVERALL: 24/30 - It's My Party is a true opener, an insane affection and passion for music and Jessie J's return to form. It's not her best one yet, it's not going to be liked by a lot of people (face it, give and take a few critics), but it's what her fans would want. Catchy, desirable and amazing, I'll be playing it for days and I guess you might want to do the same. Her second album's on the express way. We're only an announcement away from knowing when. This is Ellie Goulding 'burning one hell of a something.' Hell. Music video for Burn. I'm always late for reviews, and this time Ellie's the innocent victim. For the UK singer, a year and a half at the top might seem to be long-term vacation, but, it doesn't if you spend time climbing the charts. That's how she got famous, through Lights, in which on it's 33-week reign, climbed on to number 2 and peaking at it on the Billboard Hot 100. Success is a long-term desire, and as she got it, her popularity emerged victorious as she received airplay for more of her songs, such as Figure 8 and Anything Could Happen, the former which was a jam I thought for once wasn't exactly made for radio. Still, it has been accommodated into Ellie's life, now touring and ending up on other artist's tracks, for example Calvin Harris on I Need Your Love. Now if all it needs is a little push to widen not only interests and listeners worldwide, then Burn is the track you get behind to. It doesn't feel like Ellie Goulding at first, one of the differences of which is just distinct from the get-go. However, the song does stand out on lyrical presentation, of which the track was also written by front-man Ryan Tedder from OneRepublic. The vocals does also shine on the chorus, very clear and immersive. The synth flurry that pounds right after the chorus, just exceeds my expectations. However, the song does feel iffy and stiff at some parts, like the verses. We all know Ellie's vocal limitations, and to even be pushed that far into recording, is pretty incredible. Although she's become sort of a pop-dance-disco singer, unlike her older past singles or tracks, this could be a giant step, or it could be a death leap. Yes, fans are turning their ears to this song, but most people are going to be on the offense and maybe even rip the track apart. I know you're going to say that songs like Lights, Anything Could Happen and others had synth flurry attached to them and garnered success, even though mediocre-wise to the latter song. But this is what is probably going to make some sense, as it is a re-release of her album Halcyon, that if this mainstream track doesn't hit equilibrium heights for both fans and audiences, then Ellie Goulding might fade slowly. However this is to be sure that Burn is probably radio-friendly since Lights, probably due to the tone, the sound and the lyrics. When the lights turned down RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 8/10 - This is an effort that is recognised, and there is all it is. SOUND: 8/10 - The synthesizers really improve the track, not forgetting vocals that are just unforgettable from Ellie. LYRICS: 8/10 - Maybe a fore-front touch down, slightly. The track does requiem about living life, having fun and enjoying, so it serves it's purpose duly. OVERALL: 24/30 - Burn is just catchy and at times makes you wanna' dance. It could and most likely be compared to Lights, but if that's the way it goes, then maybe people should stop forgetting how long she took to reach her status she's in. Burn is a smooth ride on a rough patch, and could leave you daunting unplugged. I say I'd play it for days. Hope you do too. I can't believe it... Flo Rida and Pitbull. It's like, uh, wait. What was it like again? Music video for Can't Believe It (required age, matured content). So what's next to the biggest butt in the world? The two most famous rappers, of course! Well, it's the first time these two rappers have collaborated and this time, they talk about the emotions of bouncing butt. The question is, how bad can it get? So it's Flo Rida, and if you don't know the routine yet, then maybe you should have already. So Flo Rida's a maximum pumper, and probably also more renowned for 'taking' music and churning them into hits with replay value as high as a video game. Prime examples? Right Round featuring Kesha, and more recently I Cry which was a sample from Brenda Russell's hit Piano in the Dark. These aren't the problem, but it's the way Flo Rida samples it, as more people will evidently rip apart the new tracks based off the old ones as it's two separate comparisons then anything else. Old hits aren't the only samples off Wild Ones, Flo Rida's previous album which was a major achievement, landing 4 top notch hits in the Billboard Hot 100 top ten. Flo Rida also sampled Avicii's Levels for his hit Good Feeling, and now this time, Infinity by Infinity Ink. Don't get me wrong, I loved the beats, bass and production for the tracks, but something that was lacking terribly was the innovation and creativity for his own. The hits may sound exciting, but they are at most clear-cut decent dance charting singles that most clubs play at the wrong end of the night. Yes, you can say fanbase, but what fanbase is really dedicated to old hits when you're spark for invention is already gone? Next thing off the top of my list is the way Can't Believe It surrounds itself in: butts. The labeling to the video to the almost utter trash of the lyrics, it's all consigned to speaking about round butts to the way it bounces. Even an unnecessary 'bubble young bum, badum bum badum' as the revolver or nucleus for the track, stands out but is pretty much one of the two things that is a big positive out of this track. The other being the bass and beats, sampled from Infinity by Infinity Ink. The original at least has effort written into it's lyrics, while Flo Rida just pumps iron with same casual effort into the lyrics and poses it with a Britney Spears reference. Flo Rida has turned from a hip-hop experimentalist, to just being downright any other mainstream recording artist. I can't believe it So let's talk about Pitbull, which I have to say surprised me as he didn't scream 'Mr Worldwide' or 'Mr 305', both of which signals that he's coming on with his verse. What's so good about this verse that just leaves me with an impression that's inviting yet equally disturbed, is the Michael Jackson reference. Really? Although it's read as a metaphor, however, things start getting to a halt and Pitbull brings in his Latin slang, in which doesn't feel satisfying nor generally great. This is what happens to all Pitbull features (mostly), and this happens to be no less. Daunting lyrics, poor performance and mediocre track presence. Does it still make sense if there were no features at all? She got that ba-donka-donka-donk-donk RATINGS:
ORIGINALITY: 6/10 - Infinity is still a better record than this. House music doesn't need to be degraded, and so does hip-hop. SOUND: 7/10 - A catchy hook and an intimidating bass doesn't leave you breathless. It just opens up for one more play before it dies down once again. LYRICS: 6/10 - Both artists are bluffing their way through the track. The lyrics don't even matter in this context. OVERALL: 19/30 - The track serves it's purpose for what it's worth. Otherwise, a good bass and decent lyrics can't ever be jaw-dropping, at most a decent airplay track that will once again gain popularity due to it's persuasiveness in it's chorus and becomes a hit once more. It's mediocre effort as said, and there's nothing more to add. |
AuthorBenny Ong: Just your regular guy who likes soccer more than most people, and also a little downtime is pretty nice. Archives
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