#42 Brick & Lace, "Love Is Wicked"

Baby, I loved you from the very start
Even though I knew that you would break my heart

It probably says a lot about this song--and why I like it--that, though it's supposedly urban, it's done better in continental Europe than it has in the U.S. A smooth pop-R&B meld, "Love Is Wicked" is sung by two Jamaican sisters, one doing the melancholy chorus hook and verses and the other adding half-raps/spoken bits. The combination is almost intoxicating--the laid-back song is smooth, catchy, and incredibly refreshing, both in terms of standing out on the radio and in feel, though the sad lyrics about destructive love mean that, as much of a great summer jam as this might be, it sneaks up on you with a little bit of added emotional bite if you're not careful.

(Note that this review refers to the slick version of the song, not the reworked, sparser version playing on their MySpace or backing this video. Lack of whistling=points deduction, and it loses the energy and beautiful edge of the version I prefer; the honeycoated original version wins out because emphasizes the sadness in such a lovely way. Most of the versions labeled on YouTube as the original version aren't my preferred version either, though.)

Find it on: Love Is Wicked