We're drivin' slow through the snow on Fifth Avenue
Who'd have guessed the easy highlight of the second PCD album would be a ballad? A mid-tempo ballad, to be sure, but hardly the up-tempo attitude-filled dance-a-thon we've come to expect from the group. "Stickwitu" certainly left me with no desire to hear a ballad from them again, but then, suddenly, there was "I Hate This Part," a song with a genuinely affecting vocal delivery by Nicole and a fantastic melody, mainly backed up by a piano part and that four-four drum machine beat so popular over these last two years and yet used here in a way that doesn't instantly make you think of all the other songs that have used it. That fact may be in large part because the drum machine has been pushed further back in the musical mix; instead of being foregrounded, it's just one layer of a song also filled with strings, electronic swings, that aforementioned piano, and that vocal melody, which is never lost as Nicole narrates the end of a relationship. Catchy, winning, and emotional (as well as still danceable, if it comes to that), a perfect winter song--of course this would fail to take off as their other singles have.**Subject to change to "take off as quickly as their other singles have" should it continue to climb the U.S. charts.
Find it on: Doll Domination
5 comments:
HAHA - I love your little asterisk. The really think this song will be a little engine that could. I adore the song, and its' the only one that holds my interest on their so-so second record, as you stated.
I think it's the beat that grabs me as it melts into Nicole's voice...
Haha - The album was a bit hit-and-miss (Loved the Her Name Is Nicole tracks - Her album better be Mindblowing if she can pass what she did on to the dolls!) - but this was a standout - I'm going to be interested as to how Bottle Pop goes as a follow up....
I'm ashamed to admit it but this is the only PCD song I don't turn off when it comes on the radio. In fact, I think I secretly like it. Just can't bring myself to admit it yet!
I can't believe how much I love 'I hate this part either' - have found other tracks by PCD to be entertaining enough trashy fun, but this is actually a genuinely moving, melodic ballad with a bit of class.. plus it touches a nerve with me right now!
Mel, that's a good way of capturing what it is that makes this song so great! I'm absolutely with you on that album.
Aaron, it certainly looks like they've got some interesting styling going on for that video...we'll see.
Mike, I promise not to tell anyone!
It really is such a surprise coming from them! "Class" is the last word I expected to be applying to a song from them (and not one I thought I needed to be able to apply--I enjoyed "Buttons" just as much as everyone else), but it really is a good one for this song.
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