This post is a fragment of something that's been sitting as a draft for nearly two months. Don't let that be an indication of this song losing its impact quickly, though--if anything, it's only become more powerful for me with time.
"Froze" is the latest Chris Brown demo to leak, and it's an excellent one. A ballad, synth-created icy sadness is its aura, with Chris singing about a broken heart. Almost epic and with a chorus I adore in every aspect--its lyrics, the half-processed and half-giant (aided by some layering) sound of Chris's vocals, the whispered backing vocals underneath, the simple melody of Chris's vocal melody (especially the whole "my heart is achin'" section) and the melody of those backing vocals--and a bridge that's fantastic as well. The subdued guitar and the harp-like ripples are just what the song needed to finish it off. If you could float in the middle of an ice cave, this song is what that experience would sound like. If it was ever a single, I'm picturing something like Usher's "Moving Mountains" or the reverse of Grégory Lemarchal's "Le feur sur les planches" for the video...or maybe a reversed version of Ferry Corsten's "Fire," only with, um, no woman in a bikini. Do it right and you could get something that sticks with you as much as the end of Najoua Belyzel's video for "Gabriel." Of course, if "Moving Mountains" wasn't a successful single, I don't know that "Froze" ever will be, but I'm completely captivated by it at the moment.
There's nowhere you can purchase "Froze" yet, but you can buy Chris's latest album, Exclusive: The Forever Edition, here (physical) or here (digital).
Next up: maybe something about Eurovision national finals.
All you gotta do is watch me Look what I can do with my feet
You know those annoying people who are always shouting "OH MY GOSH this is my song!" and then turn up the radio volume/knock everyone over on the way to the dance floor/bob along while shopping (chose as applicable) every time that song comes on?
Yeah, that's me with "Forever." I think everyone who knows me is sick of it, but I can't help myself--"Forever" is Chris Brown actually living up to his proper popstar potential, channeling the "aww, bless" reaction towards him that he had formerly used for mushy ballads into synth-coated pop music...and what a match it is. I don't know that I can say much more about him or it than I did back in April, so let me leave it here: "Forever" is perfect. The video, too.
Got me out here in the water so deep Tell me how you gon be without me If you ain't here, I just can't breathe It's no air, no air
Overdone epic pop-R&B balladry becomes the greatest thing in the world for the length of the second single from American Idol winner Jordin Sparks's debut album. I've gone on the record with liking Chris Brown many times before, so it made me all the happier that he was half of this fantastic song and I very much wanted Idol to prove that it can still produce winners relevant to the modern commercial music scene, but even beyond that they match the song well vocally and even just with their youth. They lend their voices to a song that avoids the typical power ballad route and instead steps lightly and gorgeously from cloud to cloud. "No Air" acknowledged and worked with the sound of contemporary charts, but it was an incredible breath of, well, fresh air for American music.
You know what drives me crazy? Having to re-evaluate songs because you see them used in a certain way and suddenly gain a whole new appreciation for them.
Maybe the biggest example of this recently is M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes." Short of liking "Bucky Done Gun" and, to a lesser degree, "Galang" from a few years ago, I'd pretty much always written her off as one of those critically-acclaimed artists that I was never really going to get. If you think about it, avoiding an artist just because they happen to get good reviews and be cool to mention in public is as awful as avoiding an artist just because they're popular, but that's what I did. I think I listened to a little thirty second clip of "Paper Planes" around the time the album came out, didn't think it sounded good, and moved on...until--like, apparently, a bunch of Americans--I couldn't help enjoying it when it was used in the previews for the movie Pineapple Express.
It's all about context sometimes, though, I guess--and I've never appreciated "Bleeding Love" more than I did when Mark and Chelsea danced a heartbreaking routine set to it this past summer on So You Think You Can Dance. It's a song that I've been--as I've said in the past--too (unfairly) frustrated by to properly enjoy, but for two minutes, that was no longer a problem. Seeing the performance on a bigger screen and in higher quality lends a lot to it. as that way you can see their expressions--by the end you're left feeling that Chelsea really is crushed.
Duffy's another artist I've failed to connect with, but, once again, So You Think You Can Dance brought out an appreciation in me for a song I didn't really enjoy before and, to be fair, still don't really listen to much after: "Mercy." Twitch and Katee's crazy ex-girlfriend routine is really something worth watching.
Chris Brown's "Forever," on the other hand, was already a song I had no problem enjoying, but my love of it was only enhanced by Twitch and Comfort's performance, which was likewise enhanced for me by my love of the song. Where they cut off the song always leaves me wanting more, though. Still, fantastic song, fantastic routine, fantastic dancing--plus, it's got my other two big SYTYCD weaknesses: shiny clothing and flashing lights. What more could you ask for?
Next up: I realize this is two non-song posting posts in a row; it's not going to be the usual, don't worry. Tomorrow might be a new Swedish song.
I wasn't exaggerating when I said today's song, another demo from CB, was possibly the cutest song I'd heard all year. Unlike yesterday's song, written for another artist or group, this song was written for Chris himself...but it's intended to be a duet, and rumor has it the intended/desired duet partner is none other than Rihanna herself (she's not on the track yet). For this particular song, it's worth emphasizing the fact that Chris says it's really only a very rough demo, just kind of getting an idea down, and that there is a lot of work that will still be done on it. He is still planning to release it, though.
Electric Guitar--as in yesterday's song, Chris sings the female part. Anyway, the music, those electronic effects in this song are TOO CUTE--I almost swoon every time we get to the instrumental section in the middle 8. The verses are adorable, both parts of the highly vocally processed chorus are adorable, the lyrics are adorable, the music is adorable, every little thing about this song is (yup, you guessed it) adorable. "Electric Guitar" is neither a clubby song like "Disturbia" or an epic like "No Air," but instead is just a mid-tempo song that is about as cuddly as electronic music is ever going to get. I have this feeling some people might end up disappointed, expecting a team-up from the purveyors of "Disturbia," "Umbrella," "Wall To Wall," and "Forever" to be some giant statement song, either something hugely boundaries-shattering or club-ready or just basically that makes a big monolithic unavoidable "I'm HERE" statement, but I think to feel disappointed would be to miss out on the fact that a song of this sort can offer thrills and joys just as musical high-inducing as any of those other sorts; Chris, as I've written before, has always had that "aww, bless" quality, and with "Forever," he finally seems to have figured out a way to channel that into something other than fairly nondescript ballads by using poppy electronic mid-tempo beats. My only concern, actually, is that I'll love Rihanna's vocals a lot less on the parts Chris is doing now; Rihanna's voice is fantastic for some things, but at the moment I'm struggling to think of any time she's effectively sounded "cute." Oh well--if nothing else, at least we've got this demo.
As with yesterday, there's nowhere to buy this song, but you can support the artist by buying his most recent album, Exclusive: The Forever Editionhere (physical) or here (digital).
Next up: maybe another demo from this singer, but possibly not.
I've decided I've got to dedicate at a minimum two days to the demos from this singer that have hit the Internet--I may end up extending it to more, but there are at least two fantastic songs I have to write about. Given the status of these demos, they'll be posted for a short time only. Side note: I'll add in the proper tags for these posts after I remove the songs.
The tracklisting for the Pussycat Dolls' new album Doll Domination is out and is appears that the songs CB submitted for the album, "Captive" and "Nasty Girl," haven't made the cut (though I guess it's possible that they'll show up as bonus tracks somewhere). I'm not entirely sure how I feel about that, given that we've got the demos Chris did for those songs; on the one hand, there are a few elements of the demos that I would've liked to hear ironed out, but on the other hand, I have trouble imagining I'd love the chorus of "Captive" any more if someone else sang it.
Captive--Chris really is showing signs of maturing into quite the little songwriter, isn't he? Co-writing the divine "Forever," the fantastic "Disturbia," heck, I even enjoyed his Olympic song "Dreamer." Add "Captive" to that list. The chorus of this is great and suits Chris himself, but you can see how the song as a whole has been written for the Pussycat Dolls, even beyond the obvious references to "PCD" and "Pussycat Dolls": that post-chorus flourish (after "the jungle") is a bit of a throwback to the Indian effects we got for "Buttons." Don't let that comparison make you expect a straight-through sexy pop stomper, though. The verses and the bridge--which, with its up-and-down beeps and catchiness, is worthy of its own mention--may go for that more seductive feel, but, lyrics notwithstanding, there's something much more solid, much more...expansive about the chorus; you could strut to it, but, unlike the chorus of "Buttons" (which I'm certainly not criticizing--I love it), it doesn't feel like that's what it was designed for. It's powerful, in a way--a way that a truly great pop chorus is, and with that low-level thrum and fast-paced clicking giving the fantastic mid-tempo melody a deep synth-washed feel, it's the sort of thing that sinks deep into your skin and refuses to leave, and the semi-choral (even if electronically created) chorus only contributes to that. In its best moments, "Captive" is a bit--dare I say, transcendent, or at least as sung here.
There's nowhere to buy this song, but you can support the artist by buying his most recent album, Exclusive: The Forever Editionhere (physical) or here (digital).
Next up: another demo, this one being possibly the cutest song I've heard all year.
In the ongoing "best brilliantly ridiculous lyrics of the year" contest which I've been documenting, we've had several really good entries so far:
I won't attend your pity party I'd rather go have calamari -Ne-Yo, speaking to a girl upset over a breakup on "So You Can Cry" (album track from the yet to be released Year of the Gentleman)
Not only does your body bang, But I miss the conversation too -Jesse McCartney, singing to an ex-girlfriend on "How Do You Sleep" (album track from Departure)
We only got one night-- Double your pleasure, Double your fun -Chris Brown, incorporating the Doublemint Gum catchphrase (before going all the way and just releasing an ad based on the song's instrumental) in his brilliant "Forever" (single from the re-edition of Exclusive)
We may very well have two new entries, though, and both from none other from New Kids on the Block. Beyond "Summertime," one of the first new songs I heard from them was "Dirty Dancing." In addition to tossing in a catchy little piano run amidst their synths, NKOTB manage to work in this particular lyrical gem in the midst of their usual talk about how all these hot girls hitting on them are making it hard for them to remain faithful.
Ooo, it's so crazy She's like Baby I'm like Swayze
That's made about a million times better by the fact that it's not just some tossed-out one-off line, but actually the key phrase of the bridge. I love it. No, this isn't just going to be some song (an actually pretty cute one, somehow) about dirty dancing, but one that's actually working an analogy with the movie.
HOWEVER.
I couldn't believe my ears when I actually got around to listening to "2 in the Morning" (a significantly less good song than "Dirty Dancing"), a song about how the guys' girl (and I do mean "girl," because they're certainly not dating people their own age in their "Summertime" video) won't talk to them from the time she comes home at 6 PM and that then runs through various times at which the girl still won't talk to them.
Girl, it's almost ten Gotta know if you're mad at me Before Grey's Anatomy
It really has to be heard to be believed (it's before the first chorus, so luckily you won't have to listen to that much.)
(Would you believe that there's actually a really good chance I'm going to write about this album again? It's true. Some songs because I actually really like them--"Twisted"--others because of sheer ridiculousness--"Lights Camera Action"--and others just they inspire in me the desire to actually say something about them--"Click Click Click.")
To buy New Kids on the Block's new album The Block, go here (physical) or here (digital; only available to American residents).
Next up: maybe that demo-related post. Or me living up to the above threat.
For someone whose previous out-of-the-U.S. experience had consisted of a few weeks in Costa Rica and a few trips to Canada (which barely counts, not because Canada's the same as the U.S. but because when I can get to it in about an hour--quicker than I can get to most other states besides Michigan--it's not exactly far away), the past half a year or so has been pretty amazing: four and a half months living in Sweden (cough--did I not mention that properly here?) and then following that up with random traveling around Europe itself, with the most time being spent in Germany, Croatia, and Slovenia. The post-Sweden stuff has been kind of shockingly music purchase-light, but the approximately 50 million CDs I bought in Sweden makes up for it. Toss in a quick jaunt to Orlando afterwards (it's where my older brother lives), and, along with the fact that in Europe I often wasn't sure where I would be in a few days, you've got the best I can offer as an explanation for disappearing for so long.
Anyway, as I mentioned below, I'm totally and completely out of the music loop--I haven't been able to follow anything that's been going on for more than the past month. What's fantastic? What's happening? All I know is that I'm freaking out and shouting "Oh my gosh, I love this song!" and turning up the volume every time Chris Brown's "Forever" comes on the radio and "We're so going to see this movie" every time the preview for the movie version of Mamma Mia comes on, though to be fair that's half just to drive everyone who doesn't want to see it crazy by reminding them that they will get dragged along. The best I can offer up at the moment is a perpetual pop classic which has absolutely nothing to do with anything but I adore and am going to take an excuse to post anyway (album available for purchase here [physical] or here [digital]).
Most importantly, though, I've missed everyone. Really. More cheesy amazing pop coming your way soon.
(This is a long, self-indulgent post; feel free to just skip straight to the two songs at the bottom.)
I've been playing Chris Brown's "Forever" and Jesse McCartney's "How Do You Sleep" back-to-back a lot recently, and I've been wondering: which of these is the better lyric?
'Cause we only got one night Double your pleasure Double your fun
or
Not only does your body bang But I miss the conversation too
See, you would think Chris's use of the DoubleMint Gum catchphrase was a reference to...y'know, but there's nothing else in the song that goes along with that at all, and he just makes whatever he's talking about sound so cute. Jesse's line, on the other hand, is pure classy poetry, no? I mean, why wouldn't his girl go running back to him if he can dredge up sweet nothings like that?
It's my (snarky) reaction to lines like those and both Chris and Jesse in general that have been giving me so much trouble in figuring out what I want to say about the most recent musical offerings from these two young American singers. Both "Forever" and "How Do You Sleep" are great songs in my eyes, with my current preference of the two being the adorable and surprisingly dance-pop/electropop (though in a sweet semi-ballad way, not a crunchy way) "Forever" from Chris. When I run into trouble, though, is when I start trying to explain my attitudes towards Chris and Jesse or the appeal of them.
Let's start with Chris: he's definitely given us some great songs over the years; though there's lots of (deserving) appreciation of his and Jordin Sparks' duet "No Air" right now, let's not forget his debut single, "Run It," a club-friendly R&B stomper that stepped into the gap Usher's "Yeah!" had vacated. His second single, "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)," was a forgettable ballad, but it was about that time that I started to find I had a rising...comedy interest in Chris. That's not quite the right phrase--but I'll get back to that in a bit. The first thing that got me noticing this? Chris's seeming insistence on mentioning the fact that he was sixteen years old in every. single. single. he released (and yes, "Yo" meets that criteria via the video)--or at least the three singles I ended up hearing from his debut album.
He really cemented my like of him in a bonkers/what on Earth is he doing/brilliantly ridiculous kind of way when he came back with "Wall To Wall." The video was just so over-the-top that I loved it, sort of in a comedy way. It was my favorite kind of 2 AM watch-and-not-be-able-to-stop-laughing viewing. I genuinely liked the song, though (with a little time).
I mean, that opening? "Chris, come to me"? Vampires? FLYING? The bit where the whole song goes all innocent and Chris starts floating heavenwards in a ray of light while he generously sings "if I had to choose y'all know I would take all y'all with me" to the women surrounding him? Plus, it has to be said I'm a sucker for choreographed group dancing, something Chris has never been afraid of using.
It's when I try to put my attitude about Chris into words that I run into trouble. It's not really laughing at him, as there's genuine affection on my part, nor is it liking him ironically or subversively or anything. Humor definitely has something to do with it, though. I guess the closest I can get is to say there's this kind of ridiculousness or craziness around him that I like, though even that doesn't really get at it, as he comes off as just kind of "aww, bless" in some of his videos and songs.
Jesse McCartney, especially in his newly reincarnated form, is bringing out a similar reaction in me, though not an identical one. Though Chris has those kind of bonkers "Wall To Wall" video-moments, Jesse's more at the good songs accompanied by things I laugh at level that characterizes my early relationship with Chris. There's this flirting with total naffness that Jesse's doing (case in point: "Leavin'"), and somehow his doing that but never completely falling over the edge has endeared me to these new songs of his even more (well, sometimes he does end up in complete naffness, as in recently leaked track "Makeup"). Case in point: "Leavin'." I genuinely love it, but there's something about the exaggerated urban-cuteness of the melody matched with "hip" lines and phrases as well as who Jesse actually is that never fails to make me smile in a laughing kind of way. It's not a matter of taking Jesse as a joke, though; I mean, even a casual look at all my "Jesse McCartney"-tagged posts will show that I really enjoy his work and have been documenting most of the news we were getting about this new project way before we'd actually heard any of the music. One of the two big problems I had with Leona becoming SO huge was (in addition to thinking that such care should've been given to the career of everyone who'd won X Factor or any reality TV contest Simon Cowell is in) that I was convinced that if Jesse McCartney (who co-wrote "Bleeding Love") had released a song as good as Leona's version of "Bleeding Love" (NOT if he had released "Bleeding Love," but if he'd released a song as good as Leona's version of it) it would never have been that raved about or accepted by nearly so many people.
I guess the closest I could get to describing it is to say that I really like them while still having a sense of humor about the somewhat ridiculous things they do and actually liking them more for those things. Maybe?
The most important thing is this: both "Forever" and "How Do You Sleep" are great songs.
"Forever" is (based on the singles from him I know) a new direction for Chris. While before he's shown a preference for dance-friendly R&B club-type songs with periodic saccharine if cute in that aforementioned "bless" way ballads with the occasional skittery blurty R&B/hip-hop synth-flavored mid-tempo song ("Kiss Kiss," which I wouldn't say I love but I thought was really interesting and would've loved to read more about in an analysis kind of way), "Forever" finds him taking the cuteness of his previous ballads but working that into a more up-tempo (though not clubby) electropop-influenced track that I can't get enough of at the moment. Who would've guessed electropop was what Chris needed to finally get across that "awww" quality he's always had in an actually great solo song? I adore cutely produced songs and that's exactly what this one is, full of little sound effects and with any potential hard edges polished away. It's got an abundance of adorable lines in it, too; the "dance forev-ev-ever"s are great, but the "all you gotta do is watch me/look what I can do with my feet" always gets me to smile--in a genuine way. It kind of feels like the consolidation of Chris as an actual popstar to me, at least in music terms.
Chris's "Forever" may be better than Jesse's "How Do You Sleep," but that's no insult to "How Do You Sleep" when "Forever" is looking to be one of my favorite songs of the year; I still love "How Do You Sleep." Yes, there are definitely cringeworthy lines in this leaked track from Jesse's upcoming album Departure ("I found the letter you wrote me/it still smells just like you"?!), but I'm willing to forgive it. A little bit boy bandish and with synths and this kind of Jamaican xylophone sound like "Leavin'" but much less sparse, it still has that odd mix of urban/"cool" sounds and that hyper-cuteness I mentioned earlier; it's an odd path to walk because putting those two styles together is by force of juxtaposition going to make the mockable traits of the song even more noticeable, but it ends up resulting in a sound that I find really endearing.
It'll be interesting to to see how American radio reacts to these latest musical offerings from Jesse and Chris--has Chris built up enough popularity with his past R&B hits to branch out into a new sound successfully? Can Jesse's use of producers-of-the-moment like Tricky and The-Dream get him the hit he hasn't really had since "Beautiful Soul"? I really hope both end up successful; the American music scene could very much use some great solo male pop artists, especially ones who do well commercially.
"Forever" will be featured on and a single from the reedition of Chris Brown's second album Exclusive, which will be out at some point in the next few months but is not yet available for preorder; the first edition of the album can be purchased here, though. "How Do You Sleep" will be on Jesse McCartney's upcoming third album, Departure, due out May 20; the album can be preordered here (physical).
I was going to try to hold back from posts beyond my countdown until I'd finished it, but I can't help it; instead, here's a compacted version of the things I've been itching to write about in recent days, in the form of songs I'm loving:
The-Dream feat. Rihanna, "Livin' A Lie" and Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown, "No Air"
A great pair of pop-R&B duets. I've written about "No Air" before, and it remains just as heavenly as it was back then, both in quality and in its feel of floating up among the clouds. The-Dream, best known this year for Rihanna's "Umbrella" and J. Holiday's "Bed" (though he's done other and earlier work), released his debut solo album a few weeks ago and, though I'd be fine never hearing the lead single again, this (so far) album track from it has captured me, got me transfixed, at least for the moment. It's simple, full of repetitive synth pulses, but it just works so well for me. It isn't necessarily a huge-sounding song, but I don't think I could ever get tired of hearing it on the radio (famous last words?). It's best heard with good headphones if you've got them and, of course, in good quality.
David Jordan, "Sun Goes Down"
I've been meaning to write about this for a while, since Popjustice featured it. Fantastic fantastic fantastic. I refused to watch the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie because the ending sounded just stupid, but this song could very well have been the soundtrack to all the pirate mania that came out after the first (and excellent) movie came out. That said, as much as it sounds very pirate-y, it's not pure novelty; it's really a well-done catchy song that just doesn't sound like anything else out there. The first chorus that opens the song is sparser than the rest of the song, by the way.
Natasha Bedingfield, "Pocketful Of Sunshine"
The title track to her upcoming American album, and, though it may seem unassuming, it's one of the most transporting songs I've heard this year, at least in that chorus and pre-chorus/bridge. After thinking "I Wanna Have Your Babies" was great, I've gone completely off of it and haven't bothered to check out the album N.B., but I still think she did some fantastic songs for her first album and am thrilled she's done something I like once again.
Cassie, "Is It You?"
I know this is months old, but I'm just getting into it now. It's from the Step Up 2 soundtrack and isn't at all like "Me & U" (a song which I've recently been thinking I really underrated)--it's probably a little more "basic/disposable pop song" sounding, but I like it--crunchy but simple electro-rock underneath the verses and a cute simple chorus.
This just screams "let's make a male version of 'Irreplaceable,'" doesn't it (musically, not lyrically)? Only, you know, not as good (though I'd be very interested to hear if I'd like it more with a different singer's voice on it). StarGate are getting so easy to identify--not only that, you could pretty much peg that it wasn't just going to be the StarGate duo, but Espen Lind and Bluefish as well, and--shock--it is.
Much as I love the Ne-Yo template*, it's kind of nice to see them making carbon copies of this other style for a change. Speaking of which, they should be proud--that style has become so prominent that other writers are using it now (see also: Timbaland and Monrose's "Hot Summer," US5's "Rhythm Of Life (Shake It Down)," and the latest, Room 2012's [another German reality TV group, three guys and one girl] falsetto-filled "Haunted"). I'm in real love with Jordin Spark's "One Step At A Time" (not a single, but listen to it here)--it's a fantastic pop song that sounds very influenced by StarGate, though it's not written by them (thanks J'ason!).
*Edit: I should say that yes, Ne-Yo co-wrote "Irreplaceable," but I'm referring here to the songs he sings and that kind of kicky drum machine beat sort of vibe (and often that plucky string-like effect, though it could actually be keyboards) of things like "Sexy Love" and "Because Of You" (and even "So Sick," just slowed down) instead of the guitar strum-based beat of "Irreplaceable" (a song which you can probably hear Ne-Yo's influence in, but more in the vocal melody than anything else, I'd guess.)
New music videos that really aren't worth embedding because they're not must-sees but may interest you if you like the song: Shayne Ward's video for "Breathless," probably notable mainly for the lovely shades of blue in it and for the fact that Shayne, despite wearing a suit for the "main" part of the video, finds another way to take his shirt off, and Maroon 5's video for "Won't Go Home Without You," notable mainly for making me wish they hadn't sold the chorus to "Nothing Lasts Forever" to Kanye West for that one song and could release that instead. Or "Not Falling Apart." If they wanted a ballad.
Another song from the upcoming Jordin Sparks album is out and about now, albeit with verbal tags and an annoying computer noise on it that I'm guessing aren't on the real version. It's called "No Air" and features Chris Brown. It actually feels like it's floating up among the clouds--I can't really describe it in words (though "refreshing" would probably be a good one), but it's definitely less...generic-sounding than "Tattoo" was. Radio friendly? Not sure, and I'm not sure that radio quality would capture this song's essence--it really needs that crisp clean sound. I've not made up my mind on it yet, but I could very well end up thinking it's great. If it didn't have those annoying tags, maybe even post-worthy, but at any rate, it's got me at least thinking about buying her album when it comes out November 20. (I'm sure YouTube has it, but if you're interested, you should definitely hear it in better quality than it'll be at on YouTube.)
Given that Robyn's now made reference to a video for it, it seems "Be Mine!" is the next single (though that's sort of what everyone already thought). Fantastic song--hope it does well.
Da Buzz's greatest hits album is out now. It features two new songs (excluding the already released singles "Take All My Love" and "Baby Listen To Me"). "Take A Chance," which might or might not be their new single (I'm not sure), is good, and you can make up your mind about the other new song by visiting You Don't Know Pop.
Just a quick note to say that I think I'll be back tomorrow...and, more importantly, that I am overwhelmed and truly touched by the messages from all of you. Thank you so much, to each and every one of you.
It'll be good to be back, because apparently every time I take an extended break from the blog, my music taste gets increasingly dubious--over vacation in the summer, I found myself in love with Brad Paisley's "Online." Yes, the premise is incredibly overdone (look at how people make themselves seem cooler online!) and the video I could do without (though I expect it's what makes the song for some people), but the song is really catchy and the perfect laughing group singalong. Plus, the way it goes into a marching band version of itself at the end (because of some of the lyrics earlier) is too funny and, in my eyes, sort of negates any "bullying" accusations. And how can you criticize a song with the lyrics "even on a slow day, I can have a three way...chat"?
Where was I going with this? Oh yeah--well, I'm worried now because I think I like the Santana and Chad Kroeger's (Nickelback's lead singer) single, "Into The Night." And I'm anti-"Smooth," too. I'd cut the guitar break and some of the more obvious "ooo, look, Latin!" guitar touches, but it's good. Plus, despite me thinking it was a mess of sound that didn't add up to much the first time I heard it, Chris Brown's latest single, "Kiss Kiss," really intrigues me now. It's synthy, mid-tempo, "urban," and...as I said, intriguing, for some reason. I guess I'm interested to see where he goes next. Of course, ever since "Run It," I've had time for a little Chris Brown. I could see me getting sick of this quickly, though, too. Oh, but the song does continue the grand Chis Brown tradition of mentioning his age in virtually every single he releases, which still amuses me to no end. Heck, I even think the chorus to the latest R. Kelly/Kid Rock/Ludacris mess isn't bad (do not go looking for the song, though, because the chorus is not good enough to make it worth wading through the simultaneous boringness and offensiveness). Talking about rockstars is in now, I guess, what with that, the Nickelback song, and that Shop Boyz song.
Speaking of Nickelback, I quite like the latest Daughtry single, "Over You," as well--pop-rock, I suppose, of the fairly straight up sort, not innovative, but I like it. And still like Good Charlotte's sort of old by now "I Don't Wanna Be In Love (Dancefloor Anthem)," which is apparently at least doing something in the U.S. now.
For more pop-rock with alt influence, the debut single from latest Canadian Idol winner Brian Melo, "All I Ever Wanted," isn't bad either.
Oh, and the two Faber Drive songs I've heard are both good--I know I made an offhand reference to them once, but they may be possible "featured in the near future" candidates.
One more "oh": I guess "Kiss and Make Up,"the song supposed to promote MTV's new TV series Kaya (a fictional show about a singer and her struggles with fame), which I think is supposedly by Crossing Coldwater (the fictional band from the TV show) but is being listed as Kaya & Crossing Coldwater, isn't horrible, but if you're looking for that sort of girl-led pop-rock that draws from alt-rock territory, I'd go with I Nine's "Seven Days Of Lonely" (the song doesn't start until 27 seconds in; and yes, this is the song I mentioned the other day that keeps drawing Avril comparisons) which does have that cheesy title but is catchier, it works the repeated "oh"s better, and it's slightly poppier...or maybe just better. Not fantastic either, but better.
So in other words, I think I desperately need to get back in touch with the blogging world. See what happens when you're surrounded by nothing other than the U.S. mainstream music scene for even a week?
(This was just meant to be a quick, couple sentence post--oops.)
Look, I'm sorry, I wasn't going to say anything about this, but I can't help it. This is completely brilliant.
I was entirely underwhelmed by "Wall To Wall" the first time I heard it--I can genuinely say I was disappointed because Chris Brown showed signs of becoming one of my favorite "I like the singles though I'll probably never buy an album" artist with his first album. Sure, he may be ripping off Usher and Michael Jackson, and sure, he had to mention the fact that he was sixteen in every single he released (what does he do? update those lines in concert?), but "Run It" was fantastic. I love Usher's "Yeah," so I was more than up for someone looking to inherit the title Usher looked like he wanted, that king of the clubs role. "Gimme That" was pretty great as well.
So anyhow, back to "Wall To Wall," the lead single for his second album. I heard it a while ago and was completely disappointed. Then, I saw the video...and suddenly, I loved it. I mean, not only did I suddenly get the song, the video is just so laughably ridiculous--how can you not love it? The choreography is worthy of special note.
Chris Brown may very well be a genius. Just don't take it all seriously--I really think it's like a giant joke. I mean, in the middle of this gothic-styled club stomper, Chris suddenly switches into lovey-dovey slow jam for the middle 8 and begins ascending heavenwards into a ray of light--it's so random, so ridiculous, so "what on Earth?" that I love it. And that's not even mentioning the plot and over-the-top lyrics! Or the flying!
(By the way, watch the video on TV if you can--it sounds and looks a lot better that way, and that's critical for this video.)
Please don't think that I'm saying Chris is providing some deep social commentary or something academic like that--I just have a weird sense of humor that makes me love the elaborateness and ridiculousness of this whole thing.
Your problems don't exist when music feels like this.
Songs are posted only for promotional purposes (I love them and want others to know about them, too)--if you like them, please "go out and buy the record"! If you are an artist, represent one, or are a songwriter/producer and would like your songs removed, I'll gladly do so (just let me know).
This post is a fragment of something that's been sitting as a draft for nearly two months. Don't let that be an indication of this song losing its impact quickly, though--if anything, it's only become more powerful for me with time.
