#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

I loved you from the very start, even though I knew you would break my heart

Further from the "no way! Me actually writing about songs that are released in the U.S.?!" files comes Brick & Lace. This Jamaican duo (made up of two sisters) was featured on iTunes a while ago with a free download of their song "Never Never," but that song didn't do much for me. It was also a lot more R&B than the song I'm posting today. Given Akon's popularity over the past year, the group is probably his success will rub off on acts signed to his record label, as they're signed to it and have worked with him, and I hope they at least get to one-minor-hit status; the following song would be a great one to hear coming out of radios this summer.

Love Is Wicked--infinitely better than "Never Never" or really anything else I've heard by them, though, to be fair, I haven't heard much else. Faint whistling effects and handclaps, reggae or maybe dancehall influence (though don't expect a dance song like Kat DeLuna's "Whine Up" or even something as in-your-face as "Pon De Replay"), a sweet voice and a deeper sing-talking voice--they all add up to a somewhat hypnotizing track. It's not the sort of song that's sounds like it's out to change the world, but it's deceptively clever--clever in its simplicity. It's actually surprisingly sweet, in a way, even if sad as well. And, though it's got it's R&B influences and that's probably the radio it'll be aimed at, it's very pop as well.

Brick & Lace's debut album isn't out yet, but you can buy their single "Love Is Wicked" from iTunes in some countries; for example, if you live in the U.S., go here.

Next up: maybe a British singer.