Category: music reviews
-
…music reviews: “Blow” Ke$ha
“Blow” Ke$ha (#9 Billboard Hot 100, Week of May 7, 2011) Ke$ha may not be an especially talented singer, but she’s way underrated as an innovator. She has latched onto a formula, turned it into her own personal genre, and perhaps consummated the marriage of pop, dance, and rock ‘n roll. “Blow” is yet another…
-
…music reviews: “The Lazy Song” Bruno Mars
“The Lazy Song” Bruno Mars (#6 Billboard Hot 100, Week of May 7, 2011) Well, well, well. We meet again, oh lazy song. After being my poster child for how you can overinterpret a song (see this post), Bruno Mars comes bounding into this week’s top 10 as the only new entry. Bruno Mars, like…
-
…music reviews: “Judas” Lady Gaga
“Judas” Lady Gaga (#10 Hot 100, Week of April 30, 2011) (Un)Holy Gaga! After last week’s less-than-emotive review of “Born This Way,” I’m ready to emote now. The Lady on display in the second single from Born This Way is the one that the music world needs. “Judas” is controversial, catchy, edgy, and just sideways enough…
-
…music reviews: “Till the World Ends” Britney Spears
“Till the World Ends” Britney Spears (#9 Hot 100, Week of April 30, 2011) It’s really easy to trash Britney. But let’s give credit where credit is due. The girl made herself a brand and then put all the hard work of making her music into the hands of those best-equipped to do it. And…
-
…music reviews: “On the Floor” Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull
“On the Floor” Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull (#8 Hot 100, Week of April 30, 2011) This languid ready-made dancefloor anthem reminds me of a hot summer day. Its bright, tribal club beat and sparkly synths (courtesy of RedOne) mimic the sunny July heat, while the drag generated by Jennifer’s laid-back vocal delivery and the slow…
-
…music reviews: “Look at Me Now” Chris Brown
“Look at Me Now” Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes (#7 Hot 100, Week of April 30, 2011) Apparently reasoning that the ends justifies the means, Chris pulled out all the stops on this track and has succeeded in landing another hit. Following up on his newly-discovered street cred in the wake of…
-
…music reviews: “Rolling in the Deep” Adele
“Rolling in the Deep” Adele (#6 Hot 100, Week of April 30, 2011) Somewhere, Joss Stone is having a meltdown right now. “Why not me?!” she’s screaming, as Adele rides an enormous wave of popularity as the Brit pop-soul phenom of the moment. Adele might respond that she may not possess the two-ton wallop of…
-
…music reviews: “Down on Me” Jeremih featuring 50 Cent
“Down on Me” Jeremih featuring 50 Cent (#6 Hot 100, Week of April 23, 2011) So, OK, this is a very listenable track. It’s been sonically padded with a number of features: 1. A hyperactive beat and rapid vocal phrasing that maintains a high level of energy. 2. A lush synth drone. 3. Auto-Tune and…
-
…music reviews: “Born This Way” Lady Gaga
“Born This Way” Lady Gaga (#5 Hot 100, Week of April 23, 2011) Her Gaganess was aware that she couldn’t make anything less than a big splash in her return to the music scene. She dutifully lived up to the challenge. “Born This Way” is very much in the mold of her debut single from The…
ememon... 