Aries – Earthshakes

“…and the eh-ing and oh-ing in the middle eight couldn’t sound more half-arsed if they tried.”

Tim: Aries, so called because they were all born in the same week in the same hospital and that’s their star sign. Maybe there’s some logic there, I don’t know. Anyway, here’s their debut.

Tom: Well, that starts well and goes downhill from there.

Tim: Indeed. Let’s say it upfront: there’s a lot not to like about this song. The horrible autotune on the vocals, then there’s the horrible autotune on the vocals, and also did I mention the horrible autotune on the vocals? In the verses there’s not much of a melody, and even less in the chorus, and the eh-ing and oh-ing in the middle eight couldn’t sound more half-arsed if they tried.

Tom: There’s some weird almost-chiptune samples thrown in at one point for no real reason, too. I’ll be honest: I don’t get it.

Tim: Well the thing is, if you look on the other hand, and it’s a big hand: much as yesterday’s bassline ruined an otherwise lovely song, here it entirely rescues an otherwise awful song.

Tom: I still think you’re wrong about yesterday’s bassline, but yes: here we’re in agreement. It may be the only good bit. Well, that and the mid-2000s synths that show up a couple of times.

Tim: I’m fairly sure it’s a bit familiar, but even if it is I really, really like it, and am almost prepared to put up with the rest of the song to hear it.