“Fairly sure this is a Boyz II Men single from the mid-90s.”
Tom: Fairly sure this is a Boyz II Men single from the mid-90s.
Tom: Because listen to those instruments! That’s straight out of the 90s, and it’s incredible. I wouldn’t be surprised if they dug out old equipment to make those sounds, it’s that authentic.
Tim: That’s pretty much exactly my reaction – add a few more vocals, this could be a Wet Wet Wet ballad (and I don’t mean that in a bad way). Well, until the middle eight comes along, but that’s manageable.
Tim: This lot have been around several years now, but seem to have had difficulty nailing down a sound they like – sometimes it’s a bit shouty, sometimes it’s dodgy covers of 90s novelty tracks, sometimes it’s almost verging on hip hop, but sometimes, like today, it’s rather enjoyable.
Tom: Ouch. That’s not enjoyable: that’s got trite lyrics and a structure that goes nowhere.
Tim: Admittedly, it’s not the most inspiring track ever to come out of a boyband, and those “uhh” sounds in the background are frankly a bit disturbing – I’d prefer them to be focusing on singing right now than on that sort of thing, please.
Tom: That gasp sample is, frankly, terrible: whoever decided that was a good thing to put in there should have their audio mixing software taken away.
Tim: But I’m pushing the track here because it’s nice to hear something of this sort from them and I kind of hope there’s more of it.
Tom: Really?
Tim: Yes, it’d be nice if it was building towards some sort of climax, or at the very least a triumphant exit from whatever there is of a middle eight, but it’s a move in the right direction.
Tom: We agreed that This Town was sub-Sheeran, perhaps even sub-Odell. But can it be saved by Tiësto, the same way that Seeb saved Mike Posner?
Tom: No.
Tim: I weouldn’t say entirely not – it does come across a whole lot less melty, though, and so a fair amount more listenable. The parts with the instrumental focus don’t fit at all, though.
Tom: I will grant that the pre-chorus “I want to tell you everything” is still pleasant, but that’s because I’ve heard that motif a hundred times in other songs. The backing doesn’t really seem to work with… well, anything. The whole thing’s unnecessary, Tim.
Tim: Hmm, I wasn’t going to be that harsh on it – it was the melody in the chorus that caught my ear and make me think “ah…”
Tom: Well, yeah, but that’s because it’s ripped off. And before you go “well, that’s just an obscure track they’re taking”, it’s not.
Tim: It really isn’t – a simplified version was one of the first tunes I got taught when I was unsuccessfully put through piano lessons as kid, and I suspect that’s true for many other people as well. But as for the lyrics, they have at least added the slight twist that the reason he wants the song to be played is that it gets his woman turned on and wanting to do the dirty.
Tom: Here’s the thing: Heart and Soul is a great song. There’s a reason it’s survived so long. And it only really has that chorus: if they’d just added some decent verses, and produced it this well, this’d be a fantastic track. As it is? It just feels lazy.
Tim: Tom, I am DONE with Tropical Fridays – it’s November now, single digit temperatures and I’ve spent the last two weeks moaning about it, so let’s call it quits. Though that does leave me with nothing right now. What’ve you got?
Tom: The fourth single from Charlie Puth’s album. I know, but stick with me.
Tom: Ooh. Actually good, I reckon. It’s as if OneRepublic replaced their lead singer with someone with a more generic voice. Hmm. That sounded a lot less harsh in my head.
Tim: No, I’d take that as a compliment – it’s is good, and very listenable. The guy gets a lot of flak, and I’ve never really understood why – he’s got a great voice, even if it is somewhat generic.
Tom: The composition is great, and the production is some of the best I’ve heard in a while. That subtle harmony effect on the choruses is lovely. In fact, it’s a rare song where the middle eight is worse than the verse, but that’s happened here. Damn it, that also sounded a lot less harsh in my head.
Tim: Yes, but only because it’s a fairly high standard you’re comparing that middle eight to – still better than many.
Tom: That said, I’m now going to ruin this song for you, and for anyone else who reads this: “I love you, Dangerous Lee.”
Tim: Ha, glad I’m not the only one who heard that. Think we need to investigate who Lee is and what he’s done.
Tom: It’s time to follow the pattern of Robbie singles! Bash out the weird one to get attention first, follow it up with a regular affirming ballad that’ll play on Radio 2. Bodies, then You Know Me; Candy, then Different. Party Like A Russian, then…
Tom: Yep. Boxes ticked.
Tim: Boxes ticked indeed, and that’s a song I want to sing to my parents every time they tell me I should get a better job.
Tom: Of course, they’re very good boxes, and this’ll deserve its inevitable playlisting on Heart. That said: could that chorus not get kicked up another notch or two?
Tim: Ooh, I don’t know, it’s bigger than I thought it’d be in the lead up to it. You really want more from it?
Tom: It’s a tough balance to get: add more distance between the verse and chorus, and you could find yourself losing the listeners during the quieter parts. But here, his voice seems a bit buried in the mix.
Tim: Hmm, possibly – but those two combined are an argument for tonight down the instruments, so I’d avoid that. It’s interesting that he switches the reassuring vocals from second person in the verses to first person in the chorus; yes there’s the initial “you’ll say to me” so narratively it makes sense, but it’s still a tad jarring. Mind you, it’s the chorus that people will remember and sing. Well, if it hangs around, anyway.
Tom: Lose those weird ethereal synths, give the vocals a boost, add… I don’t know, maybe a brass section for the final chorus? It’s close, it’s just not a classic.
Tim: Well, I’d never turn down a brass section, but I think it works as it is, particularly when he jumps up an octave in that last chorus. That bit’s lovely.
Tim: Yesterday’s song reminded me of this track, and I ummed and ahhed a lot about whether to link to Tracy Chapman’s original or this cover; in the end though, it was Friday, so it had to be tropical.
Tim: And yes, I’m well aware that many people think of this in the same way sensible people think about Calum Scott’s version of Dancing On My Own – namely, that anyone who even considers playing it should be hung, drawn and quartered. I, though, disagree.
Tom: It’s changing the emotion, sure, but at least it’s not changing it to Mopey Bloke With A Guitar.
Tim: It’s arguably a not too distant predecessor of the covers of Never Gonna Give You Up and Africa, and for me this is very much on the Africa side of the spectrum, in that I like it. It took me a while to get used to it, mainly because the original was forcibly drummed into my head several times a day on a family holiday in France when it was my sister’s favourite.
Tom: There’s a long history of remixes and covers changing the mood: on a first or second listen, that synth does seem to get in the way rather a lot. It’s loud, it’s reedy, and it’s not entirely pleasant.
Tim: Ah, but after a while, though: it’s good. It has the similar melancholiness to it, but a contrasting beat underneath which helps distract from the incredibly depressing lyrics. And that’s always helpful.
“And now someone’s given them some tropical synth pads.”
Tom: You mentioned this last week, but I thought we should cover this — because it’s a band we’ve talked about before, and one that’s been going for twelve years.
Tom: And now someone’s given them some tropical synth pads.
Here’s what I’ve noticed about songs like this, where an otherwise-mainstream artist has suddenly hooked into this style a bit too late: they never write a decent chorus with it.
Tim: Hmm…maybe.
Tom: It’s almost like they write the synth melody, figure that it’ll do, and then someone insists they put some vocals in the chorus too: so they sort of mumble something in the background. A pop track doesn’t have to be singalong, of course, but it rarely hurts. In this case, all you’ve got is a few notes of a hook. It’s not a bad hook, as these things go, but it’s not all that catchy.
Tim: I don’t know; you’re certainly right that there’s no shortage of tracks where it seems the composer’s written a dance song and only afterwards remembered that pop tracks are meant to have vocal choruses. Here, though, I think it’s slotted in okay. It’d work just as well if the vocal cut off after “Even if you believe it”, but I think it works as is. Catchiness, I’ll agree with you – the only part that stays in my head “Life isn’t pretty…”, and that’s only really because it comes straight from Fast Car.
Tom: Even at under three minutes, this feels like it outstays its welcome a bit.
Tim: And there I definitely disagree. Whatever you may think of the vocal, the instrumental part of the chorus is a lovely melody. I think I recognise that from somewhere as well, but I don’t mind. It’s great.
“One of the strongest pre-choruses we’ve had for a while.”
Tim: I’d warn about naughty words coming up, but given the sentiment I don’t think she’d really want me to.
Tim: Well, let’s start with docking a considerable number of points for “I can’t hide my feels”, but then quickly add points back again for pretty much all the rest of it.
Tom: Really? On what grounds?
Tim: We’ve got one of the strongest pre-choruses we’ve had for a while, and that chorus melody is repetitive enough, but not unpleasant enough, to get stuck right in and be enjoyable.
Tom: Ah, it just doesn’t work for me: a bit too repetitive, a bit too monotone. Mind you, I’m mostly just giggling at the album being called “Lady Wood”, so you know, my opinion’s not worth all that much right now.
Tim: Oh, right. Well, it’s my favourite Tove track for a while, and I’m very happy she’s back on top.
Tom: Hurr.
Tim: Boy, you really do just keep coming with those today, don’t you?
“4 and a bit minutes denigrating the entire human race.”
Tim: This was anonymously suggested following our occasional “unconventional messages” theme, and, well, it certainly fits the bill.
Tim: Certainly takes a fair amount of guts to start a song off with “Murder lives forever and so does war”, and even more to spend the next 4 and a bit minutes denigrating the entire human race. It was never released as a single because, well, even if it’s true it’s hardly a message people are likely to rush out and pay to be told. On the other hand: it’s not an unenjoyable track, and after a few listens it’s actually quite catchy, so I’m happy with it.
Tom: It’s a grower, isn’t it? Mind you, a lot of that album is: I remember really disliking it on first listen, but hearing it back months later I can still remember the melodies. I still don’t like it — but I can remember it, and that’s a start.
