Mainstream – Page 37

Boyce Avenue – Be Somebody

“The production’s not bad, I’ll grant you that, but is the song any good?”

Tim: Despite being the second most-viewed band in the world on YouTube (Maroon 5, if you’re wondering), these three brothers have has surprisingly little chart success, by which I basically mean none.

Tom: Be careful with that statistic: that just means they’re getting a good number of views on a lot of cover songs. I mean, a lot of cover songs.

Tim: Fair point. Well, have a listen anyway.

Tim: And that is a band that really, really knows how to make a good track. From right back as early as the first verse, you’ve got notable backing vocals, then a big chorus, suitably rousing for the slight desperation in the lyrics.

Tom: The production’s not bad, I’ll grant you that, but is the song any good? Because after two listens, I can’t really remember any of it.

Tim: Hmm – it might help if there was a decent amount of extra stuff in there for the final chorus, as that could offer room for slight improvement, but that aside there’s really not much more I can ask for here.

Tom: I think it’s more “not my style”, so I’ll withhold judgment on the song itself: if it works for you, I can’t disagree with that.

Tim: They don’t seem to be ramping up the marketing hype any time soon, which is a bit of a shame because they clearly have potential, and seemingly the fan base to make success happen. Oh, well.

Tom: There’s a lot of money and fame to be made in the path they’ve chosen, if they keep at it: chart success is great, but ultimately Top 40 is only one genre. Don’t forget: Muse, one of the biggest bands in the world, have never gotten above #4 in the charts, and they’ve never needed to.

Tim: Very good point. Guess we’ll see how it plays out.

Carly Rae Jepsen – Your Type

“A wonderfully melancholic banger.”

Tim: New one off Jeppo —

Tom: That’s a terrible nickname, she’s not a Marx brother.

Tim: Duly noted — and it’s the third of the excellent and undervalued E•MO•TION album, and it’s a wonderfully melancholic banger.

Tom: I used to know a girl like… never mind.

Tim: Ain’t it brilliant?

Tom: It is! You know that sound that all the 1980s-retro one-man production teams are going for? This is how you pull it off when you have a massive budget and many, many crew.

Tim: We’ve got the eternally reliable pairing of Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub for the writing and production, and it really, really shows. I’m not sure what’s going on with the video – the narrator would appear to be on glue, because I’ve not a clue how this could remotely relate to Cinderella – but it’s got enough neon lighting in it that I can entirely live with it.

In any case, when the song’s this good it doesn’t matter what’s going on in the video, because I love it.

The sublime blend of melancholy in the lyrics but the upbeat tones of the song works so well, so it’s perfect for every mood, and basically I’ve played it five times on loop now, and it’s just coming to an end, and yet I’m about to push play all over again.

Tom: It’s an unrequited love song: there’s plenty of them around, but they’re rarely pulled off this well.

Tim: IT’S JUST THAT GOOD.

The Vamps – Wake Up

“Pretty triumphant.”

Tim: Lead and title track off their second album; have a listen.

Tim: I’ll pre-empt your immediate concern by telling you that the video has an extra couple of minutes of music chucked in, mostly in the middle eight, to allow its thrilling plot to play out —

Tom: And its thrilling product placement. It does go on a bit in this version, though.

Tim: — though speaking of plot I’ve not the foggiest what that flickering blue video of him is all about, or if there’s any particular reason Brooklyn Beckham’s hanging around, but there you go. The extra bit’s interesting, actually, or at least the way it alters the track is – the main version is here, and somehow it doesn’t seem to end with anywhere near the same triumphant feeling that comes with the video version.

Tom: Huh. Which is odd, because the whole thing is pretty triumphant. Seriously: I’m impressed by this, they keep coming out with really good tracks for a boy-band. Is this McFly, 15 years on? They’ve supported them before, and I can see them having the same long-term appeal.

Tim: I think you’re very right – certainly, if they keep this up. I’m fairly sure the whole triumphant ending bit is because there’s not much of a middle eight, and in terms of mood or levels there’s not much to distinguish it from the second and final choruses that bookend it, whereas in the video the final chorus comes with a build leading into it.

Tom: And — more importantly — it has Busted jumps.

Tim: Always the most important part of a video.

Ariana Grande – Focus

“It’s plainly awful.”

Tom: This’d be a good song if it actually had a chorus.

Tim: Ah, another Dark Horse, is it?

Tim: Oh, sorry, can we take a sec – just want to order myself a new Samsung Galaxy S6. Back in a sec.

Tom: Let’s get one thing out of the way first: that’s a video that makes me feel a bit creepy watching it. It’s not just your standard ‘pop star dancing’: it’s like the director — who’s a woman, by the way — said “right, let’s make this look as sexualised as possible”.

Tim: Yeah…you’re making it sound like this is a new thing, though.

Tom: Oh, it’s not new at all, it just seems really noticable here, far beyond what you’d normally expect. I realise that fits the theme of the song really well, it’s just… it’s a bit much, is what I’m saying. Full marks for actually giving her stars in her eyes by changing the shape of the ring light, though.

Anyway. The music.

Tim: Or, indeed, the lack of it, because that’s the problem.

Tom: It’s rare that the build to a chorus promises so much, only to get shot down by what then appears. Maybe it didn’t sound so strange on a second listen — but when you’ve got a voice like that, why switch entirely to samples for the chorus?

Tim: I don’t know, it’s plainly awful. To be honest, I’m not sure I agree with your opening sentence, on two counts: first, it does have a chorus, except it’s a bloody awful chorus and I suspect part of you knows that but wants to dismiss it as a post-chorus.

Tom: Ugh, you’re right. It is, technically, a chorus.

Tim: Second: it wouldn’t be good. Well, obviously good is entirely subjective, but nope. Not here, mate.

Tom: I mean, it’ll do well, it’ll get enormous amounts of airplay in the US so people will buy it. But it just doesn’t seem like all that much of a song.

Leona Lewis – Thunder

“She’s still going!”

Tom: She’s still going! I feel like giving a small round of sympathy-applause every time a reality show contestant manages to still be going. And it’s been nine years! And her new single is…

Tom: …an album track. Am I being too harsh there?

The trouble is: this isn’t the first single off that album. It’s the third. No, I didn’t know she had a new album either. And a look at the Wikipedia entry for that first single pretty much sums up the fans’ and PR companies clutching at ratings straws: it missed the Top 40, but hey, it made it to number 26 in the sales-only chart.

Tim: AND it got to number 12 in the Billboard Top Twitter Tracks, and if that’s not impressive I don’t know what is. I do think you’re being a little harsh – admittedly it’s not particularly memorable, as I’ve just finished listening to it and I’m struggling to recall the chorus, but I know I thought at the time that I enjoyed it.

Tom: Don’t get me wrong: it’s a decent enough album track. Her fans will like it, and there’s certainly not much wrong with it.

Tim: No – the problem is it doesn’t get me particularly enthused. It’s the sort of track that makes me think “yeah, I might give the album a listen, as long as I have absolutely nothing better to do with my time”.

Tom: And there are a million pop artists out there who’d love the success she’s had: and she’s still going after nine years. Most folks in her position don’t even get one year.

Heck, if you win The Voice, you don’t even get a week.

Walk the Moon – Different Colors

“How do you not think this is brilliant?”

Tom: Remember how “Shut Up and Dance” was the kind of astonishing, one-hit wonder song that could never be repeated? A song which every one of their singles will be judged against in future?

Tim: Oh yes.

Tom: So the question is: can lightning strike twice? Can they manage it a second time?

Tom: No.

Tim: Aww, see now I feel guilty, because you were clearly going for a mic drop moment there, which might have been great, but I’m sorry, I can’t let you have that.

Tom: You ruined my mic drop. I can’t believe you ruined my mic drop.

Tim: Well, you gave me no choice, because this is a fantastic track, and one of my favourites on their album. Sure, it’s no Shut Up and Dance, but then your description of it as “could never be repeated” kind of forced that. But the “ooooh-ee-ooo-ee-ooooh” is a lovely riff, the “different colours” follow-on from that is is a fine shout-along bit, and the “we know the kids are right” is a great close to the chorus (fairly sure it’s used elsewhere, but that prevents nothing). How do you not think this is brilliant?

Tom: Because while there are good moments in there — you’ve mentioned them — they’re not that good. I can’t remember a bit of it. In short: it doesn’t make me shut up and dance.

Adele – Hello

“She’s certainly putting her voice to good use.”

Tom: There’s a minute of non-song before the song, just so you know. And well done to the director for including subtle sound effects all the way through so this can’t be ripped off YouTube.

Tim: I want someone to subtract the song from the audio there, so I can hear the phone conversation. But let’s speak about the song first.

Tom: You’re waiting through all that first verse for the Chorus. What were you saying the other day about Sia — about how the power of the voice can sometimes be all you need?

Tim: Yep – seems Adele got that message, because she’s certainly putting her voice to good use.

Tom: And what a voice this is. The song is typical Adele, and that’s not really a style that grabs me — but the voice is enough to carry it through.

Tim: I agree with the entirety on your last sentence – most of me thinks “big slow ballad, move on” but a small part appreciates the majesty of it. Nice work.

Tom: Got to be honest, though, I keep singing “is it me you’re looking for” after that first “Hello”, though.

One Direction – Perfect

“OOF, hidden message alert.”

Tim: First release since they announced the upcoming split, so it had better be a good one.

Tom: Why is Niall playing golf? Why does the director love dolly pulls so much? Why do they have a shared apartment with butlers? Why does Harry have a tie like Colonel Sanders? Mysteries all.

It’s worth flagging up, though: this video shows the separate directions (no pun intended) that they’re all heading in. A producer; a songwriter; a performer; and the other one.

Tim: Yes, you could be be right there. Poor old Niall. Still, looking at the present, I’d wager that this is their best since Best Song Ever. Why? Well, aside from their songs in between not being as great as we’d like – sure, FOUR was a good album, but there was no massively rousing pop on there, most of Midnight Memories was just a racket, and Drag Me Down was a tad dull – we’re back to the excellent power pop, and we’ve even got the occasional synth thrown in on top.

Tom: Well, we have, but I reckon there’s a reason for that. Listen to those lyrics in the middle eight:

and if you like cameras flashing every time we go out / and if you’re looking for someone to write your break-up songs about

Sung by Harry. Who used to date Taylor Swift. Who’s known for writing break-up songs about past boyfriends.

Tim: OOF, hidden message alert.

Tom: And here’s the clincher: this is in the style of Style. Listen to that chorus: it’s almost the same chorus. Or better just listen to both of them mashed up together. (Skip to 2:42.)

Tim: Okay, you’ve got a point. Still, if it worked with her, it’ll probably work for these guys, and who needs more that what we’ve got? No one, really, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped there – along with the melody, the voices are as on point as ever, and while the “sure, I’m not technically a great boyfriend but basically I am” variant isn’t particularly original, what lyrical narrative is?

Tom: Yep: my theorising aside, this is still a really good track.

Tim: Basically, they are back well on top of their game, which means that everybody will be just that keen for them to get back together three years from now. Job’s a good’un.

Sia – Alive

“That voice is so powerful.”

Tim: New one off Sia, first off her upcoming second album, and there’s something she’d like you to know.

Tim: So apparently she’s alive. And it’s nice that’s she’s told us quite so vigorously because otherwise I wouldn’t be sure.

Tom: I was going to do a bit of sarcastic shtick here about “oh, really, I hadn’t noticed”, but frankly that voice is so powerful I can’t bring myself to do it.

Tim: Right, and it’s an interesting technique, that one of singing with such strength that your voice starts breaking, and with some singers very risky.

Tom: Particularly when you’re going to be called on to blast that song out, in that style, on every late-night show there is. It’s something she’s pulled off before, and it astonishes me.

Tim: She does it well, especially here where it works so very, very well, because it really serves to impress quite how alive and breathing she is, however much you may have taken it off, whatever it may be. It’s a very powerful song, this; to be honest I’m not sure we’ve had anything like it since Fight Song, and in terms of pure power it might even have come out on top.

Tom: But it is actually a decent song? I find myself not really wanting to reply it: I can’t deny the power and skill in the voice, but I’m not sure the composition actually backs that up. The middle eight is utterly brilliant, but then the chorus comes back and… hmm. I’m not convinced.

Tim: Oh, I disagree – for me at least, the power of the voice counts for everything, and almost forces you to ignore any defects the song may otherwise have. I’m saying, fine work all round.

Tom: I’ll tell you what though: this would have been a better Bond theme than Sam Smith’s.

Tim: Yes, but then Twinkle Twinkle Little Star would have been a better Bond theme than Sam Smith’s.

Ben Haenow feat. Kelly Clarkson – Second Hand Heart

“That’s a number one right there.”

Tim: OH HI BEN HAENOW.

Tom: Blimey. He got Kelly Clarkson. That shows rather a lot of faith in him from his record company: they’re rolling out the big stars.

Tim: Singers, yes, but how are the writers doing?

Tom: And that’s a number one right there, I reckon. I don’t often make bold predictions like that, but it’s close to a perfect country-pop song.

Tim: It really really is, and he’s also looking very manly in that video which is excellent news.

Tom: Both of their vocals are flawless. The harmonies are incredible. The composition’s great, the lyrics are singable and memorable, and the production is top-notch.

Tim: And better still, those flawless vocals fit together very well indeed – it sounds like a natural fit.

Tom: Never mind that the two singers never actually met — that’s blatantly a body double in the final shot — it’s a good pairing, and could serve to introduce him to the US as well. Update: apparently they did meet! Well why the heck didn’t they use that shot, then?!

Tim: Not only that, the ending to the video is exactly what it should be when you’ve got two people singing at each other how great they are, unlike Fältzkog & Barlow’s tragic tale.

Tom: I’m strugging for anything negative to say about this, really. Maybe it’s bit similar to Bonfire Heart? No, not even enough I can complain about that. They’ve pulled out the big guns for Ben Haenow, and I think he’s going to do very well from it.

Tim: Let’s hope so, and also for more excellent videos.