Ronan Keating feat. Emeli Sandé – One Of A Kind

“Aiming straight at the Radio 2 playlist.”

Tom: It’s not a comeback: he’s never really been away. And just to set your expectations: it’s a ballad with a backing choir, aiming straight at the Radio 2 playlist.

Tim: That is exactly what I am expecting from a Ronan Keating feat. Emeli Sandé track. Bring it.

Tom: And I think it’s lovely.

Tim: Me too.

Tom: I did not expect to be charmed by this, because if I try to be objective there’s not much to say for it. I don’t think there’s a single risk taken anywhere in production, and this could have come out at any point in the last thirty years, albeit with different vocalists.

Tim: For me it’s the choir that does it – whenever it comes out I get an “ooh, that’s nice” feeling, the same sort of thing I get from a well placed key change.

Tom: But there’s something about that melody, performed with those voices. It’s a really good match of artist and track. And the lyrics aren’t a common theme, either: the canonical sentimental song about two people growing old together is Prettiest Eyes, and while this isn’t Prettiest Eyes, it’s not bad either.

Tim: It’s not. It’s very satisfying, in fact.

BBC Music – God Only Knows

“It’s not Perfect Day.”

Tim: You may or may not remember Perfect Day, the Lou Reed cover that the BBC put together back in 1997 that had just about every artist in the world in it.

Tom: Remember it? I think it was the first single I bought. Charity and all.

Tim: Well, they’ve gone and done something similar with this Beach Boys track seventeen years later. This got broadcast on every channel and station last night (except Radio 3, who were busy playing Brahms) both to promote the new BBC Music thing and to raise money for Comic Relief. Shall we?

Tim: Hmm.

Tom: “Hmm” is right.

Tim: Well, I think the first question we should all be asking is what on Earth is going on with Louis and Niall’s hair –

Tom: I was going to mention that.

Tim: – but musically I’m going to say…ehhh. It’s a track, certainly, and it’s musical, for the most part it’s very enjoyable.

Tom: But it’s not Perfect Day. Am I looking back with rose-tinted spectacles? Possibly, but I can remember being absolutely blown away by Perfect Day when it first appeared on TV — here, they seem to be dazzling with ridiculous CGI rather than just good music.

Tim: The only criticism I have is that I’m really not sure the orchestral/chorus break sounds right. I get that they want to indicate that it’s about all types of music, but I think if you want to do that, make it longer.

Tom: Right! Yes! Perfect Day is busy, but it never approaches anywhere near “cacophony”. There’s not room enough to breathe in here. The instrumental break of Perfect Day was one very good solo: here, we’ve got loads of instruments and vocalists, and each one gets a pause to itself. And Brian May crowbars his trademark guitar sound in. It doesn’t work.

Tim: I’m usually the first to complain that a track’s too long, but you’re barely pushing two and a half minutes there, and I don’t think anyone’d begrudge you an extra minute to fit it together better.

Tom: Also, let’s be clear about that video: Brian Wilson has the haunted look of someone who has no idea what’s going on.

Tim: Still, gets the point across, and it’s good enough to listen to. Makes the right point about how important music is to them, and at a time when people are having a go at the BBC right, right and further right, it’s nice to have them showing off what they can do. And beg for our support, which I suppose is a more cynical and probably unfair way of looking at the lyrics. So I’ll close by saying: great idea, not quite so great execution, but good enough for me.

Emeli Sandé – Next To Me

Far more to it than a song like this would normally have.

Tim: I’ve been meaning to bring this up for a couple of months now, but never got round to it. Still, better late than never, innit.

Tom: Professional as ever.

Tim: Damn straight, bruv.

Tom: Those first four piano chords did have me half-expecting Look Around You’s “Little Mouse“, but fortunately it went elsewhere very quickly. Instead, well… I reckon it sounds very much like Disney’s not-particularly-showstopping “Colors of the Wind“, but for the life of me I can’t say why.

Tim: I’ll be honest: I can’t hear that at all.

Tom: I think it’s just in the verses, but then again it may just be in my head.

Tim: Well, whether it is or not, this basically has far more to it than a song like this would normally have, and it’s all the better for it. Because it could so easily have been written as a slow, fairly dreary piano ballad, without all the drums and everything, and it would have been ‘fine’. Fits the ‘I’ve got a nice guy’ message, she’s got a good voice, gets airplay, does well. Nothing good, nothing special, but more of a ‘yeah, this’ll do’ type deal. You know, like The Wanted’s latest album.

Tom: Incidentally, The Wanted are doing very well in America right now. First track I heard on the radio during my recent trip to the states? “Glad You Came”. Now there’s something I didn’t expect. Anyway, yes: this could have been very Adele-like.

Tim: But no. You add the drums in, and then the brass, and it becomes so special, so brilliant. Such a celebratory song, about how she’s got this guy and she’s so happy about it, that you can’t help moving to it. Maybe just a tiny bit, or maybe you’ll do what I tend to do when it appears – start jumping about, clapping hands and everything, and if I’m feeling particularly up for it I’ll join in with a couple of the ‘ooooh-oooh’s. Which do you favour?

Tom: I’ll go for singing Disney songs over the top of it, I think.