As the new year builds up speed, I have been writing articles about the upcoming films and games. However, what does the music industry have in store for us? Here I have a look at three songs that should be coming out on iTunes very soon, if not already and sharing my thoughts on them. Please leave a comment if you agree or disagree, or if you have any more songs that you feel should be reviewed by me.
As a side-note, I want to add that these three reviews are my initial thoughts. As I have mentioned before, occasionally a song is able to grow on me (Scream and Shout, for instance). Therefore, if I give a song a bad review and then in a few articles time, praise it, then it was obviously a ‘grower, not a shower’.
3 – 50 CENT FEATURING ADAM LEVINE AND EMINEM – MY LIFE
At first glance, this is a match made in heaven. 50 Cent has so many great tracks to his name and his best ones are usually in collaboration with Eminem, an artist who can’t really do any wrong. And if that wasn’t good enough, we have the lead vocalist from the hottest band of the moment, Maroon 5. This was a song that I looked forward to listening to, when I heard about it.
The result: hollow. For one, I am not really 50 Cent’s biggest fan. I have always felt his songs get old very quickly, even the ones that blow you away first time around. Here, the charm is obviously that the two greatest rappers of all time, him and Eminem, are combining, but, in all honesty, I really doubt that 50 Cent holds that title any longer. True, his voice does lend itself to rap, but maybe it’s too good for the genre. It almost appears too easy for him and we never get the impact that comes from an emotionally-draining rap, as we do with Eminem.
Please give money to the Rap community. Five pound a month could feed a starving Nicki Minaj.
Speaking of Eminem: even he is pretty lacklustre in this tune, and this is coming from someone who loves all of his music. I think, here, it’s just the same stuff we heard in his last album. I have always loved the way that Eminem can change his style to a constantly-shifting industry, yet always stay true to himself. I think it is time for another change in style. On a plus side, the ‘bubble rap’ pun is the highlight of the single and it did earn a few rewinds.
Finally we come to Adam Levine, who admittedly kind of saves the song. His vocals are spot-on, as always, even if they are a little safe. It does feel like another day at the office for him. It almost is like the three of them decided that the mere fact that this collaboration was happening was enough to get the seal of approval: they didn’t follow through, basically. Maybe my opinion will change over time, but at the same time, I feel that this track will do well for all the wrong reasons.
2 – THE SATURDAYS – WHAT ABOUT US?
The Saturdays have kind of slipped from the radar. When they first came out, they were excellent. Sadly, they never managed to follow up that initial success. ‘All Fired Up’ didn’t quite hit the mark it was aiming for. With every new release, I have my fingers crossed they can make a comeback.
I don’t think ‘What About Us?’ is that comeback. It is a little too generic club beat, (the same flaw ‘All Fired Up’ had). I really should like it, but it is almost as though the song is following a blueprint of what we should like, rather trying to come up with something original. The vocals are good, not great. The lyrics fall back on cliches like ‘whatever the weather’ and ‘Na-na-na’. It isn’t quite hitting the right spot. Maybe next time, girls?
1 – AMELIA LILY – SHUT UP (AND GIVE ME WHATEVER YOU’VE GOT)
I was looking forward to this one: Amelia Lily was a nice surprise with her last song: ‘You Bring Me Joy’. It was exactly my kind of song and not something I would expect from a X Factor child (usually they focus on the vocals and miss out on what the public actually want). I just hoped ‘Shut Up’ would hit the same target.
It… kinda does. It’s a good track, it is. Maybe, its downfall comes from the fact I am comparing it to ‘You Bring Me Joy’. No, it’s not as good, but that isn’t necessary: it just needs to come close. And yes, I guess it does. The chorus is fantastic, the kind of stuff that club tunes live for. Sure, the verses do slow the beat down, so the listener kind of feels up and down, but even those moments are good, in their own way.
Also, I do have a sneaking suspicion that in a few weeks (it gets released on the 20th), that I shall be hearing this song everywhere and will eventually fall, head over heels, in love with it. Already, on the second listen, I am coming around to the idea of it. Yes, decision made. I like this song.
Oracle of Film 