A Year In Pop: 17

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The last poll of April.

[Poll #976589]

As ever you can go back and tick etc etc (or untick). Just follow the tag!

Comments

Re: My views

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

The Groove Armada/Mutya song is pretty good but not as GREAT as people have been saying - GA's production is so clunky and awkward! Mutya is in v good form on it, she is everything which is great about it and single-handedly makes it good despite the ineptitude of her producers. Sad that Stush couldn't do the same here, I listened to 'Dollar $ign' on the bus this morning and it still sounds so fresh and alien.

Re: My views

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

really really REALLY have to stop using 'clunky' and 'awkward' as descriptive terms for pop dance, people.

(i've not heard 'Song For Mutya' yet tho)

Re: My views

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Why? It is clunky! It goes stop-start zig-zag all over the place and I'm just like STOP IT AND FOCUS.

Re: My views

[chezghost.livejournal.com]

it just seems to me that you are against the kind of style they're going for here rather than this being a fair judgement of their competence at that style. i think this was the case with 'Crazy Itch Radio' too - usual great production by Basement Jaxx, it's just that what they were trying to do wasn't as exciting/interesting as before. GA have this problem too because they're also seen as dance has-beens.

but i must hear it before i can argue this properly of course!

Re: My views

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Well if it's the same style as Kish Kash, which I loved, then it is a criticism of the execution, but if it's not, it's a criticism of their decision to go for whatever this style is in the first place.

Re: My views

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

and they ARE has-beens!

as are B Jaxx.

Re: My views

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

I'm obviously out of touch or getting old or something but I prefer both the new Groove Armada & Basement Jaxx albums more than any of their previous albums (and I mean as whole albums - both acts have had flashes of brilliance in the past but I've never particularly enjoyed their albums all the way through until now).

I think both the style (which I think is going for a retro 80s synth pop sound rather than anything dancier) is both well chosen and brilliantly executed, it sets off her vocals perfectly.

Re: My views

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The GA/Mutya record doesn't work at all as a dance track I'd guess but it's a really good bit of 80s-ish pop and the lyrics and delivery are MAZIN. GA still get some credit because of the synth figure that comes out of the chorus and lifts the track up.

Re: My views

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

yeah the lyrics are great - really want to listen to it again, I got the album just before I moved house and don't know where it is now!

Re: My views

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

It's very Flock of Seagulls-esque too, which is nice.

Re: My views

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

It is very 80s, yes. The "Out of Control" sample is nicked form Was (Not Was).

I didn't really care for it much. I do like the song with Stush however.