A Year In Pop: 32

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The UK's Number! One! Pop! Stars! Kleerup (and some Swedish mate of theirs) did quite well last week. This week there's the return of Kanye West with his Daft Punk sample, and some other stuff including the first top 40 hit for sophisticindie croonster Richard Hawley. Why not spend your elevenses ticking?

[Poll #1038904]

(All year in pop polls are open until the end of the year. Your investments may go down as well as up.)

Comments

in order

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Eve - far and away the leader this week, it's like a caffeinated version of the Kelly R/Eve track (which is itself magnificent) with added tinges of Stefani - clearly Eve has learnt as much from Gwen as vice versa. Love the go-go beat, Swizzy's on fine form, really infectiously catchy, and Eve sounds like she's having a ball - "Pop them bottles, yeah drink that up man, got you feelin' crazy - well that was the plan!" Great fun to dance to obv esp "get low, get low then pick up, pick up". The follow-up is brilliant too - I'm really amped for the album...

Kanye - when I first heard this I was actually repulsed, but I keep coming back to it, ostensibly to see just how much I hate it...watching the video it works much better, the sample doesn't seem quite so intrusive. Ehhhh I dunno, it's so far from Kanye's best but there's clearly SOMETHING there which appeals to me despite myself. I'll be generous and give it a tick for the line "you can be my black Kate Moss tonight".

Mario and Richard Hawley - both have great voices but the songs are pleasant but very unremarkable. Mario is slightly better, but neither merit a tick.

Darren - oh god, I have to review his DOUBLE album. There is good stuff on it but why must he try so hard? If you're going for ecstatic joy it might be an idea to put a chord change or two in there rather than relying on blustery over-emotional vocals.

David Guetta and Axwell - I'm going to stop ticking this bosh now, on the basis that I'll never actually care about hearing it again.

Elliott Minor - die.

Re: in order

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The David Guetta is nasty - rough rhythm, rough vocals. The Axwell has a good tune though I wish it made more of it, the beat isn't all that - enough to earn a tick tho.

Re: in order

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Agree on the Mario - it's almost there, hook just needs to be a bit stronger.

Hawley's voice is OK, yes, nice touches of Merle Haggard - but the song is such awful complacent armchair pop - ohh tinkly crescendoes, how "beautiful" - that he sounds unbearable on it. I'd like him on something nastier.

Re: in order

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Everyone seems to be loving R Hawley - hein?!

Re: in order

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

It really engraged me. I think I was in a bad mood anyway and then its simpering second-hand lifeless "loveliness" tipped me right over the edge.

Re: in order

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

first time i've heard Hawley. yes to voice, obv. shame the song is such an aimless nostalgic pastiche

Re: in order

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

guetta is SO a retread. pfft.

Re: in order

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Agree with you on Eve - its brilliant! Noisy, catchy and full of energy. A pleasant surprise.

Re: in order

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

I'm doing a review of the Darren album too. It pisses me off immensely because... um.. about a quarter of it is astonishing and inventive stuff, a quarter of it is quite good for what it is, another quarter is competent but kind of dull and the other quarter is simply some of the most horrific stuff I've ever heard.

I haven't even heard the Hawley yet and I WUV HIM.

Re: in order

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Yeah you're pretty much spot on re: the Hayes album - the great stuff is all on the second CD. But Jesus, he tries so hard! It's particularly embarrassing when he tries hard to be Kate Bush :/

Er why do you love the Hawley? He can sing better than Hayes I suppose but it seemed a bit unremarkable.

Re: in order

[umlauts.livejournal.com]

No way! The best stuff is on disc one! "Step Into The Light", "How To Build A Time Machine", "Sing To Me", "A Conversation With God" are all terrific. The good stuff on CD2 is I suppose "Tuning Of Violins" and "Me Myself I" (next single, apparently).

I haven't heard the current Hawley but "Cole's Corner" is a fucking glorious album.