Another Year In Pop: 4

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

The official new era of pop back in the charts, as approved of by Radio 1, is here! Let's see how it's doing.

[Poll #1128640]

Well then.

This would seem like a good moment to remind everyone that a tick in one of the last two boxen is better than no tick at all - it helps keep the numbers consistent from week to week. Yrs truly, Mr Stats.

Comments

Disclaimer

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

I've only heard David Jordan once, and its rather intriguing blend of Folkiness / Eastern European ethno-eurovision with a tune that is highly reminiscent in parts of 'Stop the Cavalry' was enough to gain a tick.

I'm also fully aware that after several listens this easily has the potential to 'do a mika' and make me loathe it in a week or two's time.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

- What I wonder does Jay Sean want me to ride? Is it an llama? I had to check Wikipedia to remind me that JS has already had a minicareer here - here he's working a Ne-Yo style blokey smoothey R&B style which, as usual, I quite like without really needing to hear again. Marginal nontick.

- David Jordan is another Brit-soul dude who has gone in a somewhat disturbing CRUSTY DIRECTION on this track. Points for surprising me but no points for delighting me. Less marginal nontick. It's reminding me of something I really wasnt expecting to be reminded of but I cant quite put my finger on what.

- Mary J Blige's video looks kind of cheap, the track is effortlessly a cut above the straining of Jordan and Sean, I wonder though if it's too effortless - it glides along nicely but it's pretty low-impact. Tick, but not an emphatic one.

- I thought BFMV were kind of emo but they're more straight ahead metal. I like the drumming - forceful but clear-minded. The singer isn't obnoxious and hurrah there's a grunty bit. Fills the January MAIDEN slot well enough to get a tick, though a hook or two wouldn't have hurt.

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

I've only heard BFMV of these 4, and frankly, it's a bit meh.

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

Also, had we already polled the new Hot Chip single? I think it got a physical release today.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Is it in the charts?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

it's seriously awesome, isn't it! It really should be a hit.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Jay Sean - is it now mandatory that there has to be at least one hook-less Enya-rap new entry every week now? This is pretty much indistinguishable from Mario Winans if you took the samples away.

David Jordan - I don't remember this from his Enrique support slot? I remember that scarf though, yikes. This reminds me of 'Witchy Woman' by the Eagles band. No tick.

Mary J - hurrah this is great! Finefinefinefinefinefinefine. The middle bit goes all wibbly and strange! Good video too.

BFMV - Is this another Guitar Hero-based entry? It's pretty daft but not silly enough that I'd want to give it a re-listen.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I was wondering what Jay Sean reminded me of! Good call on Mario Winans - I adored that song. Really like this one too, hadn't even known of its existence until today. Also reminds me of Lloyd's 'Get It Shawty' and Bobby Valentino's 'Rearview (Ridin')' - all these lush, emotional r&b dreamscapes, amazing. Once I manage to d/l it I'm sure the lyrics will turn out to be awesome and conflicted as well, because that's how he's singing them.

Mary J is very very good too. By no means a standout cut on the album but probably her most purely joyous single ever? (I always think of 'Family Affair' as possessing a kind of cathartic joy, as opposed than the light-hearted fizz of 'Just Fine'.)

Wasn't feeling the David Jordan, it's on the wrong side of the funky/wanky line.

BFMV - what a horrible name for a band.

Bullet For My Valentine

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

are the worst, most obnoxious band in the world.

[koganbot]

Everyone on the list except Mary J. sounds like he's trying to approximate a sound that he can't pull off with authority. Very strange.

Jay Sean "Ride It": Pretty voice that's being given a subtle electronic sheen. The sheen, and the good ole r&b prettiness, disguise how kinda not there he is as a singer. Gets over on song and sheen, but just barely. Borderline tick.

David Jordan "Sun Goes Down": This gets points for flabbergasting me. I mean, what's he doing? Celtic folk, clumpy rock, r&b, w/ kitchen-sink reggae horns. But in its heart it's just a bad sing-along, so no ticky, even if I am flummoxed by it.

Mary J. Blige: "Just Fine": This is merely fine. I'm feeling the track even if I'm not quite feeling her. Definite tick, though.

Bullet For My Valentine "Scream Aim Fire": Harmonies are slavishly derivative of Metallica, which is OK, since I like Metallica's harmonies. But the singing is fundamentally dry and weak. No tick.

SHAME

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

at Not Heard Any running away with it! Fair enough on three of the four but Mary J's been kicking around since last Oct, which means either

a) poptimists have been aware for three months that Mary J has new material around but not cared enough about one of the greatest artists of our generation to find out what it sounded like
b) poptimists...had no idea that Mary J had new material out? in which case, um, how on earth do you get to hear of new music?

Re: SHAME

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I guess MJB hasn't been getting much airplay on telly or radio? i.e. media you pay little attention to but that everyone else relies on?

Re: SHAME

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

but everyone is on the internets surely! I mean, I know I can't rely on TV or radio coverage to actually hear about new music cuz it's so shitty, so I make a little bit of effort - scanning music news sites, blogs, wikipedia entries - every so often, because if I don't I won't hear about ANY new music.

Re: SHAME

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

re b. we wait for you to tell us dear ;)

also we are all r4c1sts, obv.

Re: SHAME

[edgeofwhatever.livejournal.com]

Choice (a) for me.

Is that the very boring (but catchy) song on the iPod commercials? I can tell you that I personally have not cared about one of the greatest artists of our generation because, as far as I'm concerned, her most notable accomplishment in recent years has been the invention of the words "hateration" and "dancery." (Well, no, that's not fair -- she also made a U2 song enjoyable! [I don't actually hate U2.] But mostly I find her to be a very good singer of personality-free R&B.)

Although it does get hard to keep up with her new material, what with her releasing something every year.

Re: SHAME

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it's been on commercials! Inventing the word "hateration" would alone be classic 4eva, even if she had never made any music at all.

Re: SHAME

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

well I would listen to them all if youtube was loading properly, but it seems to be up the spout this evening :(

[poptasticuk.livejournal.com]

Very weak this week. David Jordan is just weird.

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

The 9-year-old in me that used to listen to Metallica every day after school at couldn't resist voting for Bullet for My Valentine. Mary J. Blige I think I've heard somewhere in public and it obviously doesn't stick, but it's a good song. Actually my favorite in the bunch might be Jay Sean! (Weirdness of David Jordan seconded. For some weird reason I think of a male Disney star awkwardly trying to go solo with "a little bit of everything.")

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I thought it was really telling that David Jordan's rise to popularity was accompanied by an appearance on old school BBC light entertainment warhorse the Royal Variety Show! His video and song give the impression of someone who really likes all that "new ethnic circus" stuff (Stomp! Afrika! Cirque du Soleil etc) but can't choose just one to rip off.

[hungrybecky.livejournal.com]

i have a new journal but please let me in?

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Hello! Welcome to poptimists :)

[anatol-merklich.livejournal.com]

"Jay Sean" sounds like some kind of joke chart act name.

[anatol-merklich.livejournal.com]

-- D Jordan is a shambles, but a somehow charming one. Tick for being confusing (as Frank said. Also impressed at Tom's crusty connection).
-- BfMValentine: tick for making compendium of metalism; even including cookiemonster vocal for no apparent reason.

Oh dear it appears "disjointed" is today's thing for me or something?

[anatol-merklich.livejournal.com]

Mention of Stomp! also correct, ie even more oh dear.