X Factor: I haven't been following it this year at all so I don't know who any of these people are. They all seem to be doing a wavey-hand gesture thing though - is that mandatory? Anyway, this totally feels plodding and unambitious - I can barely tell that there are more than three different people singing (the only distinct voice is from the black lass who kicks off the middle eight who is making a reasonable attempt at rocking the whole Mary J Blige thing). In comparison, think about how easily you can tell apart the different dudes on Do They Know Its Live Christmas Aid (and even on Live Aid 20!). It feels like the backing track medically needs a round of cheering and applause when each new dude sings a line, just to at least try and give it a sense of building up into something meatier - you know like in the video for Mariah's 'Without You' where the audience cheer the key change and it just ups the brilliance? And here the audience are quite rightly bored out of their skulls and waiting for the last bus home? URRRRGH the video just had a shot of some soldier dudes smiling and clapping, I'm amazed it wasn't in soft focus. (I am still a bit upset that OB and Max off Hollyoaks are advertising the Territorial Army btw). This is worse than dreadful, because there are people involved in this who could clearly make some great pop music given the right guidance, instead of sucking the life out of pop then shitting on its carcass.
Akon - this is alright I guess, 2-step beat with some Jan Hammer style synth over the top. His chorus vocal is pretty wooden though.
Adele - hahah lets see if they can manage a video without having it zoomed in on her face the entire time. NO, NO THEY CAN'T. It's a sticking point for me with Adele - I can't bear the odd way she closes her eyes, raises her eyebrows and shakes her head like Stevie Wonder whenever she tries to display emotion. Shame, cos her vocal is good and the song's not bad, in a Nick Drake kind of way. Oh sod it, I'll give her a tick.
Kings of Leon - whatevs.
Jacko - I will always tick this no matter how many times I hear it.
PCD - Awesome! At first I wasn't sure if I liked it as much as 'When I Grow Up' but it's a real grower.
Miley - verse is Natalie Imbrugliwooglia with nasal congestion, chorus is mostly Green Day. It's an interesting combination and the whole switch-round of love/hate half way through is a nice idea, but I can't really get enthusiastic about this.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-11-03 01:40 pm (UTC)Akon - this is alright I guess, 2-step beat with some Jan Hammer style synth over the top. His chorus vocal is pretty wooden though.
Adele - hahah lets see if they can manage a video without having it zoomed in on her face the entire time. NO, NO THEY CAN'T. It's a sticking point for me with Adele - I can't bear the odd way she closes her eyes, raises her eyebrows and shakes her head like Stevie Wonder whenever she tries to display emotion. Shame, cos her vocal is good and the song's not bad, in a Nick Drake kind of way. Oh sod it, I'll give her a tick.
Kings of Leon - whatevs.
Jacko - I will always tick this no matter how many times I hear it.
PCD - Awesome! At first I wasn't sure if I liked it as much as 'When I Grow Up' but it's a real grower.
Miley - verse is Natalie Imbrugliwooglia with nasal congestion, chorus is mostly Green Day. It's an interesting combination and the whole switch-round of love/hate half way through is a nice idea, but I can't really get enthusiastic about this.