Yet Another Year In Pop: 33

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

[Poll #1444911]

Yes, this is a repost; I got rid of the original poll because I found some Wi-Fi and had forgotten Jeremih.

Comments

[koganbot]

Lily Allen "22": Lyrics have been analyzed over hill and under dale already, but the music needs examination 'cause I'm genuinely amazed by what she pulls off. The accompaniment has all these blatantly chintzy bits you can't avoid and all these subtly lush bits that you don't immediately notice, distant oohs and aahs and so on, so the signifiers say Frayed Retro Showtune while the track is actually quite warm. And in parallel to this, her enunciation has a surface coyness, but her way of holding notes makes the tune unobtrusively sad and beautiful. She's kinda a great artist when she's on. TICK.

Calvin Harris "Ready For The Weekend": Went back to "Acceptable In The '80s" to see why I liked that one while thinking most everything after it is a turd. It's singing is bad and puts the whole thing at an emotional distance, but the distance makes the track feel utopian, trying to invoke an era when such goofiness could have style. And the tune's half-decent. "Ready For The Weekend" has far worse singing, which feels like total lack of commitment. The tune isn't terrible, and even a halfway competent singer could have pushed this up to the borderline, but it seems that competence would ruin the appeal. And when we do get competence via guest vocals in the chorus, it's not really all that, anyway. The verses make my skin twitch in distaste. NO TICK.

Bloc Party "One More Chance": Is the piano part copying something classic? It seems very familiar and likable, and I'd be fine with this, a pushy dance track that doesn't lose its roll in the pushiness, but Okereke is the worst possible singer for it. Again, even halfway competent could do it. Can't these guys insert a classified in Musicians Wanted? Why are consumers settling for this, mere gestures instead of music? NO TICK.

Jeremih "Birthday Sex": OK, it finally got to me, the pure prettiness overcoming the callow singing and ridiculous lyrics. Lex is right about the arrangement, something Asian and spare in the percussion that makes the mush on top feel haunting in contrast. BIRTHDAY TICK.

David Guetta f. Akon "Sexy Bitch": Rhymes "diva" and "meet her." More than once. Scads of other singers in unison would weigh this down less than Akon does alone, but it's nice hearing him be deliberately funny, and Guetta can create tunes and hooks. BITCHY TICK (BORDERLINE).

Peter Andre "Behind Closed Doors": Sure-fire soul pop that would be good if sung by Iglesias, maybe even by the Chipmunks, but here it's fuzzed-up with guitar, which doesn't totally ruin it. That's up to the straining singer, who sounds like he hasn't taken a good shit in weeks. And don't get me started on the lyrics. I can't believe I'm ticking this. BORDERLINE TICK.

Pink "Funhouse": Pink's obviousness in this Ohio Players or something take-off seems subtle in comparison to this week's other masters of obviousness. She's yukking up what would have been too heavy as anything but comedy, and is kind of heavy as comedy too, but there's a touching synth flourish that adds a dollop of feeling to the mock misery. BORDERLINE TICK.

Ian Brown "Stellify": I never did get Madchester (never had to try, living in distant America), but, um, hate to be repetitive, but bloke can't sing and this is a song that requires singing. Pleasant enough otherwise. NO TICK.