poptimists | (Reply)

From:

Paloma Faith "New York": A hard little twist in her voice that I welcome but have trouble penetrating. As the song rises she doesn't catch hold. There's something here, and I want this voice to prosper, but I don't think it's found its milieu yet. BORDERLINE NONTICK.

Pitbull "Hotel Room Service": Bits of early Bay Area gangsta sampled in with Pitbull's ho-hum ebullience. This man seems perpetually juvenile and is suddenly lucking out because he's the only rapper on the charts right now who's nailing people between the eyes. I appreciate that he does it and can sound riveting counting to four, even if I have trouble caring. TICK.

Taylor Swift "You Belong With Me":

martinskidmore was right over on the Jukebox that the sociology here doesn't get beyond cliché, but Jonathan Bradley is more right in showing how Taylor's attention to the details of the people who live that cliché make this something special. And meanwhile this charming, smart, poised, engaging good girl who underneath it all seems to live in a bomb of anger and pain manages with co-writer Liz Rose to construct a careless-seeming ditty - notice that little doubled-up four-note motif out of which they create the first half of the verse - that's perfect for how Taylor can use it to play with the edges and flaws and frailty of her voice, achieving unexpected exuberance. A sunny day for a cloudy girl. TICK.

Jay-Z f. Mr. Hudson "Young Forever": I liked Hudson and Kanye a while back, but the quavering here just sounds uncommitted. The feeling of the tune's not bad, but it evaporates into space. NO TICK.

Cliff Richard and the Shadows "Singing The Blues": Singer overshadowed by band, ha ha. Seriously, his voice is stiff but those sleek little guitar fills are gold. BORDERLINE TICK.