Walk Away – Franz Ferdinand (4 out of 5)
One of the great joys of Franz Ferdinand’s second album is how the group displays greater depth than they did on the first. “Walk Away” is a break from the jaunty sound they are known for. It’s a great track, with slower versus and louder choruses, with definite signs of ‘60s influence. Perfect choice for follow-up to the brilliant “Do You Want To.” (Released 12/5)
Luxurious – Gwen Stefani (4/5)
Stefani returns with a fifth offering from Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Not my favorite at first (I was initially disappointed this was chosen over “Serious”), but it’s grown on me. Stefani slows the tempo down even more than on “Cool,” drawing on more urban and less ‘80s influences for a smooth R&B cool down. Definitely makes me want to buy some cashmere and Egyptian cotton. (12/5)
Heard ‘Em Say – Kanye West Featuring Adam Levine (4/5)
Not as immediate as “Gold Digger,” but still satisfying. Kanye West has scored another mainstream hit, this time pairing his rhymes with the falsetto voice of Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine. Tinkling pianos and deep bass keep it all moving forward. (12/5)
Ugly – Sugababes (4/5)
Revisiting similar terrority that TLC covered in “Unpretty,” the Sugababes take up empowerment pop, throwing it in the face of the bullies who said they were ugly. One look at these girls and you’ll know that anyone who would accuse them of being ugly must be blind, and this direction isn’t doing any favors for their supposed street cred. Still, it’s a polished pop record and easy to sing along with too. (12/5)
Even God (Can’t Change the Past) – Charlotte Church (3/5)
After two campy vampy singles, Charlotte Church puts a damper on the party for this somber pre-Christmas release. It’s almost as if she realized her old fans would be in record stores this time of year and might be shocked to see her standing in her knickers, so she threw on a frumpy frock and hid the cigarettes. Yes, the girl can sing, but this song offers little excitement. (12/5)
DHT – Listen to Your Heart (3/5)
Years ago the dance music world embraced hi-NRG retreads of ‘80s classics, the cream of crop being DJ Sammy’s remake of Bryan Adams’ “Heaven” in 2002. So DHT are a little late to the table with their Roxette remake. It’s enjoyable, well-done, but so five years ago. It was also a huge hit in the US, where top 40 has all but shut the door on house music (It’s topped the iTunes dance chart for like 6 months). It will be interesting to see how the UK, which has recently been rejecting dance tracks, receives this. (12/5)
Under The Weather – KT Tunstall (3/5)
For her fourth single from Eye to the Telescope, Tunstall has put out a laid back, acoustic-guitar and keyboard-driven folksy track. Is there a campfire nearby? Tunstall ups the amp after the second chorus, but this still isn’t as enjoyable as her last offering, “Suddenly I See.” (12/5)
Forget Me Not – Lucie Silvas (3/5)
Here's stretching an album to death. "Forget Me Not" is Silvas' fifth single from Breathe In, an album that scored two top 10 hits, but saw its last two releases peak only at #38 and #24. "Forget Me Not" is very simple--just Lucie and a piano. It's pretty, but also pretty forgettable. (12/5)
Don’t Bother – Shakira (2/5)
First release from her forthcoming second English-language album, Oral Fixation Vol. 2 (Vol. 1 was the Spanish album from earlier this year). I like how it starts, promises to be dark and dramatic, but it quickly loses my interest after that. Am I the only one thinks she can't sing? Her voice is warbly and that growl she does is really annoying. Take her advice--don't bother. (12/5)
Juicebox – The Strokes (4/5)
The Strokes are back with the lead in to next year's First Impressions of Earth. The bassline is obviously a take on Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn Theme." It sounds a lot like their previous stuff, which isn't bad, and maybe a bit more mainstream, which might be helpful after their last album's underwhelming sales (in comparison to their debut, Is This It?, which was a worldwide phenomenon). (12/5)
Your Body - Tom Novy Featuring Michael Marshall (3/5)
A simple straight up club track and one of the few this year to crack the UK top 10. It's not setting any new trends, but it sounds great on the radio against all the slower winter songs. (11/21)
No comments:
Post a Comment