So looking beyond the new Taylor Swift song which I will not review again as it's not a song worth wasting any more of my time over when in fact I think there are some much better songs that came out including the new songs from the Foo Fighters and Demi Lovato so let's focus on them.
Song: Tell Me You Love Me
Artist: Demi Lovato
So Demi Lovato has released the title track from her upcoming new album called "Tell Me You Love Me" and I have to say this song is so much better than her first single "Sorry Not Sorry" largely because "Tell Me You Love Me" connects in a way that "Sorry Not Sorry" didn't and the fact that this song isn't charting because it happened to be released as a certain other artist's single is somewhat unlucky or unfortunate because this song is a ballad pleading help and somebody's love in an emotional and powerful way that is reminiscent of a Jennifer Hudson song. Well done, Demi.
Rating: 8/10
Song: You Already Know
Artist(s): Fergie, Nicki Minaj
We've gone from the sublime to the ridiculous. Fergie dropped two tracks last New Music Friday, this song and a collaboration with Rick Ross entitled "Hungry" but because "You Already Know" featured on the New Music Friday playlist I'm going to review that and well really it's a whole lot of not much with Fergie sing/rapping about how life comes at you fast and how she has made her way in the music industry and then Nicki delivers a verse talking about money and references Seth Rogen in the middle. Gahh, it's good for a mindless blowout but that's about it.
Rating: 4/10
Song: The Sky is a Neighbourhood
Artist: Foo Fighters
I am not the biggest Foo Fighters fan but damn this song would go off at any festival the Foo Fighters played at. It's just a classic Foo Fighters track and it is awesome from the guitar lick to Dave Grohl's voice even the choir singing the chorus. It's rock done in a dramatic but well done way that brings back visions of rock in the 70s. Thumbs up for the Fooeys!
Rating: 9/10
Song: Wait
Artist: JP Cooper
A song in the indie-pop vein, "Wait" is one of those songs that is kind of oddly warm and reassuring. Cooper sings about sticking with a loved one through everything even though times may get rough. I am a sucker for this kind of sentiment, it's a beautiful song and deserves to be a hit.
Rating: 8/10
Best this week:
"The Sky is a Neighbourhood" by the Foo Fighters for being rock at its absolute most awesome.
Worst this week
Pretty obvious really. I reviewed it in a previous blog entry: "Look What You Made Me Do" by Taylor Swift
New Music Friday September 1st:
Maroon 5 have already released their collab with SZA called "What Lovers Do"
Apparently Jason DeRulo has something new on the way and he has hinted that he is going country...somehow I struggle to imagine it coming from a guy who dropped a song called "Wiggle" in 2014
Apart from that, it's all a big surprise.
Thursday 31 August 2017
Sunday 27 August 2017
ARIA Chart top Ten/Chart Review: 2nd September: Chart Awaits Taylor Impact
This week really does feel like the calm before the storm in terms of the ARIA Singles Chart right now, well at least until Taylor Swift hits the chart big time next week and probably will debut at number 1.
Before we get to this week's top 10. Two songs did leave the top 10, those being "Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller and "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt (thank goodness...but it will probably make the year end list unfortunately).
So onto the top 10 and it's a second week at number one for Pink's "What About Us?". Whether or not Pink gets a third week is dependent on the numbers for Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me do"
Debuting at number two is "Friends" by Justin Bieber and Bloodpop, with Taylor Swift's impending arrival next week I don't see this song getting to number one. It might spend a good chunk of time at number 2 but we'll see.
Number 3 is New Zealand's new number 1 "Glorious" by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray. Think this has missed it's opportunity for top spot but we'll see as it's still going strong on the streaming services despite dropping from number 2.
Imagine Dragons remain stable at number 4 with "Thunder" but it's not a challenger for number one now.
"Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber dropped to number 5. Largely due to the song having lost a lot of steam in recent times but will definitely be in that top 5 on the year end list and it looks like it may break Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's chart record for amount of weeks at number one in the US.
At number 6 is former UK chart topper "Feels" by Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean which dropped one place this week.
"Unforgettable" by French Montana feat. Swae Lee climbed one place to number 7 and swapped with "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne feat. Quavo which dropped to number 8 (I suspect that song is on the way out)
Unfortunately what also suffered a drop was Kesha's "Praying" off the back of all the album release gains last week with it down 3 places to number 9. "Rainbow" is a magnificent album even if you aren't a Kesha fan, I highly recommend you buy the album.
A song to keep an eye on for a possible top 5 appearance is the current UK number one "New Rules' by Dua Lipa which climbed another 5 places to number 10. That song is doing big business in the UK so wouldn't be surprised if it stuck around in the top 10 awhile.
Biggest gainer on the chart went to Lauv's "I Like Me Better which rose from 40 to 29, Avicii's "Without You" with Sandro Cavazza also experienced an impressive rise from 33 to 26, "Sorry not Sorry" by Demi Lovato rose from 21 to 14 and for some inexplicable reason "Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy William climbed three places to 28.
There one re-entry at number 50 with Halsey's "Now or Never" returning,
As for losers, the biggest of them being Childish Gambino's "Redbone" which dropped 12 places to 39, "Fetish" by Selena Gomez feat. Gucci Mane, which has never really taken off a great deal in Australia, dropped from 30 to 40 and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" by Shawn Mendes dropped from 17 to 21.
As for drop outs, no real surprises with "Believer" by Imagine Dragons, "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran, "Swalla" by Jason DeRulo feat. Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign and "Crying in the Club" by Camila Cabello. Both "Believer" and "Crying in the Club" departures seem a bit premature given both have spent just 9 weeks in the chart but Camila Cabello really hasn't captured the hearts and minds of Australians if we're to be honest
Outside of the top 10, there were two other new entries quite the way lower down with Khalid's "Young, Dumb and Broke" entering at 44 and rather surprisingly "Younger Now" by Miley Cyrus entering at 49 which is a bit worrying considering the album is not far away from being released!
There were four new entries to the top 100 this week with the best of those being "Questions" by Chris Brown (which interpolates the 2003 hit "Turn Me On" by Kevin Lyttle quite badly) at number 56, "Havana" by Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug at 62, "Reggaeton Lento (Remix)" by CNCO and Little Mix at number 68 and the song that is doing extremely well in the US is "Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B at 94.
So that's this week on the ARIA chart done and dusted, we now wait to see whether or not Pink can somehow stave off the juggernaut that is Taylor Swift for number 1 (I doubt she can). Don't forget you can check out my thoughts on the new single from Taylor Swift here and I'll have the rest of New Music Friday Review featuring Demi Lovato and Foo Fighters up sometime this week.
Before we get to this week's top 10. Two songs did leave the top 10, those being "Wild Thoughts by DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller and "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt (thank goodness...but it will probably make the year end list unfortunately).
So onto the top 10 and it's a second week at number one for Pink's "What About Us?". Whether or not Pink gets a third week is dependent on the numbers for Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me do"
Debuting at number two is "Friends" by Justin Bieber and Bloodpop, with Taylor Swift's impending arrival next week I don't see this song getting to number one. It might spend a good chunk of time at number 2 but we'll see.
Number 3 is New Zealand's new number 1 "Glorious" by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray. Think this has missed it's opportunity for top spot but we'll see as it's still going strong on the streaming services despite dropping from number 2.
Imagine Dragons remain stable at number 4 with "Thunder" but it's not a challenger for number one now.
"Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber dropped to number 5. Largely due to the song having lost a lot of steam in recent times but will definitely be in that top 5 on the year end list and it looks like it may break Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men's chart record for amount of weeks at number one in the US.
At number 6 is former UK chart topper "Feels" by Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean which dropped one place this week.
"Unforgettable" by French Montana feat. Swae Lee climbed one place to number 7 and swapped with "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne feat. Quavo which dropped to number 8 (I suspect that song is on the way out)
Unfortunately what also suffered a drop was Kesha's "Praying" off the back of all the album release gains last week with it down 3 places to number 9. "Rainbow" is a magnificent album even if you aren't a Kesha fan, I highly recommend you buy the album.
A song to keep an eye on for a possible top 5 appearance is the current UK number one "New Rules' by Dua Lipa which climbed another 5 places to number 10. That song is doing big business in the UK so wouldn't be surprised if it stuck around in the top 10 awhile.
Biggest gainer on the chart went to Lauv's "I Like Me Better which rose from 40 to 29, Avicii's "Without You" with Sandro Cavazza also experienced an impressive rise from 33 to 26, "Sorry not Sorry" by Demi Lovato rose from 21 to 14 and for some inexplicable reason "Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy William climbed three places to 28.
There one re-entry at number 50 with Halsey's "Now or Never" returning,
As for losers, the biggest of them being Childish Gambino's "Redbone" which dropped 12 places to 39, "Fetish" by Selena Gomez feat. Gucci Mane, which has never really taken off a great deal in Australia, dropped from 30 to 40 and "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" by Shawn Mendes dropped from 17 to 21.
As for drop outs, no real surprises with "Believer" by Imagine Dragons, "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran, "Swalla" by Jason DeRulo feat. Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign and "Crying in the Club" by Camila Cabello. Both "Believer" and "Crying in the Club" departures seem a bit premature given both have spent just 9 weeks in the chart but Camila Cabello really hasn't captured the hearts and minds of Australians if we're to be honest
Outside of the top 10, there were two other new entries quite the way lower down with Khalid's "Young, Dumb and Broke" entering at 44 and rather surprisingly "Younger Now" by Miley Cyrus entering at 49 which is a bit worrying considering the album is not far away from being released!
There were four new entries to the top 100 this week with the best of those being "Questions" by Chris Brown (which interpolates the 2003 hit "Turn Me On" by Kevin Lyttle quite badly) at number 56, "Havana" by Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug at 62, "Reggaeton Lento (Remix)" by CNCO and Little Mix at number 68 and the song that is doing extremely well in the US is "Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B at 94.
So that's this week on the ARIA chart done and dusted, we now wait to see whether or not Pink can somehow stave off the juggernaut that is Taylor Swift for number 1 (I doubt she can). Don't forget you can check out my thoughts on the new single from Taylor Swift here and I'll have the rest of New Music Friday Review featuring Demi Lovato and Foo Fighters up sometime this week.
Friday 25 August 2017
New Music Friday Review Special: Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift
WARNING: What you are about to read is an opinion of Taylor Swift's new song that isn't likely to be at all positive, if you can't handle my view on this song than it's probably best you click away now before you read on and end up being triggered by reading what I have to say about "Look What You Made Me Do". At the end of the day, it probably doesn't matter what I write about the song, people are still going to buy it, download it and stream in their thousands.
After a couple of years away from the music scene post the release of her 5th album '1989', one of the most influential music stars on earth, Taylor Swift is back with the first single from her 6th album "Reputation" entitled 'Look What You Made Me Do". I know this is a bit early but wanted to make room to cover this song individually given it's such a massive release.
Now before I dig into 'Look What You made Me Do", I need to make it clear I have a on/off fan button as far as Taylor Swift goes, some of her songs are great eg: I loved "Love Story" even if it was rather cheesy, "Style" is actually quite catchy and yeah, I did enjoy a couple of songs from "Red", I do have four of the five albums she has released to date, (only one I don't have is '1989' because I am not an overt fan of the direction that album took) so I was kind of anticipating the new single's release today like a lot of bigger Taylor Swift fans and I was curious as to the direction she was heading in with the new material after starting in country, veering into pop country and then jumping totally head first into pop music but the buzz I was hearing was that Taylor was headed in a more hip hop direction and that apparently she was going to call out a few 'haters'.
Turns out Taylor is staying in pop but blending in many of the modern hip hop music trends which include minimalist melody on the chorus and almost trap beats with no melody or even a vague hook to the song, this is the case with "Look What Made Me Do" as Taylor tries to get a square up with those who dissed her publicly that being Kanye West (who wrote a lyric in his song "Famous" bragging that he made Taylor famous by interrupting her speech at an awards show and suggesting he could sleep with her) in the most recent past, this isn't the sweet, nice Taylor Swift, this is Taylor Swift looking for revenge
I wish she hadn't gone looking for revenge because between "Bad Blood" and this, I have had enough of Taylor Swift seeking retribution songs...its boring now and in all honesty, there's not a lot that I can find that is positive about "Look What You Made Me Do". The chorus for a start sounds like one of the worst hit songs of 2016 that being Meghan Trainor's "Me Too" with minimal music bar a bass drum (possibly drum machine) and Swift repeating "Look What You Made Me Do..oh!" over and over again, what did they make you do, Taylor? Write one of most unimaginative choruses (if you can even call it a chorus) in 2017? There's no information in that chorus to make me feel remotely sorry for you, Taylor.
The verses are barely much better as Swift lists every she apparently doesn't like about Kanye in the first verse about how she doesn't like Kanye's little games or his tilted stage or his laugh when he lies, it's all pretty pathetic stuff or in the second verse that she doesn't like his kingdom keys and then says that the world moves on but not her because she's thinking about karma against the haters, really, Taylor? For a woman who wrote a song called "Shake it Off" with these lyrics in the chorus '...And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off"
What ever happened to the vow Taylor made in "Shake It Off"? She said she was going to shake off people like Kanye in 2014 who evidently don't like her but now she's trying to work out the best way she can enact karma against Kanye in "Look What you Made Me Do"? I just shake shake shake shake shake my head at the confusing nature of your lyrics, Miss Swift.
Oh and then there's the pre chorus where Swift claims that she got smarter...well honey, no you didn't because in this song you sunk to the exact same gutter level that your haters live in which isn't smart at all, the SMART thing to do would have been to release a fantastic song, watch the song go number one and watch your haters melt back into the primordial sludge where you think they belong not this back biting drivel that is "Look What you made me do" and yeah I am not even going to dignify the line where Taylor claims she rises from the dead all the time, that's just ridiculous.
All of that set against music that you'd almost think it sounded like some child being incredibly nasty to another in quite the sing songy fashion as children do.
The bridge of this song is where it gets even more laughably stupid and vindictive from Swift. Lines like "I'm the actress starring in your bad dreams". What the hell is with that? That is almost stalker level and I am almost tempted to wonder if Swift has actually been stalking Kanye and the bit where she's on the phone proclaiming the old Taylor can't come to the phone because old Taylor is dead is over playing it and being stupidly melodramatic.
So overall, "Look What You Made Me Do" is a vindictive load of absolute rubbish coming from a woman who is apparently 27 years of age but acts as though she is a teenage girl who thinks the world revolves around her and her melodrama which is not classy from Taylor and gives her absolutely no dignity whatsoever. I just hope this song isn't a sign of things to come from "Reputation".
Even worse, this is an opportunity wasted from Swift, she could have taken the opportunity to show some class and dignity by not giving rise to people like Kanye and releasing a great song but instead she chooses to get in the gutter with Kanye and show no class or dignity at all and that really is what makes me angry about this song and has lowered my opinion of Taylor Swift.
Please Taylor, act your age and actually use the advice from one of your own songs in regard to haters: instead of writing petulant and immature songs about them, shake the haters off for your own good and for the good of your music because this song is a TRAINWRECK.
Rating: 2/10
After a couple of years away from the music scene post the release of her 5th album '1989', one of the most influential music stars on earth, Taylor Swift is back with the first single from her 6th album "Reputation" entitled 'Look What You Made Me Do". I know this is a bit early but wanted to make room to cover this song individually given it's such a massive release.
Now before I dig into 'Look What You made Me Do", I need to make it clear I have a on/off fan button as far as Taylor Swift goes, some of her songs are great eg: I loved "Love Story" even if it was rather cheesy, "Style" is actually quite catchy and yeah, I did enjoy a couple of songs from "Red", I do have four of the five albums she has released to date, (only one I don't have is '1989' because I am not an overt fan of the direction that album took) so I was kind of anticipating the new single's release today like a lot of bigger Taylor Swift fans and I was curious as to the direction she was heading in with the new material after starting in country, veering into pop country and then jumping totally head first into pop music but the buzz I was hearing was that Taylor was headed in a more hip hop direction and that apparently she was going to call out a few 'haters'.
Turns out Taylor is staying in pop but blending in many of the modern hip hop music trends which include minimalist melody on the chorus and almost trap beats with no melody or even a vague hook to the song, this is the case with "Look What Made Me Do" as Taylor tries to get a square up with those who dissed her publicly that being Kanye West (who wrote a lyric in his song "Famous" bragging that he made Taylor famous by interrupting her speech at an awards show and suggesting he could sleep with her) in the most recent past, this isn't the sweet, nice Taylor Swift, this is Taylor Swift looking for revenge
I wish she hadn't gone looking for revenge because between "Bad Blood" and this, I have had enough of Taylor Swift seeking retribution songs...its boring now and in all honesty, there's not a lot that I can find that is positive about "Look What You Made Me Do". The chorus for a start sounds like one of the worst hit songs of 2016 that being Meghan Trainor's "Me Too" with minimal music bar a bass drum (possibly drum machine) and Swift repeating "Look What You Made Me Do..oh!" over and over again, what did they make you do, Taylor? Write one of most unimaginative choruses (if you can even call it a chorus) in 2017? There's no information in that chorus to make me feel remotely sorry for you, Taylor.
The verses are barely much better as Swift lists every she apparently doesn't like about Kanye in the first verse about how she doesn't like Kanye's little games or his tilted stage or his laugh when he lies, it's all pretty pathetic stuff or in the second verse that she doesn't like his kingdom keys and then says that the world moves on but not her because she's thinking about karma against the haters, really, Taylor? For a woman who wrote a song called "Shake it Off" with these lyrics in the chorus '...And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate. Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake I shake it off, I shake it off"
What ever happened to the vow Taylor made in "Shake It Off"? She said she was going to shake off people like Kanye in 2014 who evidently don't like her but now she's trying to work out the best way she can enact karma against Kanye in "Look What you Made Me Do"? I just shake shake shake shake shake my head at the confusing nature of your lyrics, Miss Swift.
Oh and then there's the pre chorus where Swift claims that she got smarter...well honey, no you didn't because in this song you sunk to the exact same gutter level that your haters live in which isn't smart at all, the SMART thing to do would have been to release a fantastic song, watch the song go number one and watch your haters melt back into the primordial sludge where you think they belong not this back biting drivel that is "Look What you made me do" and yeah I am not even going to dignify the line where Taylor claims she rises from the dead all the time, that's just ridiculous.
All of that set against music that you'd almost think it sounded like some child being incredibly nasty to another in quite the sing songy fashion as children do.
The bridge of this song is where it gets even more laughably stupid and vindictive from Swift. Lines like "I'm the actress starring in your bad dreams". What the hell is with that? That is almost stalker level and I am almost tempted to wonder if Swift has actually been stalking Kanye and the bit where she's on the phone proclaiming the old Taylor can't come to the phone because old Taylor is dead is over playing it and being stupidly melodramatic.
So overall, "Look What You Made Me Do" is a vindictive load of absolute rubbish coming from a woman who is apparently 27 years of age but acts as though she is a teenage girl who thinks the world revolves around her and her melodrama which is not classy from Taylor and gives her absolutely no dignity whatsoever. I just hope this song isn't a sign of things to come from "Reputation".
Even worse, this is an opportunity wasted from Swift, she could have taken the opportunity to show some class and dignity by not giving rise to people like Kanye and releasing a great song but instead she chooses to get in the gutter with Kanye and show no class or dignity at all and that really is what makes me angry about this song and has lowered my opinion of Taylor Swift.
Please Taylor, act your age and actually use the advice from one of your own songs in regard to haters: instead of writing petulant and immature songs about them, shake the haters off for your own good and for the good of your music because this song is a TRAINWRECK.
Rating: 2/10
Thursday 24 August 2017
New Music Friday review: Little Mix get on the Latin boom
So this week's new music sees Justin Bieber return despite quitting his tour just weeks earlier (due to being exhausted. Didn't seem to stop him hitting the studio though?), Little Mix jump on the Latin boom and Miley Cyrus drops the title track of her new album.
But let's get Bieber out of the way first.
Song: Friends
Artist(s): Justin Bieber, Bloodpop
I have listened to this song several times and I really don't remember a whole lot about this song if I am to be honest. Maybe the thing I do remember most strongly about is that the music had a good groove and it did work to certain degree but then we get to Justin Bieber's presence on the microphone and wow, he sounds like he literally phoned it in, he sounds ridiculously inert. You could get into the song a least a little bit!.
Rating: 5/10. The instrumentation saves this from a lower ranking
Song: Younger Now
Artist: Miley Cyrus
The title track from her forthcoming new album and I got to be honest here, if this is Miley 3.0 than I miss Miley 2.0 because at least in the era of Bangerz and her appearing on stage in barely anything while singing with a kitten miming the words on a big screen, her music was interestingly bad, this era Miley looks like being boringly bad because "Younger Now" really is qute a tough listen even with the pretty cool flourishes of electric guitar, Miley's vocals are too polish to match the ragged edge that this song needed.
The lyrics aren't anything special except Miley proclaiming that she feels younger now, we can talk about how that doesn't quite work unless you are Benjamin Button but I'll save that for another day.
Rating: 4/10. It's not aggressively bad. Just boring and that's even worse than just bad.
Song: Broken Glass
Artist: Rachel Platten
One artist who I had completely forgotten about was Rachel Platten until she turned up on the New Music Friday playlist and yeah she was responsible for that self esteem song "Fight Song" and the first single from her forthcoming second album is a feminist anthem (what is it with this girl releasing 'anthems' as first singles).
What we get with "Broken Glass" is a very tropical sounding song about a being a woman and breaking that glass ceiling and well I'll give it this, it is way better as a feminist anthem than the flat and almost monotonus "Most Girls" by Hailee Steinfeld, just a pity I am almost done with feministic empowerment anthems. Most of the modern feminist anthems really lack any kind of power these days, at there's some swell to this one.
Rating: 6/10
Song: Reggaeton Lento (Bailemos)
Artist(s): CNCO, Little Mix
Yet another act getting in on the Latin boom sparked by the Justin Bieber remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's hit "Despacito", this time courtesy of Latin pop boyband CNCO teaming up with Little Mix for a Spanglish version of their single "Reggaeton Lento" which was a huge hit in the Latin world for CNCO with it going number one in Argentina (digital songs), Mexico and on the US Latin song chart.
For as much as I do think the English remixes of Spanish songs are ridiculously unnecessary, I will say that I think CNCO and Little Mix really kind of work here, there's an odd chemistry between the two groups that does come off in the song. I really kind of hope this is a hit.
Rating: 7/10
Best of the Week: "Reggaeton Lento (remix)" by CNCO and Little Mix
Worst: "Friends" by Justin Bieber and Bloodpop (Just because Bieber's vocals are pretty inert and the lyrics not all that memorable)
Next New Music Friday
- "Fire Fade" by Tove Lo
- Whatever song Taylor Swift is releasing, I honestly have a fair bit to say about Tay-Tay so I may review her new single in a separate blog post.
But let's get Bieber out of the way first.
Song: Friends
Artist(s): Justin Bieber, Bloodpop
I have listened to this song several times and I really don't remember a whole lot about this song if I am to be honest. Maybe the thing I do remember most strongly about is that the music had a good groove and it did work to certain degree but then we get to Justin Bieber's presence on the microphone and wow, he sounds like he literally phoned it in, he sounds ridiculously inert. You could get into the song a least a little bit!.
Rating: 5/10. The instrumentation saves this from a lower ranking
Song: Younger Now
Artist: Miley Cyrus
The title track from her forthcoming new album and I got to be honest here, if this is Miley 3.0 than I miss Miley 2.0 because at least in the era of Bangerz and her appearing on stage in barely anything while singing with a kitten miming the words on a big screen, her music was interestingly bad, this era Miley looks like being boringly bad because "Younger Now" really is qute a tough listen even with the pretty cool flourishes of electric guitar, Miley's vocals are too polish to match the ragged edge that this song needed.
The lyrics aren't anything special except Miley proclaiming that she feels younger now, we can talk about how that doesn't quite work unless you are Benjamin Button but I'll save that for another day.
Rating: 4/10. It's not aggressively bad. Just boring and that's even worse than just bad.
Song: Broken Glass
Artist: Rachel Platten
One artist who I had completely forgotten about was Rachel Platten until she turned up on the New Music Friday playlist and yeah she was responsible for that self esteem song "Fight Song" and the first single from her forthcoming second album is a feminist anthem (what is it with this girl releasing 'anthems' as first singles).
What we get with "Broken Glass" is a very tropical sounding song about a being a woman and breaking that glass ceiling and well I'll give it this, it is way better as a feminist anthem than the flat and almost monotonus "Most Girls" by Hailee Steinfeld, just a pity I am almost done with feministic empowerment anthems. Most of the modern feminist anthems really lack any kind of power these days, at there's some swell to this one.
Rating: 6/10
Song: Reggaeton Lento (Bailemos)
Artist(s): CNCO, Little Mix
Yet another act getting in on the Latin boom sparked by the Justin Bieber remix of Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's hit "Despacito", this time courtesy of Latin pop boyband CNCO teaming up with Little Mix for a Spanglish version of their single "Reggaeton Lento" which was a huge hit in the Latin world for CNCO with it going number one in Argentina (digital songs), Mexico and on the US Latin song chart.
For as much as I do think the English remixes of Spanish songs are ridiculously unnecessary, I will say that I think CNCO and Little Mix really kind of work here, there's an odd chemistry between the two groups that does come off in the song. I really kind of hope this is a hit.
Rating: 7/10
Best of the Week: "Reggaeton Lento (remix)" by CNCO and Little Mix
Worst: "Friends" by Justin Bieber and Bloodpop (Just because Bieber's vocals are pretty inert and the lyrics not all that memorable)
Next New Music Friday
- "Fire Fade" by Tove Lo
- Whatever song Taylor Swift is releasing, I honestly have a fair bit to say about Tay-Tay so I may review her new single in a separate blog post.
Monday 21 August 2017
ARiA Top Ten/Chart Review 21st August: What About A New Number One
We finally have a new number one at the top of the ARIA charts after 13 long weeks and it's probably the least surprising new number 1 considering the track record the artist involved has in Australia.
Before we get to that new number one, we bade farewell from the top 10 to "Slow Hands" by Niall Horan which dropped to number 12.
Australia's new number one is "What About Us?" by Pink, her ninth number one single in Australia which is impressive stuff. That album will undoubtedly sell like hotcakes when it's released. This isn't a surprise that "What About Us" is number one as Australia seems to be in love with Pink. Would suspect that this song got to number one on sales alone as streaming and Youtube haven't picked up yet.
Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray's "Glorious" looms as the big threat to "What About Us?" at number two, this song is doing extremely well on streaming. Pick up sales and it could very well take the number one spot in the next week.
The former number 1 "Despacito (Remix" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber fell two weeks short of the longest running number one hit that is currently held by "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran and I really don't see this getting back to number one, it's falling on sales, radio and on streaming and with Justin Bieber's new single likely to debut in top 3, it could be moving down time for "Despacito"
Speaking of moving down, that's what happened with Imagine Dragons single "Thunder", it's hold on number 2 ended with a two place slide down to number 4.
At number 5 is former UK number 1 "Feels" by Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean, It got replaced at number one by "New Rules" by Dua Lipa which currently sits at number 15 on the Australia charts after a 5 place climb.
Kesha got her album release boost with "Praying" up two places to number 6.
Two place drop for "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne feat. Quavo to go down two places to number 7.
It was a one place drop to number 8 for French Montana and Swae Lee with "Unforgettable". (Its surprising just how big this song is quite honestly)
At number 9 is 'Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, it dropped 3 places.
Finally and hopefully it's the last week in the top 10 for "Body like a Back Road" for Sam Hunt at number 10 after it dropped one place. We can only hope...
Outside of the top 10, the only other new entry to the top 50 was from Avicii and Sandro Cavazza with "Without You" at number 33
Outside of the top 50, there were new entries for Portugal. The Man with "Feel It Still" at 95, "Silence" by Marshmello feat. Khalid at 100, "Don't Tell Me" by Ruel at 86, "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing) by John Gibbons at 61 and "Little of Your Love (Bloodpop Remix)" by HAIM and Bloodpop at 85
"Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy William continues to gain traction, it was the week's biggest climb jumping from 38 to 31 in the last week.
I mentioned the 5 place rise for "New Rules" by Dua Lipa, The other two noteable gains which was "Redbone" by Childish Gambino to number 27 from 30 last week and Jessica Mauboy's "Fallin'" returned top the top 20 at number 18
Biggest drop was Camila Cabello's "Crying in the Club" which went from number 40 last week to number 50 this week.
Other drop of significance was "Fetish" by Selena Gomez feat. Gucci Mane which continues to struggle for any kind of traction dropped to 39 from 32 last week, Most of the other dropping songs are on the way out anyway including "Symphony" by Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson
Two songs dropped out of the top 50 though and they were "Now Or Never" by Halsey (peaked at number 16) and "Moments" by Bliss 'n" Eso feat. Gavin James.
So the big question is where does "Friends" by Justin Bieber and Bloodpop debut (pretty certain it will debut top 5) and will Miley Cyrus also climb into the the top 10 with her new single "Younger Now". Will be reviewing both for New Music Friday Review.
Before we get to that new number one, we bade farewell from the top 10 to "Slow Hands" by Niall Horan which dropped to number 12.
Australia's new number one is "What About Us?" by Pink, her ninth number one single in Australia which is impressive stuff. That album will undoubtedly sell like hotcakes when it's released. This isn't a surprise that "What About Us" is number one as Australia seems to be in love with Pink. Would suspect that this song got to number one on sales alone as streaming and Youtube haven't picked up yet.
Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray's "Glorious" looms as the big threat to "What About Us?" at number two, this song is doing extremely well on streaming. Pick up sales and it could very well take the number one spot in the next week.
The former number 1 "Despacito (Remix" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber fell two weeks short of the longest running number one hit that is currently held by "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran and I really don't see this getting back to number one, it's falling on sales, radio and on streaming and with Justin Bieber's new single likely to debut in top 3, it could be moving down time for "Despacito"
Speaking of moving down, that's what happened with Imagine Dragons single "Thunder", it's hold on number 2 ended with a two place slide down to number 4.
At number 5 is former UK number 1 "Feels" by Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean, It got replaced at number one by "New Rules" by Dua Lipa which currently sits at number 15 on the Australia charts after a 5 place climb.
Kesha got her album release boost with "Praying" up two places to number 6.
Two place drop for "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne feat. Quavo to go down two places to number 7.
It was a one place drop to number 8 for French Montana and Swae Lee with "Unforgettable". (Its surprising just how big this song is quite honestly)
At number 9 is 'Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, it dropped 3 places.
Finally and hopefully it's the last week in the top 10 for "Body like a Back Road" for Sam Hunt at number 10 after it dropped one place. We can only hope...
Outside of the top 10, the only other new entry to the top 50 was from Avicii and Sandro Cavazza with "Without You" at number 33
Outside of the top 50, there were new entries for Portugal. The Man with "Feel It Still" at 95, "Silence" by Marshmello feat. Khalid at 100, "Don't Tell Me" by Ruel at 86, "P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing) by John Gibbons at 61 and "Little of Your Love (Bloodpop Remix)" by HAIM and Bloodpop at 85
"Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy William continues to gain traction, it was the week's biggest climb jumping from 38 to 31 in the last week.
I mentioned the 5 place rise for "New Rules" by Dua Lipa, The other two noteable gains which was "Redbone" by Childish Gambino to number 27 from 30 last week and Jessica Mauboy's "Fallin'" returned top the top 20 at number 18
Biggest drop was Camila Cabello's "Crying in the Club" which went from number 40 last week to number 50 this week.
Other drop of significance was "Fetish" by Selena Gomez feat. Gucci Mane which continues to struggle for any kind of traction dropped to 39 from 32 last week, Most of the other dropping songs are on the way out anyway including "Symphony" by Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson
Two songs dropped out of the top 50 though and they were "Now Or Never" by Halsey (peaked at number 16) and "Moments" by Bliss 'n" Eso feat. Gavin James.
So the big question is where does "Friends" by Justin Bieber and Bloodpop debut (pretty certain it will debut top 5) and will Miley Cyrus also climb into the the top 10 with her new single "Younger Now". Will be reviewing both for New Music Friday Review.
Thursday 17 August 2017
New Music Friday Review: Return of Pink, Fifth Harmony's 2nd single is....good?
So this week's New Music Friday sees the return of Pink, Fifth Harmony release a new single and I review a song that is worthy of being a hit but won't be.
Song: What About Us?
Artist: Pink
When I heard that this song was going to be in a political vein aimed at a certain world leader (we all know who) I cringed. It's a rare political song actually makes its message concisely and clearly especially within the confines of a pop song so did Pink managed to achieve said rarity with the first single from her forthcoming new album "Beautiful Trauma"?
I wish I could say yes but really I am confused about what the song is trying to say to this person in regard to love and trust, it all feels very vague and not really the sharp, razor edge Pink that we've come to expect especially given this is the same Alecia Moore who wrote a song like "Dear Mr President"
This song really just feels a bit bland to me which is disappointing because I do love Pink.
Rating: 5/10
Song: Angel
Artist: 5th Harmony
It's no secret that I don't really have a huge love of Fifth Harmony's music, I wasn't a fan of the first single "Down", from their soon to be released second album, which was a rehash of the awful "Work From Home" so I really wasn't looking forward to hearing a new single from Fifth Harmony.
However it turns out that "Angel" pretty damn good even despite a pretty terrible effect over the chorus in between "Who said I was angel?" but Normani who is the best singer is given more of the load in this song and the song is much better for it. More Normani, less Lauren and Ally on Fifth Harmony songs please!
Rating: 7/10
Song: Alone
Artist: Cyrus
A brand new single from 2015 X Factor Australia winner Cyrus and I have to say I like this turn to a more stripped back R & B sound which does feel like a good fit for Cyrus voice but the biggest issue with this song is the fact it really doesn't go anywhere or do anything to take advantage of the big booming voice that Cyrus has so that's a bit disappointing.
Rating: 4/10
Song: More Than One of you
Artist: Neil Finn
Okay, I know what you are thinking, this song has no chance of making the ARIA singles top 50 chart this week so why I am even bothering to write about it. The reason I am bothering is because it is a terrific song that deserves to be a hit but it won't be for fairly obvious reasons.
The first single from Finn's new soon to be released album "Out of Silence" entitled "More Than One of You" is a delicious piano ballad along with harmonies that just sooth the soul, the song is stunning and if there were any justice in this god forsaken country, it would be a hit.
Rating: 9/10
Best of the week: No surprise "More than one of you" by Neil Finn. With a nod to "Angel" by Fifth Harmony in regard to songs more likely to hit the ARIA chart.
Worst of the week: I am tempted to give it to Pink for "What About Us?" largely because it's kind of disappointing and not at all what I expect from her.
New Music Friday on 18th August
- Despite cancelling his tour, Justin Bieber is back with a new single called "Can We be Friends?" with Blood pop
-"Younger Now" by Miley Cyrus
- Little Mix get on the Spanish/Latin boom with a remix of Latin American band CNCO's single "Reggaeton Lento" (Heard a preview of it. It's pretty decent)
Song: What About Us?
Artist: Pink
When I heard that this song was going to be in a political vein aimed at a certain world leader (we all know who) I cringed. It's a rare political song actually makes its message concisely and clearly especially within the confines of a pop song so did Pink managed to achieve said rarity with the first single from her forthcoming new album "Beautiful Trauma"?
I wish I could say yes but really I am confused about what the song is trying to say to this person in regard to love and trust, it all feels very vague and not really the sharp, razor edge Pink that we've come to expect especially given this is the same Alecia Moore who wrote a song like "Dear Mr President"
This song really just feels a bit bland to me which is disappointing because I do love Pink.
Rating: 5/10
Song: Angel
Artist: 5th Harmony
It's no secret that I don't really have a huge love of Fifth Harmony's music, I wasn't a fan of the first single "Down", from their soon to be released second album, which was a rehash of the awful "Work From Home" so I really wasn't looking forward to hearing a new single from Fifth Harmony.
However it turns out that "Angel" pretty damn good even despite a pretty terrible effect over the chorus in between "Who said I was angel?" but Normani who is the best singer is given more of the load in this song and the song is much better for it. More Normani, less Lauren and Ally on Fifth Harmony songs please!
Rating: 7/10
Song: Alone
Artist: Cyrus
A brand new single from 2015 X Factor Australia winner Cyrus and I have to say I like this turn to a more stripped back R & B sound which does feel like a good fit for Cyrus voice but the biggest issue with this song is the fact it really doesn't go anywhere or do anything to take advantage of the big booming voice that Cyrus has so that's a bit disappointing.
Rating: 4/10
Song: More Than One of you
Artist: Neil Finn
Okay, I know what you are thinking, this song has no chance of making the ARIA singles top 50 chart this week so why I am even bothering to write about it. The reason I am bothering is because it is a terrific song that deserves to be a hit but it won't be for fairly obvious reasons.
The first single from Finn's new soon to be released album "Out of Silence" entitled "More Than One of You" is a delicious piano ballad along with harmonies that just sooth the soul, the song is stunning and if there were any justice in this god forsaken country, it would be a hit.
Rating: 9/10
Best of the week: No surprise "More than one of you" by Neil Finn. With a nod to "Angel" by Fifth Harmony in regard to songs more likely to hit the ARIA chart.
Worst of the week: I am tempted to give it to Pink for "What About Us?" largely because it's kind of disappointing and not at all what I expect from her.
New Music Friday on 18th August
- Despite cancelling his tour, Justin Bieber is back with a new single called "Can We be Friends?" with Blood pop
-"Younger Now" by Miley Cyrus
- Little Mix get on the Spanish/Latin boom with a remix of Latin American band CNCO's single "Reggaeton Lento" (Heard a preview of it. It's pretty decent)
Sunday 13 August 2017
ARIA Top 10: August 14th: Despacito keeps number 1 but showdown looms
Going into this week's chart I was expecting some big changes as our number one seemed to lose all steam this week.
Instead that's not what I got.
Leaving the top ten this week was "Mama" by Jonas Blue feat. William Singe.
At number one for a thirteenth week (quite unexpectedly) was "Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber. Just how much longer it can remain at number one is in question with the loss of momentum it has suffered and with Pink's new single "What About Us?" to hit the chart next week, it's time at number one could be be numbered (thank goodness)
It's another week at number 2 for Imagine Dragons with "Thunder'. I don't see this reaching top spot though
The surprise hit though is "Glorious' by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray which climbed two places to number 3. It could very well be a challenger for number 1 if those sales numbers improve.
At number 4 is Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean with "Feels" and its feeling a one place drop this week.
Liam Payne and Quavo's "Strip That Down" lives up to its name by stripping down to number 5. Hasn't been a good week for Liam with his song with Zedd "Get Low" really struggling for any kind of traction.
At number six is "Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller because quite frankly a lot of the moment has gone out of it. Sales are doing nothing for it right now.
A song that has been doing well in the USA and the United Kingdom. "Unforgettable" by French Montana feat. Swae Lee climbs into the top 10 at number 7, up four places from last week. I expect this song to be top 5 next week actually.
Kesha's "Praying" slides to number 8, it should get a big boost off the release of the album "Rainbow" so I expect "Praying" will stay in the top 10
Because people can't get enough of Uncle Kracker with no personality, Sam Hunt climbed one place to number 9 with 'Body Like A Back Road"
"Slow Hands" by Niall Horan rounds out the top 10 at number 10 and looks like it may exit the top ten next week with Pink's likely top 10 arrival.
Two new entries this week, the highest of them being "Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy Williams at number 38, clearly trying to capitalise on the Spanish/Latin music boom going on right now courtesy of "Despacito"
The other a dance track from Axwell and Ingrosso entitled "More than You Know" at 48
That saw two songs that returned last week exit again this week with "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez and "Signs" by Drake leave the chart.
The largest gain of the week belonged to "Back to You" by Louis Tomlinson feat. Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals from 20 to 13. Dua Lipa's "New Rules" entered the top 20 with a climb of 6 places from number 26 last week.
No majorly big losers this week with the biggest being "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran dropping from 36 to 47.
The biggest surprise of the week is that neither of Camila Cabello's new songs that being "Havana" and "OMG" entered the ARIA top 50,
We could have a big showdown for number one next week. Will "What about Us?" knock off "Despacito (Remix)"? We'll see but if anyone can knock off "Despacito" for that number one spot in Australia, it's got to be Pink.
Instead that's not what I got.
Leaving the top ten this week was "Mama" by Jonas Blue feat. William Singe.
At number one for a thirteenth week (quite unexpectedly) was "Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber. Just how much longer it can remain at number one is in question with the loss of momentum it has suffered and with Pink's new single "What About Us?" to hit the chart next week, it's time at number one could be be numbered (thank goodness)
It's another week at number 2 for Imagine Dragons with "Thunder'. I don't see this reaching top spot though
The surprise hit though is "Glorious' by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray which climbed two places to number 3. It could very well be a challenger for number 1 if those sales numbers improve.
At number 4 is Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean with "Feels" and its feeling a one place drop this week.
Liam Payne and Quavo's "Strip That Down" lives up to its name by stripping down to number 5. Hasn't been a good week for Liam with his song with Zedd "Get Low" really struggling for any kind of traction.
At number six is "Wild Thoughts" by DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller because quite frankly a lot of the moment has gone out of it. Sales are doing nothing for it right now.
A song that has been doing well in the USA and the United Kingdom. "Unforgettable" by French Montana feat. Swae Lee climbs into the top 10 at number 7, up four places from last week. I expect this song to be top 5 next week actually.
Kesha's "Praying" slides to number 8, it should get a big boost off the release of the album "Rainbow" so I expect "Praying" will stay in the top 10
Because people can't get enough of Uncle Kracker with no personality, Sam Hunt climbed one place to number 9 with 'Body Like A Back Road"
"Slow Hands" by Niall Horan rounds out the top 10 at number 10 and looks like it may exit the top ten next week with Pink's likely top 10 arrival.
Two new entries this week, the highest of them being "Mi Gente" by J Balvin and Willy Williams at number 38, clearly trying to capitalise on the Spanish/Latin music boom going on right now courtesy of "Despacito"
The other a dance track from Axwell and Ingrosso entitled "More than You Know" at 48
That saw two songs that returned last week exit again this week with "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez and "Signs" by Drake leave the chart.
The largest gain of the week belonged to "Back to You" by Louis Tomlinson feat. Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals from 20 to 13. Dua Lipa's "New Rules" entered the top 20 with a climb of 6 places from number 26 last week.
No majorly big losers this week with the biggest being "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran dropping from 36 to 47.
The biggest surprise of the week is that neither of Camila Cabello's new songs that being "Havana" and "OMG" entered the ARIA top 50,
We could have a big showdown for number one next week. Will "What about Us?" knock off "Despacito (Remix)"? We'll see but if anyone can knock off "Despacito" for that number one spot in Australia, it's got to be Pink.
Thursday 10 August 2017
New Music Friday Review: Camila Cabello, Jamie Lawson, Rae Sremmurd
This week saw a double dose of Camila Cabello and new tracks from Jamie Lawson and...Rae Sremmurd hit New Music Friday so what did we get?
Song: OMG
Artists: Camila Cabello, Quavo
'OMG' is yet another single from the forthcoming debut album from Camila Cabello and I wish I could say that this was a track did what it intended in terms of being fun and a light weight breezy kind of song that made me feel good but this really this was boring apart from Camila attempting to rap using the staccato flow that has been heard so many times before. It's actually pretty much your standard trap song.
While Quavo uses his now standard verse (usually the third verse of the song) to reference the awful "Bad and Boujee" and Michael Jackson's moonwalk complete with your standard bragging. Ugh.
Rating: Boring and predictable which is not a good sign for this album. 3/10
Song: Havana
Artists: Camila Cabello, Young Thug (also Pharrell Williams)
Well I'll give Havana this. It's production is much more interesting and is much more playful without the trap beats and other nonsense heard through out 'OMG' even if the chorus teally isn't much chop (Seriously when was the last deep or meaningful chorus heard in a song) and is apparently about Cabello falling in love with a bad boy from Havana (Cabello's home town).
The lyrics really aren't anything special...actually they are pretty vapid but Camila's vocals really suit this kind of song even if it's just absolutely vapid most of which consistent of Cabello singing "Havana na-na-na"
Young Thug sound like or is pretending to get into the song and I guess given the instrumentation is pretty damn good.
Rating: Just a pity the song writing is awful here cause the production is alright. 4/10
Song: Can't See Straight
Artist: Jamie Lawson
A return from Jamie Lawson? I wasn't expect that but yeah Lawson is back with a new single called "Can't See Straight" from his soon to be released sophomore album "Happy Accidents". I have to say it reminds me a bit of country and folk all rolled into one in quite the strange way but still somewhat works.
It's decent enough I guess. I'll certainly talk it over the stuff Camila Cabello dished out.
Rating: 7/10
Song; Perplexing Pegasus
Artist: Rae Sremmurd.
I am really not sure I needed to see these guys back but "Perplexing Pegasus" is apparently the first single from "Sremmlife 3" and quite honestly I have no idea what either Swae Lee or Slim Jxmmi are on about here. Slim Jxmmi mentions that he has a problem in that he is in love with money while Swae Lee mentions in the chorus something about a "caterpillar whip". Um what?
Seems like a 'flexing anthem' but the production really doesn't quite fit for it to be a flexing anthem and that's not saying much for the production which is really is trap beats, a hint of piano with synthesised snaps. Blergh.
Rating: 4/10
Best of the week: Easily Jamie Lawson's "Can't See Straight"
Worst: "OMG" by Camila Cabello feat. Quavo
Next New Music Friday
"What about us?" by Pink
New Avicii apparently
"More than One of You" by Neil Finn
Let's hope that next week is better!
Song: OMG
Artists: Camila Cabello, Quavo
'OMG' is yet another single from the forthcoming debut album from Camila Cabello and I wish I could say that this was a track did what it intended in terms of being fun and a light weight breezy kind of song that made me feel good but this really this was boring apart from Camila attempting to rap using the staccato flow that has been heard so many times before. It's actually pretty much your standard trap song.
While Quavo uses his now standard verse (usually the third verse of the song) to reference the awful "Bad and Boujee" and Michael Jackson's moonwalk complete with your standard bragging. Ugh.
Rating: Boring and predictable which is not a good sign for this album. 3/10
Song: Havana
Artists: Camila Cabello, Young Thug (also Pharrell Williams)
Well I'll give Havana this. It's production is much more interesting and is much more playful without the trap beats and other nonsense heard through out 'OMG' even if the chorus teally isn't much chop (Seriously when was the last deep or meaningful chorus heard in a song) and is apparently about Cabello falling in love with a bad boy from Havana (Cabello's home town).
The lyrics really aren't anything special...actually they are pretty vapid but Camila's vocals really suit this kind of song even if it's just absolutely vapid most of which consistent of Cabello singing "Havana na-na-na"
Young Thug sound like or is pretending to get into the song and I guess given the instrumentation is pretty damn good.
Rating: Just a pity the song writing is awful here cause the production is alright. 4/10
Song: Can't See Straight
Artist: Jamie Lawson
A return from Jamie Lawson? I wasn't expect that but yeah Lawson is back with a new single called "Can't See Straight" from his soon to be released sophomore album "Happy Accidents". I have to say it reminds me a bit of country and folk all rolled into one in quite the strange way but still somewhat works.
It's decent enough I guess. I'll certainly talk it over the stuff Camila Cabello dished out.
Rating: 7/10
Song; Perplexing Pegasus
Artist: Rae Sremmurd.
I am really not sure I needed to see these guys back but "Perplexing Pegasus" is apparently the first single from "Sremmlife 3" and quite honestly I have no idea what either Swae Lee or Slim Jxmmi are on about here. Slim Jxmmi mentions that he has a problem in that he is in love with money while Swae Lee mentions in the chorus something about a "caterpillar whip". Um what?
Seems like a 'flexing anthem' but the production really doesn't quite fit for it to be a flexing anthem and that's not saying much for the production which is really is trap beats, a hint of piano with synthesised snaps. Blergh.
Rating: 4/10
Best of the week: Easily Jamie Lawson's "Can't See Straight"
Worst: "OMG" by Camila Cabello feat. Quavo
Next New Music Friday
"What about us?" by Pink
New Avicii apparently
"More than One of You" by Neil Finn
Let's hope that next week is better!
Sunday 6 August 2017
ARIA Chart: 7th August. Kesha and Sam Hunt rocket into the top 10
This week was as others would have it a mixed one, we got two new arrivals to the top ten, one that is excellent and the other being absolutely crap but we did lose "There's Nothin' Holding Me Back" by Shawn Mendes, it slid to number 13, while last week's number 10 "In the End by Linkin Park" dropped out of the ARIA Top 50 completely.
"Despacito (Remix)" by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber continues to remain an unmoveable force at number 1 for a twelfth week despite signs that it is starting to look shaky on streaming and sales, it's not number 1 in either category at the moment.
Things were stable for the top four with "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons posing rhe closest threat to "Despacito" at number 2, "Feels" by Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean stopped at number 3 and "Strip That Down" by Liam Payne feat. Quavo at number 4.
"Glorious" by Macklemore feat. Skylar Gray climbed two places off its arrival in the top 10 last week, it's at number 5.
"Wild Thoughts" continues to stumble for DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller, it falls to number 6. I don't see it regaining that momentum either given it appears to have peaked on streaming and sales aren't holding up.
At number 7 is a song I am happy to see in the top ten because it's great, that song is "Praying" by Kesha which climbed from number 16 to reach the top 10.
"Slow Hands" by Niall Horan continues it's slow fall down the chart to number 8. "Mama" by Jonas Blue feat. William Singe falls one place to number 9. Both look vulnerable to songs outside of the top 10.
What isn't vulnerable unfortunately is "Body Like a Back Road" by Sam Hunt which climbed 5 spots to round off the top ten for this week. Why people want another "Follow Me" by Uncle Kracker with even less personality and stupid lyrics is beyond me but anyway.
Beyond the top 10, the biggest gainer this week was :Dua Lipa's "New Rules" which jumped 20 places to number 46.
"Back To You" by Louis Tomlinson feat. Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals climbed six places to crack the top 20.
"Fetish" by Selena Gomez feat. Gucci Mane recovered somewhat from the fall last week to end up at number 29.
"Crying In the club" by Camila Cabello entered the top 40 climbing 5 places to number 39
The biggest loser this week was Ed Sheeran's former number 2 "Galway Girl" dropping from 29 to 36 this week.
There was one new entry from Lauv at number 50 with "I Like Me Better"
Drop outs were all the Linkin Park songs that were on the chart last week as is natural but sadly we also lost "Slide" by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos.
So with seven songs dropping out, what returned to fill those places? :"Location" by Khalid at 44, "Believer' by Imagine Dragons at 45, "Get Low" by Zedd feat. Liam Payne at 46, "Moments" by Bliss 'n' Eso feat. Gavin James at 47, "It Ain't Me" by Kygo and Selena Gomez at 48 and "Signs" by Drake at 49.
Anyway that wraps up the ARIA chart for this week. New Music Friday Review will feature both Camila Cabello songs.
Thursday 3 August 2017
New Music Friday Review: Charli XCX and Anastacia
Let's just say the pickings are slim for New Music Friday Review this week. We've got the return of a woman with an absolutely incredible voice that dominated the ARIA chart in the early 2000s and Charli XCX has dropped what is likely to be a sleeper pop hit.
Until ARIA Top Ten Review on Saturday, see you all later.
Song: Caught in the Middle
Artist: Anastacia
Anastacia was responsible for one of the biggest earworms of the early 2000s with "I'm Outta Love" spending five weeks at number 1 on the ARIA chart in 2000 and subsequently became the biggest song of 2000 in Australia, she released several other songs that have also charted well but a battle with cancer has seen her virtually disappear from the music scene until now with "Caught in the Middle" being the first single from her forthcoming album entitled "Evolution"
So what's "Caught in the Middle" like. It's actually pretty darn good, the trademark Anastacia vocals are there and brings forth plenty of difference from what we get in the current top 40 as it seems to have a very almost Indian sound which is refreshingly so different from trap beats. The lyrics are just insanely catchy and anthemic which is a surefire recipe to see this song stuck in your head.
Rating: 8/10. I like it a lot.
Song: Boys
Artist: Charli XCX
I can see this song getting annoying real fast. The chorus instrumentally sounds like somehing out of a video game and Charli XCX barely audible in singing about how her head is full of boys, all up it's a pretty shallow old pop song but hey sometimes shallow is what we need.
Look, this song lyrically or musically isn't going to bowl the world over but I can see it becoming a hit for her given the amount famous young men in the video for this song.
Rating: 5/10
Song: Run for Cover \
Artist The Killers
We have a bit of a let down here especially considering how crazy retro cool "The Man was", the song just doesn't really come to anything that would seem extremely interesting. It's not bad per se but it certainly lacks the raw addictive energy that "The Man" showed so it's a bit disappointing to me, hopefully not a sign of their forthcoming album "Wonderful Wonderful"
Rating: 5/10
Other songs released
"Either Way" by Snakehips featuring Anne Marie and and Joey Bada$$ (As far as a song like this goes, it's not that bad a song, I can see my self coming back to this one. 7/10)
"Marmalade" by Macklemore feat. Lil Yachty (Ehh. Skip it. 3/10)
"Learn to Let Go" by Kesha (The third song from Raimbow which is out next week. Seems a bit odd but this song is a nice one about learning to move on and not being bitter about the past. 7/10)
Best of the week
"Caught in the Middle" by Anastacia
Worst of the week
Macklemore seriously needs Ryan Lewis back by his side "Marmalade" with Lil Yachty is all kinds of baaad.
Next New Music Friday
Camila Cabello drops two new songs "Havana" with Young Thug and "OMG" with Quavo. (Almost obligatory he appears on the New Music Frifay playlist now)
Rae Sremmurd drop a new single called "Perplexing Pegasus"
Also new stuff from Bebe Rexha.
We'll see what else drops tomorrow! Hopefully some surprises!
You can check a playlist of my favourite songs of the year so far here:
Anastacia was responsible for one of the biggest earworms of the early 2000s with "I'm Outta Love" spending five weeks at number 1 on the ARIA chart in 2000 and subsequently became the biggest song of 2000 in Australia, she released several other songs that have also charted well but a battle with cancer has seen her virtually disappear from the music scene until now with "Caught in the Middle" being the first single from her forthcoming album entitled "Evolution"
So what's "Caught in the Middle" like. It's actually pretty darn good, the trademark Anastacia vocals are there and brings forth plenty of difference from what we get in the current top 40 as it seems to have a very almost Indian sound which is refreshingly so different from trap beats. The lyrics are just insanely catchy and anthemic which is a surefire recipe to see this song stuck in your head.
Rating: 8/10. I like it a lot.
Song: Boys
Artist: Charli XCX
I can see this song getting annoying real fast. The chorus instrumentally sounds like somehing out of a video game and Charli XCX barely audible in singing about how her head is full of boys, all up it's a pretty shallow old pop song but hey sometimes shallow is what we need.
Look, this song lyrically or musically isn't going to bowl the world over but I can see it becoming a hit for her given the amount famous young men in the video for this song.
Rating: 5/10
Song: Run for Cover \
Artist The Killers
We have a bit of a let down here especially considering how crazy retro cool "The Man was", the song just doesn't really come to anything that would seem extremely interesting. It's not bad per se but it certainly lacks the raw addictive energy that "The Man" showed so it's a bit disappointing to me, hopefully not a sign of their forthcoming album "Wonderful Wonderful"
Rating: 5/10
Other songs released
"Either Way" by Snakehips featuring Anne Marie and and Joey Bada$$ (As far as a song like this goes, it's not that bad a song, I can see my self coming back to this one. 7/10)
"Marmalade" by Macklemore feat. Lil Yachty (Ehh. Skip it. 3/10)
"Learn to Let Go" by Kesha (The third song from Raimbow which is out next week. Seems a bit odd but this song is a nice one about learning to move on and not being bitter about the past. 7/10)
Best of the week
"Caught in the Middle" by Anastacia
Worst of the week
Macklemore seriously needs Ryan Lewis back by his side "Marmalade" with Lil Yachty is all kinds of baaad.
Next New Music Friday
Camila Cabello drops two new songs "Havana" with Young Thug and "OMG" with Quavo. (Almost obligatory he appears on the New Music Frifay playlist now)
Rae Sremmurd drop a new single called "Perplexing Pegasus"
Also new stuff from Bebe Rexha.
We'll see what else drops tomorrow! Hopefully some surprises!
You can check a playlist of my favourite songs of the year so far here:
Until ARIA Top Ten Review on Saturday, see you all later.
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