So this is an idea that came to me while I was looking around a department store when I came across the latest Sony/Universal quarterly compilation "So Fresh"...now the "So Fresh" compilation records have been around in Australia since 2000 and takes a mix of current ARIA charting hits and songs that aren't on the ARIA singles chart yet (as you'll a little later on this compilation.
So let's get stuck into this beginning with...
1. "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo
Well starting with this song makes an odd amount of sense, it's the biggest song of the year on this compilation so far. I still like this A LOT even if it's moment in time has faded quite a far bit since it was number one however the line "I still fucking love you, babe" is one hell of a memorable line and I love how the production interweaves the sounds of a car through the song. This song could be one to watch at the Grammys in the Pop Vocal category.
Rating: 8/10
2. "Fly Away" by Tones and I
Tones and I will never top "Dance Monkey"...that song was a moment of lightning in a bottle that caught fire around the world however "Fly Alway" is still really good, she sounds less abrasive here than she does on "Dance Monkey". What I also like here is that the production allows Tones and I to sell the song with the chorus having an almost gospel element too it with the backing vocals and the handclaps, sure the breakdown is a little messy but hey, this works for me.
Rating: 7/10
3. "Save Your Tears" by The Weeknd
I remember being disappointed that this song was the next single from "After Hours" instead of "Faith" or "Scared to Live" however "Save Your Tears" has grown on me a fair bit due to still having the swell to work as an 80s inspired song, its almost like The Weeknd understands how to make 80s pop jams at this point so yeah I'll take this.
Rating: 7.5/10
4. "Without You" by The Kid Laroi
Look in short, I know Juice WRLD was this kid's mentor but does The Kid Laroi have to rip off Juice WRLD's brand of emo rock/rap so god damn hard and merge with elements of Simple Plan's brand of simplifying complexity especially when it feels like he just sounds like he is whining right through the song. I'm honestly happy that this got blocked from number one because yeah...this is not good.
Rating: 3/10
5. "Your Love (9pm)" by ATB, Topic and A7S
I am going to keep this short because my thoughts haven't changed on this song, I still don't like it and every time I've heard it, it's always felt like the elements don't match together and the vocals feel buried in the mix so yeah...let's move on.
Rating: 4/10
6. "Good Days" by SZA
Oh thank god...we're coming up for air for a great SZA song, this song has only gotten better every damn time I have heard and the fact that it's not a major smash hit this year kind of pisses me off. The production is gorgeous and SZA sounds amazing, it's the sort of chill song I need of a night time to de stress and chill out.
Rating: 9/10
7. "Prisoner" by Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa
Kind of want to say I think they've done Miley and Dua a bit of a disservice on the compilation because I don't remember Dua's verse getting buried in the mix on the version on "Plastic Hearts" but yeah this is still a good pop/rock song and it's a bit of fun.
Rating: 7/10
8. "Skin" by Sabrina Carpenter
Oh here we go...the song that was so obviously written and released in order to cash in on the success of "Drivers License" however unlike "Drivers License", Sabrina Carpenter's vocal delivery that ranges from Ariana Grande style cooing to somewhat mumbling that's got none of the punch of Olivia Rodrigo. Eww. Skip it.
Rating: 2/10
9. "Streets" by Doja Cat
I still somewhat like it but that beeping sound has soured me on the song a little and Doja's delivery on the second verse is still really harsh to my year especially on a song like this. Still decent but I wouldn't be surprised if it sours on me further.
Rating: 6/10
10. "Cover Me in Sunshine" by Pink and Willow Sage Hart
I don't care what anyone says, this song is so adorably innocent and sweet that I actually love it, it achieves it's designed purpose which is to bring a smile to my face and given that it's a top ten hit in Australia, it's doing the same for a lot of other people, it's a contender for my best hit songs list at the end of the year.
Rating: 9/10
11. "Arcade" by Duncan Laurence
So I will say it's been genuinely shocking a song that won the last held Eurovision Song Contest in 2019 is getting life in 2021 thanks of course to Tik Tok and yeah I actually like this a lot. The chorus has an anthemic swell and Duncan Laurence just nails the frustration that is being in love. Australia, let's make this a hit.
Rating: 8/10
12. "What Other People Say" by Demi Lovato and Sam Fischer.
This song just falls flat for me and I have no idea why...is it because it feels like another self empowerment anthem from Demi Lovato who has written and released a slew of this sort of songs? Possibly. Is it because it feels like it lacks the swell that it so desperately wants but can't achieve? Maybe. Also can't deny that Demi's vocals really do blow Sam out of the water and sounds like a song Pink would have likely rejected.
5/10
13. "Monster" by Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber
I've ignored that Shawn Mendes album that was released last year and I think this song might have been a good indication why. Shawn Mendes and Justin "I've no Charisma at all" Justin Bieber on the same song is just a disaster waiting to happen. Shawn would have been better off putting Camila Cabello on this track and for a song that's called "Monster" the song is weirdly plastic and sterile lacking any true atmosphere that might lend some darkness to the song.
Rating: 4/10
14. "Violent" by carolesdaughter
Annoying vocals, heavy use of percussion that ruins a rather pretty guitar loop. For a song called "Violent" it's pretty weak. Next.
Rating: 2/10
15. "Wellerman (Sea Shanty)/ 220 Kid x Billen Ted" by Nathan Evans, 220 Kid and Billen Ted
I am surprised this isn't absolutely huge in Australia as yet, it's doing well in Europe, it's number one on the official charts in the UK but it's not even remotely close to charting in Australia yet somehow which is weird given this EDM cover of a The Longest Johns sea shanty became huge on Tik Tok and while I like this cover, Nathan Evans does a great job here, I cannot go past The Longest Johns original. Props to this though...it's good.
Rating: 7/10
16. "All You Ever Wanted" by Rag 'n' Bone Man
So I'll keep this pretty short as I do want to talk about it in another blog entry that I am planning...this is one of the best songs of the year so far. It is a massive improvement on "Human"
Rating: 9/10
17. "Goodbye" by Imanbek and Goodboys
This song is a bit in one ear and out the other a bit like the Imanbek remix of 'Roses" with Saint Jhn that I just didn't care about at all. This just merely exists to me.
Rating: 5/10
18. "Looking for Me" by Paul Woolford, Diplo and Kareen Lomax
My opinion on this song hasn't changed since I first heard it. The vocals on the introduction are annoying as hell and unnecessary...well the vocals don't really do anything for me at all here. Pass.
Rating: 4/10
19. "Pressure" by Martin Garrix feat Tove Lo
Well, wow...this was a little disappointing. What the hell happened here? This song is the sort of bad I don't expect from an EDM producer like Martin Garrix. That atonal beat is just grating and it swamps Tove Lo's vocals to the point I cannot understand a word she is singing.
Rating: 3/10
20. "Dramatic" by Cat & Calmell
So this song from this Sydney based dance/electronic duo has been getting a lot of airplay on Triple J and I for one don't think it's a bad thing as I kind of like how the song feels like a throwback to the that The Veronicas put out around 2009. I actually enjoyed this a lot. It's not bad, the production feels really cheeky and the girls play into that.
Rating: 7/10
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