Hey y'all, this is just a quick update. You may be wondering about my next review, and, well... I'm still trying to decide on a good one. There isn't a whole lot on the US charts that I can talk about, and I don't know enough about other countries' charts to discuss those, though I may consider doing a foreign song in the future. I'm working on something, though, so stay tuned for that. Expect a sequel to my old Multi Review Hour (A bunch of smaller reviews instead of one big one) if I can't find a good song to cover.
In the meantime, I figured it might be fun to look back a bit, try something a bit different. One of my favorite things about the Billboard charts is their year-end lists. I have something of a project in the works; I'll go look back at a list and briefly discuss every single song on that list. I can't expect that I'll for sure finish this project, but since I'm fairly passionate about it, I feel I can at least get it partly done. Stay patient for that.
But yeah, I'm not dead, I'm just slow. This isn't my job, mind you, I haven't monetized this blog at all. I won't give up on you all, not yet. Stay tuned in for further updates.
Friday, November 3, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
Review: Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man
That period was on purpose. That's really how their name is formatted.
So, uh, yeah. Portugal. The Man. There's an actual rock band in the top 20 that isn't Imagine Dragons or Twenty One Pilots, hallelujah. I mean, the song's more of a psychedelic-funk-pop fusion, but you get the idea, they're a rock band that makes rock music. This could very well end up being another Foster the People or The Neighbourhood kind of situation where this is their only song anyone cares about, but I don't care. It's a hit.
Okay, a little bit of background. Portugal. The Man is a sort-of psychedelic, indie, alt-rock kind of group, they're not like most mainstream rock acts. They're kind of experimental, which is fine. They have been putting out music since at least 2005, and this song here comes from their eighth major studio album Woodstock. The song is called Feel it Still.
As you can see, the video is also fairly wacky.
You may have heard this song a few time if you've watched any commercials recently, especially in the United States. Apple, Google, and even the guys behind VitaminWater have used the song in their adverts. Yeah, this is more of an American hit, so far it's only peaked at around number 42 on the UK charts, for example. Really, though, it doesn't matter, it's on the radio over here often enough. I'm counting it.
Normally, it gets kind of annoying seeing songs get popular through commercials (Alex Clare and X Ambassadors are examples of acts that have gotten success this way), but with a song as odd as this, I don't have many problems with it. It gives the charts a bit more diversity, it's refreshing seeing something like this so popular. There's a bit of old-school charm here somewhat akin to other hits we've had this year. Still, nostalgia's a bit of an industry nowadays, and a cool one at that. Well, I guess now's a better time than ever to talk about the actual song.
This is a song built around a chorus. Quite literally, the band themselves have said the writing process started with the chorus's first line "I'm a rebel just for kicks." Rebelling for the sake of rebelling. Because someone has to do it. The rest of the song just kind of gels off of it. It's just a solid line, you can do a lot with it. Also, yes, it is to the tune of the opening lines to The Marvelettes' Please Mr. Postman, why not?
They sure do a lot with it. There's something about the lead singer's kid in there, that's pretty much what the first two verses are about. This is more to solidify the feeling of oldness. They haven't literally been feeling it since 1966, but they sure feel like it. Reminiscing about those old counter-cultural movements is more what this song's about. What do I mean?
I mean what I say. It's a song about finding connections between what happened years ago and what's going on nowadays. Even the misguided allusion to the Beastie Boys' classic (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) fits into this, as even though that song was made as a parody of "bleep the rules, I wanna party" songs, it just inspired that sort of rebellious attitude even more.
Besides that is the ancient feeling it gives off. The verses about raising a kid only add to that. This song is from the point of view of an older person who was alive around 1966, or at least feels that way, and it shows. The album it's from is even called Woodstock, there's no subtlety to that, and you know what? That's totally fine. It gets the point across. Old people feel old, but also see a bit of a connection to their youth in the turbulence surrounding them. Jeez, there's even a fairly subtle connection between the Berlin Wall and the reactions to the proposed US-Mexico border wall ("We could wait until the walls come down... it's time to give a little to the kids in the middle but oh, until it falls, it won't bother me."). It's subtle, but that's pretty obviously what they're going for.
I think the verse that does it for me is the third one (the one with the line about the walls). It's a bitterly ironic one, talking about "fighting wars for peace" and "giving in to that easy feeling." It's directed at those who delibrately choose inaction, to go along with the flow and be blindly happy about whatever's going on, and punches are not pulled. Giving a little to the kids in the middle ain't gonna do much, but tearing that wall down sure will. It's brilliant.
Hey, if you're looking for something to rebel to, this is fine. Obvious commercial fodder, but hey, I like my commercial fodder. It's lively, it's energetic, it's inspiriting, and I love it. The album's alright, too. Next time, we're getting a bit more sane.
This is a song built around a chorus. Quite literally, the band themselves have said the writing process started with the chorus's first line "I'm a rebel just for kicks." Rebelling for the sake of rebelling. Because someone has to do it. The rest of the song just kind of gels off of it. It's just a solid line, you can do a lot with it. Also, yes, it is to the tune of the opening lines to The Marvelettes' Please Mr. Postman, why not?
They sure do a lot with it. There's something about the lead singer's kid in there, that's pretty much what the first two verses are about. This is more to solidify the feeling of oldness. They haven't literally been feeling it since 1966, but they sure feel like it. Reminiscing about those old counter-cultural movements is more what this song's about. What do I mean?
I mean what I say. It's a song about finding connections between what happened years ago and what's going on nowadays. Even the misguided allusion to the Beastie Boys' classic (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!) fits into this, as even though that song was made as a parody of "bleep the rules, I wanna party" songs, it just inspired that sort of rebellious attitude even more.
Besides that is the ancient feeling it gives off. The verses about raising a kid only add to that. This song is from the point of view of an older person who was alive around 1966, or at least feels that way, and it shows. The album it's from is even called Woodstock, there's no subtlety to that, and you know what? That's totally fine. It gets the point across. Old people feel old, but also see a bit of a connection to their youth in the turbulence surrounding them. Jeez, there's even a fairly subtle connection between the Berlin Wall and the reactions to the proposed US-Mexico border wall ("We could wait until the walls come down... it's time to give a little to the kids in the middle but oh, until it falls, it won't bother me."). It's subtle, but that's pretty obviously what they're going for.
I think the verse that does it for me is the third one (the one with the line about the walls). It's a bitterly ironic one, talking about "fighting wars for peace" and "giving in to that easy feeling." It's directed at those who delibrately choose inaction, to go along with the flow and be blindly happy about whatever's going on, and punches are not pulled. Giving a little to the kids in the middle ain't gonna do much, but tearing that wall down sure will. It's brilliant.
Hey, if you're looking for something to rebel to, this is fine. Obvious commercial fodder, but hey, I like my commercial fodder. It's lively, it's energetic, it's inspiriting, and I love it. The album's alright, too. Next time, we're getting a bit more sane.
SCORE: 8/10
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Review: Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift
It's like she took her legacy and threw it in an incinerator and left the door open to watch it burn.
Taylor Swift. She needs no introduction. She deserves no introduction. Everyone and their mother knows who this person is. I mean, maybe you don't if you're outside the United States, I don't know, I know a few of my readers are. I'll explain briefly.
Taylor Swift is a former country singer from Nashville, Tennessee who got her break writing and singing relatable country songs for fellow young people. Silly love songs. Breakup songs. She connected to the youth like no other country singer could, and she was successful doing this.
Eventually, around 2012, she started to transition into straight-up pop music. That year she released Red, an album which was mostly pop-country. There were straight country songs and straight pop songs, but it was mostly a blend. In 2014, however, she released 1989, an album which was basically just pop, no country to be seen. Needless to say, it was even more successful than Red and provided Swift with some of her biggest hit singles to date. Now, in 2017, she is set to release her next album Reputation this November, set to have another fairly dramatic career direction change to a harsher electropop sound. She recently released the first single from that album, titled Look What You Made Me Do.
Needless to say, it was polarizing. There were those who liked it for the sudden and bold stylistic change, and others hated it for that exact reason. It's an odd song, certainly, one that might take me a while to explain. Am I up for the challenge? Probably not. I'll try anyway.
So, this song is a dark, edgy bit of electropop with elements of electroclash (a style of electronic music that was vaguely popular in the late 1990s). Also, remember when I talked about Jack Antonoff a few reviews ago (the guy from fun who wrote that one song from Fifty Shades Darker that also had Swift on it)? Yeah, he produced and co-wrote this. You wanna know who else wrote this? The guys from Right Said Fred. How?
Well, would you believe me if I told you the chorus interpolates the chorus of Right Said Fred's hit single I'm Too Sexy? It's true. Trust me, it's as jarring as it sounds. Basically, Swift sings "Ooh, look what you made me do" in the exact same manner as that which Richard Fairbrass says the immortal line "I'm too sexy for my shirt." I have two problems with this. One, it sounds clumsy and arrogant. Two, sampling I'm Too Sexy is, in 99% of circumstances, a terrible idea. It's a classic, and I will hear no counterarguments. It's a masterpiece. Literal perfection.
Of course I'm kidding, but it's still a terrible idea. I'm Too Sexy was a deeply ironic critique of the fashion industry. This loses all of that depth and dives straight into pettiness. It ends up leaving us with probably the worst chorus Taylor Swift has ever made, and possibly the worst chorus of 2017. This is on the level of last year's worst choruses. It's barely even a chorus, there's less going on than there is in any of the verses. I know the chorus is usually the spot in a song with the least amount of lyrical depth, but jeez, it doesn't even get the point across. "Look what you made me do?" What did we make you do?
That's barely even getting into the lyrical content. It's so clearly about her feuds with Kanye West and Katy Perry that it isn't even subtle. I'm pretty sure I heard some lyrical allusions to Perry's own Swish Swish from her most recent album, a song that, while not great, at least had a groove to it. At least Katy Perry had swagger. This has about as much swagger as a corpse in a centuries-old graveyard.
This song is the embodiment of pettiness. Look, I get Taylor Swift is usually fairly petty. She makes pettiness anthems like they're coming out of style, but this is probably the worst offender. Not only is it petty, it is arrogant and absolutely edgy. The constant whining and pettiness coming from the lyrics is legitimately unbearable to handle. Here is a link to the lyrics, I couldn't even begin to describe them in detail. It isn't even just the lyrics, it's the delivery. The whining is apparent from the first few lines. You can tell she feels very entitled to her opinion, whether you like it or not. Her tone is absolutely grating in every single line, from the full-of-herself monotone to the shrill tones of the pre-chorus. It's awful, bottom line.
So yeah, this is the worst pop song of the year so far. Not only is it bad, it's Taylor Swift giving her own career the middle finger. She says it herself. "I'm sorry, the old Taylor...she's dead!" She's reinventing her career again, only it's gone backwards this time around. It's terrible, and her follow-up single ...Ready for It? wasn't much better. I'm not looking forward to the album.
Next time, I have no idea.
SCORE: 2.75/10
Taylor Swift is a former country singer from Nashville, Tennessee who got her break writing and singing relatable country songs for fellow young people. Silly love songs. Breakup songs. She connected to the youth like no other country singer could, and she was successful doing this.
Eventually, around 2012, she started to transition into straight-up pop music. That year she released Red, an album which was mostly pop-country. There were straight country songs and straight pop songs, but it was mostly a blend. In 2014, however, she released 1989, an album which was basically just pop, no country to be seen. Needless to say, it was even more successful than Red and provided Swift with some of her biggest hit singles to date. Now, in 2017, she is set to release her next album Reputation this November, set to have another fairly dramatic career direction change to a harsher electropop sound. She recently released the first single from that album, titled Look What You Made Me Do.
Needless to say, it was polarizing. There were those who liked it for the sudden and bold stylistic change, and others hated it for that exact reason. It's an odd song, certainly, one that might take me a while to explain. Am I up for the challenge? Probably not. I'll try anyway.
So, this song is a dark, edgy bit of electropop with elements of electroclash (a style of electronic music that was vaguely popular in the late 1990s). Also, remember when I talked about Jack Antonoff a few reviews ago (the guy from fun who wrote that one song from Fifty Shades Darker that also had Swift on it)? Yeah, he produced and co-wrote this. You wanna know who else wrote this? The guys from Right Said Fred. How?
Well, would you believe me if I told you the chorus interpolates the chorus of Right Said Fred's hit single I'm Too Sexy? It's true. Trust me, it's as jarring as it sounds. Basically, Swift sings "Ooh, look what you made me do" in the exact same manner as that which Richard Fairbrass says the immortal line "I'm too sexy for my shirt." I have two problems with this. One, it sounds clumsy and arrogant. Two, sampling I'm Too Sexy is, in 99% of circumstances, a terrible idea. It's a classic, and I will hear no counterarguments. It's a masterpiece. Literal perfection.
Of course I'm kidding, but it's still a terrible idea. I'm Too Sexy was a deeply ironic critique of the fashion industry. This loses all of that depth and dives straight into pettiness. It ends up leaving us with probably the worst chorus Taylor Swift has ever made, and possibly the worst chorus of 2017. This is on the level of last year's worst choruses. It's barely even a chorus, there's less going on than there is in any of the verses. I know the chorus is usually the spot in a song with the least amount of lyrical depth, but jeez, it doesn't even get the point across. "Look what you made me do?" What did we make you do?
That's barely even getting into the lyrical content. It's so clearly about her feuds with Kanye West and Katy Perry that it isn't even subtle. I'm pretty sure I heard some lyrical allusions to Perry's own Swish Swish from her most recent album, a song that, while not great, at least had a groove to it. At least Katy Perry had swagger. This has about as much swagger as a corpse in a centuries-old graveyard.
This song is the embodiment of pettiness. Look, I get Taylor Swift is usually fairly petty. She makes pettiness anthems like they're coming out of style, but this is probably the worst offender. Not only is it petty, it is arrogant and absolutely edgy. The constant whining and pettiness coming from the lyrics is legitimately unbearable to handle. Here is a link to the lyrics, I couldn't even begin to describe them in detail. It isn't even just the lyrics, it's the delivery. The whining is apparent from the first few lines. You can tell she feels very entitled to her opinion, whether you like it or not. Her tone is absolutely grating in every single line, from the full-of-herself monotone to the shrill tones of the pre-chorus. It's awful, bottom line.
So yeah, this is the worst pop song of the year so far. Not only is it bad, it's Taylor Swift giving her own career the middle finger. She says it herself. "I'm sorry, the old Taylor...she's dead!" She's reinventing her career again, only it's gone backwards this time around. It's terrible, and her follow-up single ...Ready for It? wasn't much better. I'm not looking forward to the album.
Next time, I have no idea.
SCORE: 2.75/10
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Review: Bodak Yellow by Cardi B
Missed me?
Welcome back to the blog. I went on a bit of an unannounced hiatus a few months back, and I'm sorry for that. I had a few reasons, but most important was I was feeling burnt out. There was nothing in the music world worth writing about, and I couldn't be bothered to make another Leagueposting (though maybe I could do one in the near future, League of Legends is kind of a mess right now and is only gonna get messier). So, for a few months, I waited. Now that school's back in for me, I can focus on the blog again. Because, really, whenever school's around, I want to think about literally anything else. But anyway, let's get on with the show.
Here's a question. Has anyone here watched Love & Hip Hop? Well, knowing my demographic, probably not. It's a show featuring various women involved in the rap industry in some way, whether they actually be rappers or friends of friends of rappers (Yes, I said "friends of" twice on purpose.). Today, we'll be talking about an actual rapper who was on the show, Cardi B.
Cardi B is the pseudonym of Belcalis Almanzar, a social media personality who got her start as an actual stripper (this is why I don't want kids reading this blog) before quitting that line of work and transitioning into music in 2015. Around that time, she joined the cast of Love & Hip Hop: New York, appearing on the show throughout its sixth and seventh seasons. She ultimately left to focus on her music, and the result was Bodak Yellow, a single that interpolates the flow of fellow rapper Kodak Black's single No Flockin'.
To say this song didn't get big suddenly would be a lie. This is an artist who had never charted a single on the Hot 100 up to that point, and she made it to the top 3 within seven weeks, and as of writing she's still there. Now, whether Taylor Swift's song ends up making it drop a few spaces has yet to be seen (but trust me, we'll talk about that one eventually), but for now it's a total beast. Is it any good? Let's just see about that.
Normally, these trap hits have a bit of a crutch. That crutch is the beat. The beat is the backing track produced by, well, the producer. Even otherwise mediocre or terrible songs can be saved by solid or infectiously-catchy beats (examples include Tunnel Vision by the aforementioned Kodak Black, Magnolia by Playboi Carti, and Mask Off by Future). What does this song have?
Nothing memorable. Just kind of a basic beat. I barely even remember what it sounds like.
Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it's sort of a blessing. It allows you to pay better attention to the lyrics themselves as well as Cardi B's performance. She's a strong, independent (well, not totally independent, she's still on a label) rapper who don't need no crutch. Honestly, it's refreshing to see this kind of old-fashioned approach to rapping from a newer face. Congratulations, Cardi B, you caught my interest. Now keep it.
It really isn't fair to judge the performance when it comes to hip hop, but that just means I'll have to go extra hard on the lyrical content. There's no singing, it's rough, it's edgy, it's all rap. It's not a clean song, it's not a pop song, this isn't Nicki Minaj we're talking about. This is very definitely trap. What does that mean for the lyrics? It's not a good sign. Trap hits tend to be very much about the same things: Money, drugs and intercourse.
This does not stray far from that. It's a very crude track, and also very unapologetic. It reminds me a little bit of Young M.A. in that regard. Young M.A. is a fellow rapper who became a bit of a one-hit wonder with her single Ooouuu earlier this year, and it was an equally crude and unapologetic track. Bodak Yellow is a bit more polished and focuses a bit more on the wealth aspect.
But yeah, back to Bodak Yellow. Sex, drugs, money. Does Cardi have anything to add to that? Well, yes, actually. There's actually kind of a theme here. This song is basically about how she used to be a stripper, but she developed a strong work ethic and now she isn't. Good for her. She's fully willing to brag about it, but she seems grateful, at least. It reflects in her lyrics. Sure, she'll talk about how good her sex is, and she has no qualms admitting ties to the Bloods street gang, but you know, that's just how she rolls. She doesn't have to dance now, she makes money moves.
Overall, yeah, it's alright. Not amazing, it doesn't really stand out in any way. I'm just glad there's a rap song that can actually have some focus. I'll give credit where credit is due, she's talented. No garbage this time, sorry. Maybe next time... actually, yes, next time. Promise I'll cover garbage next time, okay?
RATING: 7/10
Normally, these trap hits have a bit of a crutch. That crutch is the beat. The beat is the backing track produced by, well, the producer. Even otherwise mediocre or terrible songs can be saved by solid or infectiously-catchy beats (examples include Tunnel Vision by the aforementioned Kodak Black, Magnolia by Playboi Carti, and Mask Off by Future). What does this song have?
Nothing memorable. Just kind of a basic beat. I barely even remember what it sounds like.
Now, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it's sort of a blessing. It allows you to pay better attention to the lyrics themselves as well as Cardi B's performance. She's a strong, independent (well, not totally independent, she's still on a label) rapper who don't need no crutch. Honestly, it's refreshing to see this kind of old-fashioned approach to rapping from a newer face. Congratulations, Cardi B, you caught my interest. Now keep it.
It really isn't fair to judge the performance when it comes to hip hop, but that just means I'll have to go extra hard on the lyrical content. There's no singing, it's rough, it's edgy, it's all rap. It's not a clean song, it's not a pop song, this isn't Nicki Minaj we're talking about. This is very definitely trap. What does that mean for the lyrics? It's not a good sign. Trap hits tend to be very much about the same things: Money, drugs and intercourse.
This does not stray far from that. It's a very crude track, and also very unapologetic. It reminds me a little bit of Young M.A. in that regard. Young M.A. is a fellow rapper who became a bit of a one-hit wonder with her single Ooouuu earlier this year, and it was an equally crude and unapologetic track. Bodak Yellow is a bit more polished and focuses a bit more on the wealth aspect.
But yeah, back to Bodak Yellow. Sex, drugs, money. Does Cardi have anything to add to that? Well, yes, actually. There's actually kind of a theme here. This song is basically about how she used to be a stripper, but she developed a strong work ethic and now she isn't. Good for her. She's fully willing to brag about it, but she seems grateful, at least. It reflects in her lyrics. Sure, she'll talk about how good her sex is, and she has no qualms admitting ties to the Bloods street gang, but you know, that's just how she rolls. She doesn't have to dance now, she makes money moves.
Overall, yeah, it's alright. Not amazing, it doesn't really stand out in any way. I'm just glad there's a rap song that can actually have some focus. I'll give credit where credit is due, she's talented. No garbage this time, sorry. Maybe next time... actually, yes, next time. Promise I'll cover garbage next time, okay?
RATING: 7/10
Sunday, April 9, 2017
Review: Body Like a Back Road (Sam Hunt)
My first country review. Aren't you proud?
Sam Hunt is the quintessential pop country act of the 2010s. What, you thought that was Taylor Swift? She doesn't even count as country anymore. Now we have the 32-year-old Sam Hunt to fill that pop country void. He'll tell you he's more country, but there's definitely a lot of pop and R&B influence in his music. Here we have his second major pop crossover, Body Like a Back Road, a song about... well, you'll see.
There are a few reasons I chose to use the lyric video for this one. One, there's no music video for this thing; the only other upload of this song is just a close-up picture of a road. The other... I just want you to get a load of those lyrics. They're the fun part.
But first, how does the song actually sound? There's a light, care-free attitude on this thing that's more reminiscent of earlier pop country than the bro country that was ever-present a few years ago and that Sam Hunt paraded endlessly. Honestly, it's refreshing by Sam Hunt's standards (which aren't very high, but I digress), way to go. I can see why this was picked up for pop radio, it's got a fairly upbeat tone as far as most modern country goes, and Sam Hunt does well to fit that. That's one positive. Are there any other?
...nah. The lyrics just plain kill me. The title basically tells you all you need to know. He's comparing this woman's body, the curves especially, to a back road. You know, dirty country roads that no one else travels along because it's easy to get lost and they're only really good for looking at scenery on? But of course, since Sam Hunt is a Country Boy™, he knows that body like the back of his hand. In fact, he's going to go as slow as he can physically make himself. You know what that means, right?
Sex.
Why do I keep covering the lousy sex songs? Why can't I get something Marvin Gaye would be proud of? Well, I suppose it's not ALL about sex. There are also lines about how "the way she fit in them blue jeans, she don't need no belt." Don't worry, he can turn them inside out without any help. There's also... stuff about driving around, watching the scenery, enjoying nature... and making out while you do it. Jeez, this song is gross.
That's my idea of an emotional response for you. It's gross, it's icky, it's uncomfortable. Hey, it feels good to listen to, at least. Overall, this song is about as middle-of-the-road as it gets. I want to rank it lower, but I'm enjoying the production too much. Maybe by the end of the year I'll hate it as much as I want to, but for now, here's a middling, mediocre score. Who knows what I'll cover next time...
SCORE: 5/10
Review: Rockabye (Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie
ALL THE SINGLE LADIES who are stuck raising children NOW PUT YOUR HANDS UP.
I figured I'd cover a more international hit this time around. It's not that none of the songs on the charts are good, it's just that I'd like to cover something that's not as insanely successful in the United States as it is overseas. I think I've found the right song for that.
This is Rockabye, a bit of dancehall-ish tropical house by British electronic group Clean Bandit, featuring vocals from Jamaican recording artist Sean Paul and British singer and songwriter (but not always a singer-songwriter) Anne-Marie. This song has been absolutely massive internationally (especially in the UK and Australia) yet has only made it into the top 10 very recently because of an iTunes sale. Am I happy it's finally in the Top 10, or do I wish it never crossed over at all? Let's figure that out.
Well, first off, this is nothing like most of their other material. Clean Bandit tend to like to use lots of classical instruments in their recordings, with each member knowing how to play actual instruments instead of just knowing how to press buttons on a table. I mean, sure, the intro and outro all feature their signature instruments, but this is a lot more... tropical than usual. Yep, it's time for Yet Another Tropical House Song!
Honestly, I don't try to cover so many tropical house/dancehall-ish pop tracks, it's just what's in right now. Blame Justin Bieber's comeback in 2015. It sounds nice, though I do admit it doesn't feel very inspired. When it comes to the sound department, other Clean Bandit songs just feel a lot better. Rather Be, their last hit, was so much more interesting and fun, and this is just kind of... okay. Good. Decent. Nothing great.
That's kind of how I'd describe the song as a whole, really. I mean, I guess there's the lyrics? They're about a single mother trying to raise a child, it's tough. That's nice, I guess. But yeah, it's... slightly above average. I really can't think of much else to say, it's just... eh. It's alright. Next time maybe I'll cover a song that brings about a more emotional response in me, but for now... eh. There's this.
SCORE: 6.5/10
Honestly, I don't try to cover so many tropical house/dancehall-ish pop tracks, it's just what's in right now. Blame Justin Bieber's comeback in 2015. It sounds nice, though I do admit it doesn't feel very inspired. When it comes to the sound department, other Clean Bandit songs just feel a lot better. Rather Be, their last hit, was so much more interesting and fun, and this is just kind of... okay. Good. Decent. Nothing great.
That's kind of how I'd describe the song as a whole, really. I mean, I guess there's the lyrics? They're about a single mother trying to raise a child, it's tough. That's nice, I guess. But yeah, it's... slightly above average. I really can't think of much else to say, it's just... eh. It's alright. Next time maybe I'll cover a song that brings about a more emotional response in me, but for now... eh. There's this.
SCORE: 6.5/10
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Review: I Don't Wanna Live Forever (Zayn and Taylor Swift)
This was a mistake.
So, the movie Fifty Shades Darker was just recently released. It is the sequel (which no one asked for) to the hit erotic drama Fifty Shades of Grey, a film about a semi-abusive relationship being treated romantically. In the sequel, the two grow closer as people or something, I don't know, I'll never see it. Besides, I'm more interested in the soundtrack. Last year, two top-3 hits came off of that soundtrack. This year, we have a single top-2 hit: I Don't Wanna Live Forever. It's a collaboration between former One Direction member Zayn Malik (or simply Zayn) and former country singer Taylor Swift. How does it hold up, considering how much of a mixed bag last movie's soundtrack was? Let's figure that out for ourselves.
For now, we'll talk about the sound itself. We can blame Jack Antonoff for the sound on this thing. He's the lead guitarist for Fun, a Grammy Award-winning indie pop-rock act that was briefly popular in 2012 and even more briefly in 2013; the went on hiatus in 2015. Antonoff is the producer of this thing, and one of the three writers (along with Swift and songwriter Sam Dew). When I think about it... boy, this does sound kind of like a Fun song.
As in, it sounds like a song by the band Fun, and not that the song is in any way fun. That "millennial whoop" in the chorus (God I hate that term), the overblown sound, the trying-too-hard-to-sound-meaningful thing that's always been a problem with indie pop/rock... it's got all of that in an electro-R&B package. Fun could pull that off well; these two cannot.
You see, Fun have a very theatrical, over-the-top style that makes their problems not so problematic. Fun are, well, fun. This is not fun in the slightest. It's meant to be sad, it's meant to be sultry. Fun were never good at that. They're all about big emotions, not subtlety or romance. Out of production like this I would probably expect something... more. More of what, I don't know. It just feels very empty.
So yeah, the sound flopped. What about our performers? If you've followed my blog, you probably know that I'm not especially fond of Zayn. His debut album without One Direction was lousy, and the lead single from said album, Pillowtalk, was absolutely abysmal. Here... he's still Zayn. The falsetto is fairly annoying, though I have to admit it's challenging to try and make a falsetto sound good in popular music. As for Taylor Swift... what do you want me to say? It's Taylor Swift. Moving on.
This is a lyrically boring song, that's for sure. Allow me to summarize the entire song in one sentence: Two former lovers want to get back together. That's basically it. You'd think that in a movie in a franchise famous for the kinky sex (which is, admittedly, rather tame), the soundtrack would be more... sexy. Rather, it tries to focus on the part that no one cares about: The romance. It's sort of related to Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey's relationship at the beginning of the movie. Yes, those are horrible names. It's a horrible franchise, so I wouldn't expect any better. But anyway... actually, never mind. It's not worth trying to dissect this any further.
So... yeah. I don't wanna live forever, either. This is a bad song, no doubt about it. It's horribly forgettable, horribly expendable, and horribly unsexy. Go ahead and listen to the song if you want, but if you end up hating it... hey, I warned you.
SCORE: 4/10
For now, we'll talk about the sound itself. We can blame Jack Antonoff for the sound on this thing. He's the lead guitarist for Fun, a Grammy Award-winning indie pop-rock act that was briefly popular in 2012 and even more briefly in 2013; the went on hiatus in 2015. Antonoff is the producer of this thing, and one of the three writers (along with Swift and songwriter Sam Dew). When I think about it... boy, this does sound kind of like a Fun song.
As in, it sounds like a song by the band Fun, and not that the song is in any way fun. That "millennial whoop" in the chorus (God I hate that term), the overblown sound, the trying-too-hard-to-sound-meaningful thing that's always been a problem with indie pop/rock... it's got all of that in an electro-R&B package. Fun could pull that off well; these two cannot.
You see, Fun have a very theatrical, over-the-top style that makes their problems not so problematic. Fun are, well, fun. This is not fun in the slightest. It's meant to be sad, it's meant to be sultry. Fun were never good at that. They're all about big emotions, not subtlety or romance. Out of production like this I would probably expect something... more. More of what, I don't know. It just feels very empty.
So yeah, the sound flopped. What about our performers? If you've followed my blog, you probably know that I'm not especially fond of Zayn. His debut album without One Direction was lousy, and the lead single from said album, Pillowtalk, was absolutely abysmal. Here... he's still Zayn. The falsetto is fairly annoying, though I have to admit it's challenging to try and make a falsetto sound good in popular music. As for Taylor Swift... what do you want me to say? It's Taylor Swift. Moving on.
This is a lyrically boring song, that's for sure. Allow me to summarize the entire song in one sentence: Two former lovers want to get back together. That's basically it. You'd think that in a movie in a franchise famous for the kinky sex (which is, admittedly, rather tame), the soundtrack would be more... sexy. Rather, it tries to focus on the part that no one cares about: The romance. It's sort of related to Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey's relationship at the beginning of the movie. Yes, those are horrible names. It's a horrible franchise, so I wouldn't expect any better. But anyway... actually, never mind. It's not worth trying to dissect this any further.
So... yeah. I don't wanna live forever, either. This is a bad song, no doubt about it. It's horribly forgettable, horribly expendable, and horribly unsexy. Go ahead and listen to the song if you want, but if you end up hating it... hey, I warned you.
SCORE: 4/10
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Review: Bad and Boujee (Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert)
I memed too hard and became depressed. Still don't regret a thing.
I'm sure you kids all know what a meme is. If you don't, then I'm not going to explain it to you. The definition is harder to understand than the word is. So, yeah, kids these days are all about the memes. What's this got to do with music?
To put it simply, memes have impacted the popular world of music for a few years now. Songs like Gangnam Style, Harlem Shake, and The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) that wouldn't have been popular otherwise managed to be successes as a result of the power of memes. Heck, our last number one, Black Beatles, got big as a result of the Mannequin Challenge, a (say it with me) meme. It looks like we've got another one right here.
This is Bad and Boujee, a collaboration between Lawrenceville-based rap group Migos (consisting of cousins Offset, Quavo and Takeoff) and Philadelpha-based rapper Lil Uzi Vert. The production is handled by Metro Boomin (aka Young Metro), a producer and DJ from St. Louis who is best known for having produced various successful rap songs since 2014, including Low Life, Wicked (both by Future, though the first has a chorus by The Weeknd), Father Stretch My Hands pt. 1 (Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi and Kelly Price), and Jumpman (collaboration between Drake and the aforementioned Future). This is a fairly popular song on the Internet right now, with various memes being made off of it. Thanks to these, plus the already-monstrous streaming and sales, this thing managed to top the Billboard Hot 100... you know why I'm here. Let's talk about this.
You can't expect a lot in the lyrics department with trap music. It's all about sex, drugs, and materialistic possessions. These guys are totally happy to be rich and are gonna flaunt it. This is expressed well in the title, Bad and Boujee. The word "Boujee" is a shortening of "bourgeois," which symbolizes the materialistic concerns and lifestyles of these rappers and the many women they know. It's been done before, and it ain't gonna stop anytime soon.
Okay, I'd like to admit something. I'm definitely not the right person to be reviewing this. I have no idea what most of these lyrics mean, I need Genius to understand most of these. There are various references to very specific varieties of drugs and cars, and the song is very-deeply rooted in the trap culture of the southern United States. Honestly, maybe someone who's a member of that scene would appreciate this song a lot more than I would. Then again, they may think it's a very lousy interpretation. Who knows?
Let's talk about my mortal enemy, Metro Boomin. Sometimes he's Young Metro. Sometimes he's just Metro. Either way, he's the producer of this thing. I like to blame this guy for all of my problems, mostly because, well, he hasn't done a whole lot of good work. He's produced some of the most drab, depressing, yet painfully catchy beats I think I've ever heard. Despite this catchiness, the beat still isn't very good. The low, plodding piano with some sort of bell-like sound do not go well together, and not even the drum is enough to save it.
So yeah, I really don't care for this song. It's not bad, per se, but it's definitely not good. It's... mediocre. Below average. It's a song that deserves to be forgotten in five years. That's likely what's going to happen, at least.
SCORE: 4.5/10
You can't expect a lot in the lyrics department with trap music. It's all about sex, drugs, and materialistic possessions. These guys are totally happy to be rich and are gonna flaunt it. This is expressed well in the title, Bad and Boujee. The word "Boujee" is a shortening of "bourgeois," which symbolizes the materialistic concerns and lifestyles of these rappers and the many women they know. It's been done before, and it ain't gonna stop anytime soon.
Okay, I'd like to admit something. I'm definitely not the right person to be reviewing this. I have no idea what most of these lyrics mean, I need Genius to understand most of these. There are various references to very specific varieties of drugs and cars, and the song is very-deeply rooted in the trap culture of the southern United States. Honestly, maybe someone who's a member of that scene would appreciate this song a lot more than I would. Then again, they may think it's a very lousy interpretation. Who knows?
Let's talk about my mortal enemy, Metro Boomin. Sometimes he's Young Metro. Sometimes he's just Metro. Either way, he's the producer of this thing. I like to blame this guy for all of my problems, mostly because, well, he hasn't done a whole lot of good work. He's produced some of the most drab, depressing, yet painfully catchy beats I think I've ever heard. Despite this catchiness, the beat still isn't very good. The low, plodding piano with some sort of bell-like sound do not go well together, and not even the drum is enough to save it.
So yeah, I really don't care for this song. It's not bad, per se, but it's definitely not good. It's... mediocre. Below average. It's a song that deserves to be forgotten in five years. That's likely what's going to happen, at least.
SCORE: 4.5/10
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
BONUS: hate u love u (Olivia O'Brien solo version)
There's a number of reasons people seem to give. It's depressing an unpleasant. The production is minimal, almost nonexistent. The lyrics are confused, unfocused, and all over the place. The most common complaint I seem to see, however, is the performers, Gnash especially. A lot of the problems people have with the song are a result of the man in the above thumbnail, from his verse contradicting the rest of the song to just plain sounding bored. Well, what if I told you there's a version that's completely void of Gnash's involvement?
For one, the narrative is tons more focused. When you realize the song takes place from the view of a high school student, and then you cut out Gnash's verse, the lyrics make a whole lot more sense. It's not about two exes, it's one ex's feelings about another. No complications, it's all very simple. It's very raw, very honest.
Plus, there's actual production here. I can't figure out who's producing here, but I'm pretty certain it's not Gnash again. Though the pianos sound somewhat compressed during the choruses, it feels like an actual song at least. The cymbals, the snares, it all works well here for how brief it is. The song just feels bigger the longer it goes on, like it really should.
So yeah, I have very little to say about this. Honestly, if this version had been the hit instead of the Gnash version, it probably would have made the top 10. So, yeah, that's that. The next review's coming up shortly, so stay tuned.
SCORE: 8.5/10
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2016
It's time to brush off all of the garbage and look through the gold! That's right, I'm counting down the very best of the best, the cream of the crop, of 2016. Remember my previous rules, and know that this time, I will be including two extra honorable mentions. I felt that after all of the bashing and raging, I didn't want 2016 to die out in a whimper. I wanted this year to be remembered for years to come. So, with that out of the way, let's get this show on the road!
Too Good by Drake ft. Rihanna
i hate u, i love u by Gnash ft. Olivia O'Brien
All In My Head (Flex) by Fifth Harmony ft. Fetty Wap
Tiimmy Turner by Desiigner
Perfect by One Direction
This song notched the very bottom slot of the year-end list, and I'm happy for it. I've heard some say it's a response to Style, a Taylor Swift song that's been rumored to be about her former relationship with Harry Styles, a member of One Direction. If it is, then it certainly shows that Harry handled the situation a lot more gracefully. It's fairly upbeat by failed-relationship-song standards, so it's got that going for it. Otherwise, yeah, not much to say it's a generally pleasant counterpart to the bittersweet Style, go ahead and check it out, this band really started to get tolerable after their second or third album, do not underestimate them.
Don't Let Me Down by the Chainsmokers ft. Daya
Cheap Thrills by Sia ft. Sean Paul
Number 10: Ride by Twenty One Pilots
Number 9: Ex's & Oh's by Elle King
Number 8: Roses by The Chainsmokers ft. Rozes
Number 7: Cold Water by Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ
Number 6: Starboy by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk
Number 5: Let Me Love You by DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber
Number 4: In the Night by The Weeknd
Number 3: Hymn for the Weekend by Coldplay
Number 2: I Took a Pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix) by Mike Posner
Number 1: Into You by Ariana Grande
Honorable Mentions
Too Good by Drake ft. Rihanna
(this song does not have a music video and I didn't want to encourage piracy so just listen to this song on Spotify or something)
This is a confusing song, and I'm not really sure what to make of it. Is it really that great? I don't know. Maybe it's just the overall sound this song is going for. It's partially inspired by Soca music, a genre originating in Trinidad and Tobago in the 1970s. There's also a bit of R&B in there, but overall it's just plain moody. Seriously, this song is depressing. It's about a failed relationship where neither partner is really satisfying the other in any way, whether sexually or romantically, but they still want to fix everything and make things work out. It's kind of similar to Take Care, a song the pair put out back in 2012 about an equally-troubled relationship. I liked that song quite a bit, so that might be influencing my feelings quite a bit here. Overall, it's a pretty decent song.
i hate u, i love u by Gnash ft. Olivia O'Brien
Never doubt the power of a lousy haircut. This song has been my mortal enemy since I first heard it on Spotify earlier this 2016, mostly because I could never justify why I liked it so much. Pretty much everyone else I ask has said they hate this thing. It's too whiny, too depressing, not performed well at all, etc. I don't know how you feel about that, but I just really like the song. Do I have a good reason for why? No. But hey, I like depressing songs as long as that's what they're going for, and this is definitely an example of that. An honorable mention placement feels oddly prophetic, like it was meant to be ever since I first heard it. This is one prophecy I'm glad came true.
All In My Head (Flex) by Fifth Harmony ft. Fetty Wap
If you haven't realized it yet, I'm not too keen on Fifth Harmony. If I'm going to listen to a pop girl group, I'll just listen to The Spice Girls. This song is, for the most part, the exception. I think it might be Fetty Wap's absolutely magnetic presence on the third verse. He draws you in like nothing else, it's crazy. The members of Fifth Harmony themselves don't give bad performances themselves, each contributing something to the song in question that is at least memorable. I can actually tell them all apart now, for one thing. It's a party song about sex that's actually sort of sexy. Not much to be disappointed about here.
Tiimmy Turner by Desiigner
There's not much to say here. I just really like the production. The key change is probably the most satisfying key change I have heard all year. You really don't have to pay attention to the lyrics, they're sort of an instrument on their own. It's all about the beat, and that alone makes it my favorite straight-up hip hop track of the year (at least among hits).
Perfect by One Direction
This song notched the very bottom slot of the year-end list, and I'm happy for it. I've heard some say it's a response to Style, a Taylor Swift song that's been rumored to be about her former relationship with Harry Styles, a member of One Direction. If it is, then it certainly shows that Harry handled the situation a lot more gracefully. It's fairly upbeat by failed-relationship-song standards, so it's got that going for it. Otherwise, yeah, not much to say it's a generally pleasant counterpart to the bittersweet Style, go ahead and check it out, this band really started to get tolerable after their second or third album, do not underestimate them.
Don't Let Me Down by the Chainsmokers ft. Daya
This is not my favorite Chainsmokers song, we'll get to that in a bit. Still, it's a fairly decent track. I'm not a huge fan of the first drop, it 's really off-putting and hurts the song a decent bit. However, I really do adore the second drop, it sounds amazing, and Daya's singing is fairly good on this. I enjoy the production on the verses, too, and really, this kind of song is all about the production. They're electronic music producers, not The Neptunes, I tend to have lower standards for these guys. Yeah, it's a flawed song, but overall enjoyable.
Cheap Thrills by Sia ft. Sean Paul
I don't love this song as much as I used to, but I still think it's pretty good. It's about being broke but still loving your life, partying and having a good time. You don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight. Yeah, I'll admit it's basically just a rejected Rihanna track, but I can't imagine this working quite as well if Rihanna performed it. I know a lot of people find this song painfully average, but it's still worth at least a listen.
The List Proper
Number 10: Ride by Twenty One Pilots
If you can't tell, sometimes depressing songs are really fun. Take this reggae-influenced pop rock track by indie favorites Twenty One Pilots, for example. A sleeper hit if there ever was one, this song originally came out in May of 2015 and yet wasn't released to radio until the following year, upon which it became a genuine smash, reaching number 5 on the Hot 100. I'm glad it did, it was one of the better songs off of Blurryface. If you want a happy song, you're not getting it here, look back in 2015 or something. It's a song about how life is terrible, people are terrible to each other, Tyler's terrible to himself, thinking about death is fun, why can't I be happier, oh God life sucks and we've all got crippling depression. Seriously, this thing is depressing. If you want to feel sad, but at the same time listen to some steel drums and synth overload, go on right ahead.
Number 9: Ex's & Oh's by Elle King
Now, I remember first hearing this song several months before it actually got popular, it was on a CD. This is probably the greatest example of a sleeper hit, as it was released in September of 2014, but didn't begin to chart until later the following year, and managed to carry over into 2016, hence why it's here. This is a supremely confident song with an awesome chorus, plus a great performance from Elle King herself. Though I do admit the music video is rather uncomfortbale. It's supposed to be this ironic reversal of "female objectification" in music videos for male performers, but I don't know, it just makes me uneasy. But hey, maybe that's the point and the other way around makes women uncomfortable. Either way, it's still a great song that's always worth a listen.
Number 8: Roses by The Chainsmokers ft. Rozes
Now here's that favorite Chainsmokers song I mentioned. This thing is more about the groove than the lyrics, like that last one I mentioned in the honorable mentions. There's a fairly chilling, futuristic vibe going on here. This is the result of Roses being of the "future bass" genre, one that is traditionally bass-heavy and wavy. That's probably how I'd describe this track, too. It's a weirdly soft, yet epic track with very little meaning, but it's all about the production. If you're gonna make the song all about the production, you'd better have good production, and that's what's going on here.
Number 7: Cold Water by Major Lazer ft. Justin Bieber and MØ
Here comes Super Bieber, in his first appearance on this list. The next one will be fairly soon, so stick around for that. But yeah, Cold Water, what can you say? It's really a lot like how Roses was mostly about the production, only instead of future bass, we're going straight EDM. It's quiet and subtle when it needs to be, but when it has to get loud, it really cranks up the volume. It gets loud, it gets epic, it's a party train that never stops. What, you need substance? It's a love song, there's your substance for ya, throw away your Nirvana CD and shut up. The love aspect works well, but it's really about the party. Party time, excellent, doodly-doodly-doo. You get the gist of it.
Number 6: Starboy by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk
So, I did not have a lot of hope going into The Weeknd's third major studio album Starboy, mostly because I wasn't a huge fan of the album that came before it. Sure, there were some standout singles, but on the other hand, The Hills was both an overplayed song and an awful one, and there were very few memorable album tracks. When Starboy came out... sure it had many of the same problems. The singles were still good, though. Take the lead single from that album, also called Starboy, for example. If at first you think the lyrics are vapid, shallow, and have a frat boy-like attitude... yeah, that's kind of the point. This and most of the singles off of it have a much edgier attitude than last time around, and that definitely helps. It's about how, despite how extravagant and fun the celebrity lifestyle appears, it also exposes one's inner demons and makes them fragile, prone to breaking. It's basically turned this character into a petty jerk who spends extravantly, is extremely vulnerable, and he's basically a pathetic wreck now. It's a gloriously dark song handled extremely well.
Number 5: Let Me Love You by DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber
One might argue that this does not deserve to be here. Therefore, one would be wrong. This is my highest-scoring song that I have reviewed so far (I'm not counting Get Lucky), and though one song I've reviewed has risen above its previous rank, this is still a glorious piece. We've got DJ Snake being DJ Snake here, and though I do admit he was upstaged by someone else (we'll get to them near the top of the list), he still didn't have a bad year. I don't know if this is even the best song he put out this year, but it's his best hit at least. The verses have an airy, somewhat upbeat vibe despite the key, and I've got to give Justin Bieber plenty of credit for actually projecting some emotion with his infamously personality-less voice. This is definitely the best thing that Bieber has put out this year. It looks like this song's gonna appear on the 2017 year-end list as well, so that's awesome. Overall, DJ Snake provides the good sounds, and my shrine worshiping him has continued to find reason to exist.
Number 4: In the Night by The Weeknd
On this single from his Beauty Behind the Madness album, The Weeknd sings about his favorite topic: Women doing things that really aren't good for their physical/mental health. In this case, it's stripping and having abusive partners. If you take a shot every time he says the word "she," I bet you'll get sick before you finish the song. Joking aside, I really love this thing. This is definitely the most "pop" The Weeknd has ever gotten, and even after he released his third album, it's still the most "pop" thing he's ever done. For one, it's produced by Max Martin, the most prolific pop producer of the 21st century. Second... well, it's literally just vaguely-80's throwback pop music. There's no walking around it. But sure, I'll take it. The Weeknd really does sound a lot better when he's not trying to do low and crooning, because the dude's voice is so high-pitched it's hard to take him seriously when he does that. Insanely catchy, dark vocals... all elements of a good pop song.
Number 3: Hymn for the Weekend by Coldplay
This is basically the surprise pick for the top 10, and I don't think anyone loves this song as much as I do. It pained me that this wasn't the list-topper, but alas, it was not meant to be. Coldplay had a really good year (heck, Adventure of a Lifetime just narrowly missed the cut for the honorable mentions because I didn't start to appreciate it until very recently), and this is the most notable evidence of that. This is definitely the catchiest, most fun pop song to come out this year. Everything about this feels so... pleasant. The lyrics are all about feeling in love, it's like if booze and drugs didn't shut down your organs and kill you from the inside. All you get are the positive vibes. Love's like drugs, it gets you high. That's basically the gist of the lyrics. The production and performances are all a fun time, a great time to be had. It's fun, it's amazing, and it makes me super-happy whenever I listen to it.
Number 2: I Took a Pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix) by Mike Posner
Remember this guy, Mike Posner? He had a few hits in 2010-2011 but only the first one, Cooler Than Me, is well-remembered today. After those years he slipped into obscurity, wrote a few songs for Justin Bieber and Maroon 5, and reemerged with his acoustic album At Night, Alone, with this being the only hit off of that album. Nevertheless, it wasn't until the Norwegian production duo (now trio) Seeb got a hold of it that this song really started to take off, and I'm thankful for it. The remix got rid of every negative aspect of the original and amplified all of the good stuff. This is a depressing song where Posner reflects on how he's not famous anymore based on this experience he had on a trip to Ibiza, an island near Spain. Basically, he's at this party that the Swedish music producer Aviici had invited him to, he's super-drunk, and only one person actually recognizes his guy, and the one guy offers him the titular pill. After the pill and the booze wore off, he sobered up and "felt ten years older." The realizations it brought on hit him like a truck, so he wrote this song. It's an absolutely fascinating topic for a song, and it certainly made for a good one. While the original was acoustic folk pop, Seeb's remix is straight house music, which in an odd way made the song more upbeat and at the same time a whole lot sadder. It took me a while to realize how great this song was, but now every time I listen to it I can appreciate all of the great stuff going on here. If you want more of Seeb's material, they've got a really good remix of the above Hymn for the Weekend that's basically just as good as the original. Hell, I'd argue that remix was the only reason that song managed to do so well in the United States in the first place. Seriously, check it out.
Number 1: Into You by Ariana Grande
Near-perfection. Everything about this song is great. Literally everything is worth remembering, worth listening to, it's an instant classic. Though it's not the most fun to jam to, it's not the most meaningful, or even the most interesting, it's easily the most perfect. There is literally nothing wrong here. Nothing. The performance is great. The production is great. The writing is great. It's actually sexy. Like, it's a song about wanting to shag that actually feels like the singer actually wants to shag. That's not a mental vision anyone needs, but hey, still better than "Let's Marvin Gaye and get it on," the single worst metaphor for sex I've ever heard during my pop music listening adventures. There's very little I have to say about this song, just listen for yourself. Seriously, it's great.
This is to the end of 2016. See you guys soon, and have a happy new year.
This is to the end of 2016. See you guys soon, and have a happy new year.
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