My reviews may be somewhat sporadic from this time forward, since I got a part-time job on top of school.
#60: "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is a rock band. I've reviewed them before, with 2013 having "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light Em Up)", which I didn't really care for. On the other hand, 2014's "Immortals", while it didn't make the year-end charts, was still a pretty fun song.
The music starts off powerfully, with a vocal and piano intro basically blasting in your face. However, the most used music is a sample of The Munsters theme. Which, if you haven't heard it, sounds absolutely awesome, and I feel that it a good riff to build a song around. Vocally, this is about what you expect out of Patrick Stump. He doesn't necessarily have the strongest voice, but he does have that "feel" of a hard rock frontman, and his higher pitch actually works out pretty.
This is about the closest Fall Out Boy can get to a love song, despite the upbeat feel. The title comes in when Stump says she wants to dance like Uma Thurman. That said, there are quite a few lyrics that suggest this isn't exactly a healthy love, with lines like "divide me down the smallest I can be/Put your venom in me".
I actually quite liked this song. The Munsters riff was extremely catchy and made for a good riff to build the song around, the lyrics were just as catchy as the riff, and Patrick Stump's delivery added to the energy of the song rather than detract from it. It's not the deepest song, and won't really make you ponder, but it's a lot of fun to listen to.
#59: "You Know You Like It" by DJ Snake and AlunaGeorge
DJ Snake is a DJ/producer, who I reviewed for last year's "Turn Down For What" which was about the most awesome thing Lil Jon's ever done. As for AlunaGeorge, they are an electronic duo from England, made up of vocalist/songwriter Aluna Francis and production and instrumentation George Reid. They've done pretty well in the UK, being shortlisted in 2012 for the 2013 BRIT Awards, and placing second in the "Sound of 2013" poll. In the US, however, this is their first hit, although they were signed to an American label in July 2015.
The opening is some sort of vocals run through a filter to make it sound almost like a child recorded on a gramophone. However, the rest of the song is fairly minimalist in terms of production, consisting of drum beats and a somewhat quite synth line, getting a synth solo in the middle of the song. While this could be a problem, Aluna delivers pretty well vocally. She does have moments where she sounds too "cutesy", but she still brings a unique sound to the song, her light voice contrasting quite well with the quiet tone of the song. DJ Snake, however...doesn't really help the song much. He basically uses the same lower-pitched vocals and production techniques you'd expect from a DJ, and that doesn't really mesh with the song. That said, he does restrain himself enough to not overpower the song too much.
There really isn't a lot to say about the lyrics. Basically, Aluna is playing the part of a rebel who, in her words, is not a fool and not a follower. Basically, she plays by her own rules, and the title comes in from her saying she knows "you" like it, and that it drives "you" insane.
Honestly, this is probably one of the most interesting songs I've covered this year so far, and one of the most unique. DJ Snake's production is a little misguided, but George's production is an example of how you can have a minimalist production and still know how to make the song interesting, and Aluna has a quiet, somber tone to her voice that belies the "cuteness" of her voice. Add in some lyrics that are simple, but still get a bit of a story across, and you have, in my opinion, one of the best songs I've covered so far this year, and proof that not every song needs to turn it up to 11 to hold your attention.
#58: "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith
This is Sam Smith's second entry this year, and a re-review as well, having reached number 10 last year.
The song opens with a piano line, as you'd expect from a pianist/vocalist. It's not a bad line, but it is too soft, ending up a little boring. As for Sam Smith himself, the vocals aren't terrible, and he shows off a decent range, but like the music, he sounds a bit boring, partially because for an emotional song, all of his vocal "breaks" sound far too rehearsed.
The lyrics are about a one-night stand. Sam Smith wants the person he had a one-night stand to stay with him. He knows it's not love, but still finds comfort in the other's arms.
This is a song that could have been quite good, but Sam Smith himself let the strong lyrics down. The music is too "churchy", for want of a better word, sounding almost more like a drone than anything else, and Smith's vocals are too smooth for his own good, making it sound like he's reciting a story rather than begging someone to stay and not go. In the end, the song just ends up a bit boring and unremarkable, which is a shame for someone as talented as Sam Smith.
#57: "Wildest Dreams" by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is a pop singer who, after switching from country to pop, had quite a bit more success on the pop charts, but this was really her breakout year. Believe me, this is not the last time you'll be seeing her.
The song opens with a soft synth line, which is a bit of a shock for anyone who first thinks of, say, "Shake It Off" for their standards of Taylor Swift pop songs. The song gets slightly more intense in the chorus, but only relatively speaking. Overall, the song is actually quite gentle and powerful at the same time, which takes some talent. Vocally, this is Taylor Swift at her best. Her voice is actually quite strong when she gets the chance to just relax on a slow song, and she delivers a pretty good range here, showing none of the problems she did on last year's "Shake It Off".
This is an unrequited love song, but it does have a bit of a twist. Apparently, she has had some sort of connection with the guy, but feels she is just another girl to him. Her reaction is to essentially beg him to say he'll remember her, even if it's just in his, well, wildest dreams.
If "Shake It Off" was Taylor Swift at her worst, this song is Taylor Swift at, or at least close to, her best. The music works quite well, showing how you can have a piano/synth driven ballad that isn't boring, and Taylor Swift delivers extremely well on vocals, showing a more vulnerable side to her. The lyrics aren't the greatest, and can be a bit generic, but the rest of the song makes up for it. Taylor Swift definitely proved she could transition into pop with this song. Took her long enough. Also, the video below is for the music video, as I discovered a lot of lyric videos for this song tend to use covers without actually saying they use covers.
#56: "Love Me Harder" by Ariana Grande and The Weeknd
This is the third hit for Ariana Grande so far this year. As for The Weeknd, he's an R&B singer that had his first major chart success on this song last year.
The song opens with a soft synth line and Ariana Grande's singing, suggesting the song will be a ballad. However, the music does a good job building up steam for the verses, although the chorus does have the obvious touch of over-production, with looping synth and throbbing bass. Still not a bad music line, though. Ariana Grande herself sounds quite good, her softer style actually working quite well to contrast with the lyrics. As for The Weeknd, he sounds quite good as well, showing a higher pitched voice, which works to contrast with Ariana Grande's deeper voice. That's right, for most of the song, The Weeknd is higher pitched that Ariana Grande. And he makes it work.
This is not exactly a song that is surprising you from title expectations. This song is about exactly what the title says. Ariana Grande is telling a guy that if he wants to keep her, he better love her harder. And it's actually quite clear she means physically.
This is not a song that anyone would expect from a Disney starlet, but it helps that is actually a good song on its own merits. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd have pretty good duet chemistry, and each sound good in their own way, the music, while sometimes overbearing, doesn't overpower either singer, and the lyrics are both blatant and playful at the same time, a tough balance to nail. If there was any doubt that Ariana Grande has grown up, this proves it. And it's a much better "grown up" song than anything Miley Cyrus ever did.
Well, I'd say that made up for the last couple of sets.
Previously: #65-61 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.933212-2015-Billboard-Top-100-65-61]
Next: #55-51 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.933753-2015-Billboard-Top-100-55-51]
#60: "Uma Thurman" by Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is a rock band. I've reviewed them before, with 2013 having "My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light Em Up)", which I didn't really care for. On the other hand, 2014's "Immortals", while it didn't make the year-end charts, was still a pretty fun song.
The music starts off powerfully, with a vocal and piano intro basically blasting in your face. However, the most used music is a sample of The Munsters theme. Which, if you haven't heard it, sounds absolutely awesome, and I feel that it a good riff to build a song around. Vocally, this is about what you expect out of Patrick Stump. He doesn't necessarily have the strongest voice, but he does have that "feel" of a hard rock frontman, and his higher pitch actually works out pretty.
This is about the closest Fall Out Boy can get to a love song, despite the upbeat feel. The title comes in when Stump says she wants to dance like Uma Thurman. That said, there are quite a few lyrics that suggest this isn't exactly a healthy love, with lines like "divide me down the smallest I can be/Put your venom in me".
I actually quite liked this song. The Munsters riff was extremely catchy and made for a good riff to build the song around, the lyrics were just as catchy as the riff, and Patrick Stump's delivery added to the energy of the song rather than detract from it. It's not the deepest song, and won't really make you ponder, but it's a lot of fun to listen to.
#59: "You Know You Like It" by DJ Snake and AlunaGeorge
DJ Snake is a DJ/producer, who I reviewed for last year's "Turn Down For What" which was about the most awesome thing Lil Jon's ever done. As for AlunaGeorge, they are an electronic duo from England, made up of vocalist/songwriter Aluna Francis and production and instrumentation George Reid. They've done pretty well in the UK, being shortlisted in 2012 for the 2013 BRIT Awards, and placing second in the "Sound of 2013" poll. In the US, however, this is their first hit, although they were signed to an American label in July 2015.
The opening is some sort of vocals run through a filter to make it sound almost like a child recorded on a gramophone. However, the rest of the song is fairly minimalist in terms of production, consisting of drum beats and a somewhat quite synth line, getting a synth solo in the middle of the song. While this could be a problem, Aluna delivers pretty well vocally. She does have moments where she sounds too "cutesy", but she still brings a unique sound to the song, her light voice contrasting quite well with the quiet tone of the song. DJ Snake, however...doesn't really help the song much. He basically uses the same lower-pitched vocals and production techniques you'd expect from a DJ, and that doesn't really mesh with the song. That said, he does restrain himself enough to not overpower the song too much.
There really isn't a lot to say about the lyrics. Basically, Aluna is playing the part of a rebel who, in her words, is not a fool and not a follower. Basically, she plays by her own rules, and the title comes in from her saying she knows "you" like it, and that it drives "you" insane.
Honestly, this is probably one of the most interesting songs I've covered this year so far, and one of the most unique. DJ Snake's production is a little misguided, but George's production is an example of how you can have a minimalist production and still know how to make the song interesting, and Aluna has a quiet, somber tone to her voice that belies the "cuteness" of her voice. Add in some lyrics that are simple, but still get a bit of a story across, and you have, in my opinion, one of the best songs I've covered so far this year, and proof that not every song needs to turn it up to 11 to hold your attention.
#58: "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith
This is Sam Smith's second entry this year, and a re-review as well, having reached number 10 last year.
The song opens with a piano line, as you'd expect from a pianist/vocalist. It's not a bad line, but it is too soft, ending up a little boring. As for Sam Smith himself, the vocals aren't terrible, and he shows off a decent range, but like the music, he sounds a bit boring, partially because for an emotional song, all of his vocal "breaks" sound far too rehearsed.
The lyrics are about a one-night stand. Sam Smith wants the person he had a one-night stand to stay with him. He knows it's not love, but still finds comfort in the other's arms.
This is a song that could have been quite good, but Sam Smith himself let the strong lyrics down. The music is too "churchy", for want of a better word, sounding almost more like a drone than anything else, and Smith's vocals are too smooth for his own good, making it sound like he's reciting a story rather than begging someone to stay and not go. In the end, the song just ends up a bit boring and unremarkable, which is a shame for someone as talented as Sam Smith.
#57: "Wildest Dreams" by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is a pop singer who, after switching from country to pop, had quite a bit more success on the pop charts, but this was really her breakout year. Believe me, this is not the last time you'll be seeing her.
The song opens with a soft synth line, which is a bit of a shock for anyone who first thinks of, say, "Shake It Off" for their standards of Taylor Swift pop songs. The song gets slightly more intense in the chorus, but only relatively speaking. Overall, the song is actually quite gentle and powerful at the same time, which takes some talent. Vocally, this is Taylor Swift at her best. Her voice is actually quite strong when she gets the chance to just relax on a slow song, and she delivers a pretty good range here, showing none of the problems she did on last year's "Shake It Off".
This is an unrequited love song, but it does have a bit of a twist. Apparently, she has had some sort of connection with the guy, but feels she is just another girl to him. Her reaction is to essentially beg him to say he'll remember her, even if it's just in his, well, wildest dreams.
If "Shake It Off" was Taylor Swift at her worst, this song is Taylor Swift at, or at least close to, her best. The music works quite well, showing how you can have a piano/synth driven ballad that isn't boring, and Taylor Swift delivers extremely well on vocals, showing a more vulnerable side to her. The lyrics aren't the greatest, and can be a bit generic, but the rest of the song makes up for it. Taylor Swift definitely proved she could transition into pop with this song. Took her long enough. Also, the video below is for the music video, as I discovered a lot of lyric videos for this song tend to use covers without actually saying they use covers.
#56: "Love Me Harder" by Ariana Grande and The Weeknd
This is the third hit for Ariana Grande so far this year. As for The Weeknd, he's an R&B singer that had his first major chart success on this song last year.
The song opens with a soft synth line and Ariana Grande's singing, suggesting the song will be a ballad. However, the music does a good job building up steam for the verses, although the chorus does have the obvious touch of over-production, with looping synth and throbbing bass. Still not a bad music line, though. Ariana Grande herself sounds quite good, her softer style actually working quite well to contrast with the lyrics. As for The Weeknd, he sounds quite good as well, showing a higher pitched voice, which works to contrast with Ariana Grande's deeper voice. That's right, for most of the song, The Weeknd is higher pitched that Ariana Grande. And he makes it work.
This is not exactly a song that is surprising you from title expectations. This song is about exactly what the title says. Ariana Grande is telling a guy that if he wants to keep her, he better love her harder. And it's actually quite clear she means physically.
This is not a song that anyone would expect from a Disney starlet, but it helps that is actually a good song on its own merits. Ariana Grande and The Weeknd have pretty good duet chemistry, and each sound good in their own way, the music, while sometimes overbearing, doesn't overpower either singer, and the lyrics are both blatant and playful at the same time, a tough balance to nail. If there was any doubt that Ariana Grande has grown up, this proves it. And it's a much better "grown up" song than anything Miley Cyrus ever did.
Well, I'd say that made up for the last couple of sets.
Previously: #65-61 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.933212-2015-Billboard-Top-100-65-61]
Next: #55-51 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.933753-2015-Billboard-Top-100-55-51]
