Single Minded, Part One
It has been said that the emergence of i-Tunes and the notion of the a la carte download is akin to the return of the single. (For those who missed it, buying 45's on vinyl used to be one of the most common ways people purchased music.) With this notion in mind I wanted to plug and/or comment on some current singles I've heard (and sometimes seen) recently. Ideally this will be a periodic series of entries.
Let's start with this batch:
"Tell Me `Bout It" by Joss Stone - The video seems to send this clear signal: 'She's an adult now; you don't have to feel creepy about acknowledging that Joss has a sexy voice'. What is an even better signal within the song is that Ms. Stone has never sound this self-assured with her own material. One of the things I found lacking in her sophomore album, Body & Soul, was that it's songs seemed to lack a certain confidence and that is a major no-no in all music, but especially with soul and R&B. "Tell Me `Bout It" is a much more confident Joss Stone and a strong first single. Indeed, the goal of any album's first single is to get you curious about the album it comes from. This one accomplishes that goal.
"Flathead" by The Fratellis - It never hurts to have your song used in an i-Tunes ad (see also: Jet). This is a really fun song, sounding a bit like The Strokes if they 1) Didn't kind of suck and 2) Their singer would actually fucking sing. I love the almost spaghetti western like guitar in the background and the whole "Boppa duh buh da boppa duh" thing serving as the chorus is a nice touch. I haven't heard their album but this is the type of song that always makes me suspicious that it will either A) Be the best song on the disc by a lot or B) Be kind of a "bait and switch", where this kick-ass catchy song is nothing like the rest of the album. I guess I'll have to sample the rest to find out.
"If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback - Yeah, yeah... I know... I am always hard on this truly God awful band but, seriously, this song and video answers a very troubling question: "How do you take a shitty song and make it even shittier?" Answer? Give it a really self-righteous, trying to be U2 or some other really socially conscious bullshit "message". The message is clear though: Change the fucking station and/or channel when you see or hear this one coming.
"You Give Me Something" by James Morrison - It is no secret that I really dig Mr. Morrison's debut, Undiscovered, which just got released on U.S. shores this week. But, oddly enough, "You Give Me Something" is not really one of the album's stronger tracks. I understand the reasoning of making it a single though: It's a ballad, can be marketed to multiple radio formats, and it has mass appeal potential. On the positive side, it is always a good sign for an artists future if one of their "good" tracks becomes a hit and they have even better songs in the wings to follow it up with. One of the great strengths about Undiscovered is that is a good 3 to 4 singles deep.
"New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini - Sometimes a music video and the song it is made for are a perfect or damn near perfect match. The vid for "New Shoes" would be a fine example. For starters, this is a great pop/rock song that shows off everything good about the sound Nutini has crafted. In terms of the video, it has to be said: Nutini is a good-looking cat and that is not going to hurt his career one iota. Whoever is handling this young man's career clearly must know this, as well as knowing where Paolo's musical strengths lie. "New Shoes" is a terrific choice for a first single (I would suggest a slower number for single #2, and then kill em again with "Jenny Don't Be Hasty" for single #3).
"Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne - A part of me really wants to hate this song. But I don't. In fact, I can't. It a really dumb song with a really massive hook and a very silly video. And, holy shit, it works! In fact, as time goes by I find it harder to hate Lavigne as a whole. I thought both big singles from her second album were strong ("Don't Tell Me" and especially "My Happy Ending") and while "Girlfriend" is a step back in maturity it is a step up in bringing the fun and the big pop/rock chorus (which, it must be said, takes a page from Toni Basil's "Oh Mickey").
"The Story" by Brandi Carlile - I've been very much looking forward to the forthcoming second album from singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile. So much so that I've checked up periodically at her web site. First I read she was going to work with big-time producer T-Bone Burnett and then I read an interview where she said the big difference with album #2 is that she plugged in for a few tracks instead of going with the very acoustic-based sound of her first disc. "The Story" shows this off big time! The electric guitars burst right into the chorus and Carlile, who has a truly incredible voice, sings it with so much fire that her otherwise seamless vocals crack; a moment I am sure was left in intentionally. I am still getting used to this one but I like it more with each listen.
"Someone To Love" by Fountains of Wayne - I love, love, love this band and always have. "Someone To Love" stays very true to their sound while also trying, it would seem, to put some distance between themselves and the massiveness that was "Stacy's Mom" from their last album. "Stacy's Mom" was a song they really needed at it's time (3 albums into their career, on their second record label, etc) but it was not truly indicative of what FOW are all about. "Someone To Love" is a lot more in line with their larger body of work. That said, I don't hear enough in this one for it to get the broad radio or video play.
That'll do it for now. Feel free to add a single of your own or comment on any of the above in the comments section.
J
Let's start with this batch:
"Tell Me `Bout It" by Joss Stone - The video seems to send this clear signal: 'She's an adult now; you don't have to feel creepy about acknowledging that Joss has a sexy voice'. What is an even better signal within the song is that Ms. Stone has never sound this self-assured with her own material. One of the things I found lacking in her sophomore album, Body & Soul, was that it's songs seemed to lack a certain confidence and that is a major no-no in all music, but especially with soul and R&B. "Tell Me `Bout It" is a much more confident Joss Stone and a strong first single. Indeed, the goal of any album's first single is to get you curious about the album it comes from. This one accomplishes that goal.
"Flathead" by The Fratellis - It never hurts to have your song used in an i-Tunes ad (see also: Jet). This is a really fun song, sounding a bit like The Strokes if they 1) Didn't kind of suck and 2) Their singer would actually fucking sing. I love the almost spaghetti western like guitar in the background and the whole "Boppa duh buh da boppa duh" thing serving as the chorus is a nice touch. I haven't heard their album but this is the type of song that always makes me suspicious that it will either A) Be the best song on the disc by a lot or B) Be kind of a "bait and switch", where this kick-ass catchy song is nothing like the rest of the album. I guess I'll have to sample the rest to find out.
"If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback - Yeah, yeah... I know... I am always hard on this truly God awful band but, seriously, this song and video answers a very troubling question: "How do you take a shitty song and make it even shittier?" Answer? Give it a really self-righteous, trying to be U2 or some other really socially conscious bullshit "message". The message is clear though: Change the fucking station and/or channel when you see or hear this one coming.
"You Give Me Something" by James Morrison - It is no secret that I really dig Mr. Morrison's debut, Undiscovered, which just got released on U.S. shores this week. But, oddly enough, "You Give Me Something" is not really one of the album's stronger tracks. I understand the reasoning of making it a single though: It's a ballad, can be marketed to multiple radio formats, and it has mass appeal potential. On the positive side, it is always a good sign for an artists future if one of their "good" tracks becomes a hit and they have even better songs in the wings to follow it up with. One of the great strengths about Undiscovered is that is a good 3 to 4 singles deep.
"New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini - Sometimes a music video and the song it is made for are a perfect or damn near perfect match. The vid for "New Shoes" would be a fine example. For starters, this is a great pop/rock song that shows off everything good about the sound Nutini has crafted. In terms of the video, it has to be said: Nutini is a good-looking cat and that is not going to hurt his career one iota. Whoever is handling this young man's career clearly must know this, as well as knowing where Paolo's musical strengths lie. "New Shoes" is a terrific choice for a first single (I would suggest a slower number for single #2, and then kill em again with "Jenny Don't Be Hasty" for single #3).
"Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne - A part of me really wants to hate this song. But I don't. In fact, I can't. It a really dumb song with a really massive hook and a very silly video. And, holy shit, it works! In fact, as time goes by I find it harder to hate Lavigne as a whole. I thought both big singles from her second album were strong ("Don't Tell Me" and especially "My Happy Ending") and while "Girlfriend" is a step back in maturity it is a step up in bringing the fun and the big pop/rock chorus (which, it must be said, takes a page from Toni Basil's "Oh Mickey").
"The Story" by Brandi Carlile - I've been very much looking forward to the forthcoming second album from singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile. So much so that I've checked up periodically at her web site. First I read she was going to work with big-time producer T-Bone Burnett and then I read an interview where she said the big difference with album #2 is that she plugged in for a few tracks instead of going with the very acoustic-based sound of her first disc. "The Story" shows this off big time! The electric guitars burst right into the chorus and Carlile, who has a truly incredible voice, sings it with so much fire that her otherwise seamless vocals crack; a moment I am sure was left in intentionally. I am still getting used to this one but I like it more with each listen.
"Someone To Love" by Fountains of Wayne - I love, love, love this band and always have. "Someone To Love" stays very true to their sound while also trying, it would seem, to put some distance between themselves and the massiveness that was "Stacy's Mom" from their last album. "Stacy's Mom" was a song they really needed at it's time (3 albums into their career, on their second record label, etc) but it was not truly indicative of what FOW are all about. "Someone To Love" is a lot more in line with their larger body of work. That said, I don't hear enough in this one for it to get the broad radio or video play.
That'll do it for now. Feel free to add a single of your own or comment on any of the above in the comments section.
J