Category — Single Review

After 19 years, Sade has returned with a comeback single called “Soldier of Love,” the band’s first release in nearly ten years.

Generally, it’s damn near perfection.

But as the lead single from an album with a cover like this, could the group ever go wrong in the first place? Didn’t think so.

Today has just been full of disappointments: The videos for “Bad Romance” and “Video Phone” seem to be delayed indefinitely, the Leona Lewis album is, for the most part, a massive snooze-fest, and worst of all, the strawberries that I worked so hard to plant have withered on FarmVille.

But enough mourning for this morning, it’s time to talk about the good stuff: “Dance in the Dark,” Mademoiselle Gaga’s new single (maybe?) off of The Fame Monster, her re-release of The Fame (maybe?).

An In-Depth Analysis of “Dance in the Dark.”

1. The opening.
Stuttering male vocals! Gaga shrieking in the distance! Haunted synthesizers! Doom, destruction, and everything in between! Brilliant.

2. “Silicone, saline, poison, inject me…baby, I’m a free bitch.”
The greatest opening line of 2009.

3. She sends a shout-out to Sylvia Plath.
So the breakdown layout is lifted straight from Madonna’s “Vogue.” Who cares? Everyone knows that if someone’s reciting the names of famous people in a monotone voice, it’s time to dance.

In the case off “Dance in the Dark,” Gaga limits her subjects according to theme, choosing only those who’ve suffered a tragic end by way of (or indirectly because of), you guessed it: The fame. “Marilyn, Judy, Sylvia…tell ‘em how you feel, girls.” Shivers!

4. It is dark disco.
“Dance in the Dark” is a hands-in-the-air dance song about a woman being harassed by her boyfriend. “She looks good, but her boyfriend says she’s a tramp, she’s a vamp, but she still does her dance,” mourns the Gaga. And let’s not forget about the chorus: “Baby does her dance in the dark, ’cause when he’s looking, she falls apart.” Who knew emotional abuse could inspire such happy feet?

5. It is not quite as good as “Bad Romance,” but it’s in the same league.
Which, according to my calculations, means that The Fame Monster is almost destined to be one of the greatest pop releases of the year.

Photo courtesy of MTV.com.

First of all: “Russian Roulette,” the lead single off of Rihanna’s upcoming album, Rated R, is not a single.

I’m not sure what her record company was thinking in positioning this as the “comeback” track: It’s either her most brilliant, understated move as an artist or a terrible flop move by a singer known for her catchy, uptempo dancefloor anthems.

However, the song is a performance piece in the making. Moody and minimal, “Roulette” is deliciously murderous in its calculated simplicity as its lyrics suggest.

I’m eager to see the finished video for this production, and judging by the single cover, the official website, and the behind-the-scenes paparazzi shots from the video, it looks like we’re in for a rather fierce, noir affair.

You want to be the black Madonna, RiRi? Well, now’s your chance: Make your moment with this.

Well, so much for an album full of manufactured R&B pop.

“3 Words,” the next single and title track off of Cheryl Cole’s debut solo album, is just about the antithesis of lead single, “Fight For This Love.” Complimented by a throbbing pulse and guitar strum devoid of form, “3 Words” is mesmerizing in its listlessness; a brave choice for second single (or any single for that matter).

“It was those three words that saved my life,” Cole coos as the track shifts form throughout, transforming from a guitar strum into a lulling piano melody, only to later give way to a harder synthesized break.

Stylistically, “3 Words” unlike anything Cheryl or Will.I.Am have released, nor is it anything similar to what’s currently being played on the radio. It doesn’t fall under a genre, it’s unconventional. Sure, there are some truly dire lyrical moments (“I said ‘I L-O-V-E Y-O-U, I am so into you, girl. She said ‘M-E T-O-O’”), but the lazy delivery style by both Cole and Will.i.Am smartly veils their poetic shortcomings.

Even if the rest of Cole’s debut is filled with Rihanna rejects and embarrassing faux-rapping, “3 Words” has already defied my expectations enough to make the album worth purchasing. The only drawback is that it’s Will.i.Am singing those lines with Chezza. Otherwise, it’s almost brilliant.

STOP WHATEVER YOU’RE DOING RIGHT NOW…

…and listen to Ellie Goulding’s contender for Single of ‘09. I’m not lying to you.

“Under the Sheets,” produced by the increasingly magnificent Starsmith, is a truly fresh breath of electronica-infused air.

“We’re under the sheets, and you’re killing me,” Goulding’s fluttery vocals plead atop a thick slab of synthesizers, twinkling bells, and throbbing drum pulsations. The lyrics are spot on; the music lush: “Sheets” demands to be put on loud repeat, again and again and once moreover.

Ten million and three thanks to Neon Gold, one of the coolest blog-labels around for providing the track and Chemistry Is Dead for cluing me in about its release.

Like all the boys before, like all the boys before…

DL: Ellie Goulding – Under the Sheets

“Under the Sheets” will be released on November 9. Click here to pre-order the single now.

LISTEN NOW.

Facts:

- It’s about ‘doing it’ with two people at once.

- It is synthy and auto-tuned up the wazoo, but not like what you were expecting really.

- Choice lyric: “Living in sin is the new thing.”

- It is required to listen to “3″ no less than three times, as its value will grow exponentially upon each play.

- It is like “Womanizer” in the sense that the verses are “meh,” the bridge is “literally fantastic,” and the chorus is “ridiculously, ridiculously catchy.”

- The greatest moment is the song’s middle eight (which sort of vastly improves on elements from 2003’s “Brave New Girl.”)

- Have I mentioned the middle eight? It’s absolutely lush.

VERDICT: IT IS FANTASTIC.

First the bad news: You cannot convince me that “Happy” isn’t more than just the third incarnation of “Halo”/”Already Gone.” Congratulations, Ryan Tedder–you’re still a one-trick schmuck.

And now for the mostly good: The song is very good–like, very, very good, seven plays in a row and counting good–and will (and should) undoubtedly garner the same international fanfare as “Bleeding Love”–it’s just been done two or three times before. Generally, I’m loving it.

Similarly, the cover art is completely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G (see above). Gorgeous! One of the best single covers of the year, hands down.

Oh, haven’t you heard? Mariah Carey is about to release a new single. Let’s discuss:

+ It is a cover of Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is,” which basically means you’re going to have your fair share of “The original is better!!!” comments on your local forums and YouTube videos.

+ It is very slow and controlled.

+ Whereas “Obsessed” was good in the sense of it’s-so-bad-it’s-good, “I Want To Know What Love Is” is good in the sense of “Hey, this sounds like a legitimate Mariah Carey ballad.”

+ It features some signature whistle notes (which, I might add, I always want to call ‘whale notes’ for no apparent reason, which sounds absolutely ludicrous in conversation.)

+ There is a choir section to remind us all when it’s time to get epic.

+ It is generally very good.

Overall, I approve.

So is Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel actually going to be something worth stealing/streaming/downloading/purchasing in your local CD shop? Eh…maybe.

Listen to Mariah Carey on iTunes | MySpace | Official Website

Here comes the video leak (and song premiere!) of “Forever is Over,” the brand new single from The Saturdays‘ upcoming album due out in October.

The song was produced by Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello, the same hit factory behind several tracks off of Kelly Clarkson’s All I Ever Wanted and Jordin Sparks‘ “Battlefield.”

Accordingly, it is all about the chorus and middle eight for this Xenomania-meets-Clarkson experience. Radio-friendly doesn’t even begin to describe it–the chorus is simply massive.

And as for the video? The time between the 2:30 and 2:45 mark is all you really need to get the good stuff. Normally I’d be more descriptive, but let’s face the hard truth–I don’t even have the desire to learn each girl’s name individually.

The song is actually somewhat strong. Unfortunately, I just don’t believe in The Satz as a girl group.

Girls Aloud/Sugababes/Dolly Rockers/Bananarama do it better…

Finally, ’tis here: The single cover and FREE DOWNLOAD of Kesha’s debut single, “Tik Tok.”

It’s boisterous, it’s bloated, and it is all things necessary to ‘get this party started.’ Don’t get your panties in a twist over this one–it’s just meant to be a sloppy, drunken sleaze fest o’ fun.

Unapologetic auto-tune and erratic behavior, ahoy!

DL: Ke$ha – Tik Tok