Rocking the Mike - August 2011 Reviews |
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| Written by Mike Cullen |
| Wednesday, 03 August 2011 00:00 |
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Album Reviews Beyoncé - 4 Beyoncé is known for not making any two albums sound the same. 4 is no different, and while it doesn't take a radical turn in direction, it certainly wasn't what we were expecting as an audience. This album is ballad heavy. The number of beat-driven pop songs can be counted on one hand, and for someone who is at the top of her game, this release is a risky move. Of course, it's a move that only Beyoncé would attempt, and succeed at, and there is a probable method to her madness. She doesn't There are some fantastic tracks on this album, from lead single "Run the World (Girls)" to "Best Thing I Never Had," and "I Miss You," with all the tracks performing a fantastic job of showcasing Beyoncé's singing talents. Yes, you probably won't listen to it all the way through on a regular basis, but that doesn't mean it's a terrible album. It's a collection of songs that, depending your mood, can be culled into any number of fantastic playlists or mixed CDs. This may not be a commercial juggernaut of an album, but it will go a long way to showcase Queen B. as an artist. Song Reviews Melanie C. - "Rock Me" I have no shame when I say I'm a big Mel C. (Sporty Spice) fan. Of the former quintet, she's the only one to have had any real success in the music industry, and she's the only one who has stuck with music as her primary vocation in life. She doesn't sell nearly the number of albums or singles as she did when she was with the Spice Girls (or even her first solo album for that matter), but a lot like Darren Hayes, I've come to know her for high-quality music, despite not lighting the charts afire with their music. This song is awful. As the lead single for her upcoming fifth album, and the official 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, the song sounds like it was slapped together not to show any artistry but instead to make a quick buck (if she's lucky enough to actually shift any copies of this release, that is). Calvin Harris Ft. Kelis - "Bounce" Calvin Harris really frustrates me as an artist. He typically gives his best beats, and his most dance-worthy ideas to other artists, leaving himself with his own hand-me-downs. Surprisingly, though, with There isn't much to say in regards to Kelis's vocals. She's just sort of there. This is no condemnation of her, but it does illustrate a key deficit of Harris's; he's not a strong lyricist, and it is especially highlighted with tracks he works on in collaborations with other songwriters/artists (Kylie Minogue, Roisin Murphy, Dizzee Rascal). Regardless, "Bounce" is still a great song, and will sound great on any dance-friendly summer playlist. Darren Hayes - "Talk Talk Talk" Darren Hayes has really grown as an artist from his Savage Garden days. It's too bad that has been at the expense of mainstream success. It's equally horrible when one considers just how good "Talk Talk Talk" is as a slice of great pop music. In a genre of music that is either dominated by women, or demands that it be R&B influenced, Hayes bucks the trends, and instead gives us a song that's just a smidge over three and a half minutes long, and it's all kinds of synth-pop goodness. Its 
lyrics are especially poignant as the protagonist seemingly begs a soon-to-be former lover to just listen, one la st time, listen. For a genre of music like pop, which seems to favor songs about love, Hayes has anintense fascination with the darker, more bitter sides of love. This is not a throwaway pop song, it's not disposable, and while it may not get into your head like some pop songs, it's hardly unforgettable. If "Talk Talk Talk" is any indication of what his fourth solo album is going to be like, I have a feeling I'm going to be really happy with the final product. Novie - "Gonna Getcha" Keeping with a trend of summery pop numbers, I recently got asked to review "Gonna Getcha" by Toronto singer/songwriter Novie. Honestly, I expected something a little more R&B when I first put this song on; instead I was greeted with a fantastic alt-pop beat and a big voice from Novie. She gives a very tongue-in-cheek performance without sounding over the top. In fact, it's just the right amount of sass and attitude to carry a song that for anyone else would be just another pop song. The fact that it comes from an artist I haven't even heard of before makes it all the more impressive. Everything about this track screams pop, from vocals, to the instrumental, the hook, and everything in between. This is just the perfect, funky summer track that I've been craving. To date, Novie has released just this single and one extended play, Whatcha Doin' Baby? EP, which contains that same just-left-of-centre sound that "Gonna Getcha" gives us in spades. It's all on iTunes - pick it up! Concert Reviews Katy Perry - California Dreams Tour Setlist: "Teenage Dream," "Hummingbird Heartbeat," "Waking Up in Vegas," "Ur So Gay," "Peacock," "I Kissed a Girl," "Circle the Drain," "E.T.," "Who Am I Living For?," "Pearl," "Not Like the Movies," "Only Girl"/"Big Pimpin'"/"Friday"/"Whip My Hair," "Thinking of You," "Hot N Cold," "Last Friday Night (TGIF)," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," "Firework." Encore: "California Gurls." A few months ago I wrote an editorial in which I said that not only had Katy Perry won me over with her latest album, but that I was actually looking forward to seeing her perform live. I can say she not only met, but completely exceeded my expectations as a live performer. I'm really only a fan of her hits, so this show did introduce me to a lot of her material, and I'm actually quite surprised at how good a singer/songwriter she truly is. The stage show was phenomenal and she really connected well with the crowd (even if she was really chatty in places). For me, a true highlight was her ability to make a song that I never really liked ("Waking Up in Vegas") and turning it into my favourite performance of the show, and has caused the album version to totally grow on me. While a little more adult-themed than I anticipated (there were some pretty strong sex and drug references), it was still a slick show. For Katy Perry, promoting this album has been about letting the best pop music become something akin to confectionary, and this show was particularly sweet. Marina & the Diamonds Setlist: "Mowgli's Road," "Girls," "I Am Not a Robot," "Obsessions," "Living Dead," "Jealousy," "Oh No!," "Hollywood," "Shampain." Marina & the Diamonds was one of the big new artists introduced to me by a friend last year, and then another friend told me how fantastic she was live, and I moped. I moped because the chances of seeing her live were about as likely as seeing my other big find of 2010 (Florence + the Machine). Sure, I could travel, but I typically only travel for really big names. Imagine my surprise and pleasure when it was announced that Marina was opening for Katy Perry. She was good. Really good, considering she was performing in front of a crowd where probably 95% of the spectators didn't know who the hell she was. Her eight-song set was concise, but managed to pull the best tracks from The Family Jewels, and one new track ("Living Dead") for good measure. An arena probably wasn't the best venue you for her, but she still played it as though the place was packed (seriously people, come early enough to see the opening acts at concerts; you're missing out on hearing some great new music!). Next time I really want to see her headline a show; while this opportunity was a great taste, I can only imagine what she can do with a full setlist. Just a heads up that my good friend Renée Rietveld will be taking the reins of Rocking the Mike for the month of September, as I'm in Australia throughout most of August and won't be back in time to meet the deadline. Definitely check her reviews out, and I'll be back in October!
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have anything to prove career-wise; she's always been on top, and she probably will continue to be. On a personal level, she has spoken about her desire to have a family, and this album helps her achieve that. This isn't the type of album you tour with, but it'll keep her in the limelight for a while, until she has that child, and is ready to bring out another album.
the release of "Bounce," featuring vocals by none other than Kelis, it seems that Harris has saved oneof his better backing tracks for himself. As the title of the song suggests, this song bounces in its totality. It's got a summery feel to it, and it's a song that sounds fantastic cranked, especially when the chorus kicks in.
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