Filed under: Album Review, Country Music | Tags: Album Review, Country Music, Sugarland
Sugarland first hit the scene in 2004 with their debut album Twice The Speed Of Life. While many have said their recent work is their best yet, their debut album sounds just as strong when put up against the likes of Love On The Inside.
Each of the albums tracks sounds like a smash hit waiting to happen. “Something More” stands as a working anthem for all the average joe and jane’s out there. “Baby Girl” another catchy up-tempo track, that shows the struggles of an upcoming singer, that rises to stardom, and is a way more realistic spin on Chesney’s “Big Star” that he had a hit with the year before.
But the highlights of the album come from the tracks that weren’t specifically intended to be released to radio. Tracks like “Hello”, “Small Town Jericho”, “Tennessee”, “Stand Back Up” and “Down In Mississippi (And Up To No Good)” find the trio showing their really country roots and give the album a modern retro feel.
The only thing that may detract from the album is that it plays it almost too safe, and doesn’t let the trio truly shine as artists in sake of making it a commercial success. But with Nettles mainstream-with-a-twist-of-country vocals and all three of the trio’s great song writing; Twice The Speed Of Life works as a great album in the vein of the Dixie Chicks.
B+
Filed under: Pop Music, Single Reviews, Uncategorized | Tags: electronica, Hilary Duff, single review
Hilary has certainly come along way since her hit singles “So Yesterday” and “Come Clean” back in 2003 and 
‘04, for better or worse. Her new single “Reach Out” off her recent album The Best Of Hilary Duff in Hilary and company’s words “samples” Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”, but in essence it heavily uses the beat and melody of “Personal Jesus”, with the chorus relying heavily on the Mode’s lyrics. And here’s where we hit the crossroads. While the song may seem like it is just a lawsuit waiting to happen, it actually does have some good originality. The main difference is the lyrics, for the single version, with rapper the Prophet, many new lyrics are added in, adding to the song.
The Prophet(yes I know, not the best name for an artist) in the first verse, raps, “I know your ex did you bad, but I’m your new Perfect Man”, the first part possibly hinting at Hilary’s hit song “Stranger”, released last year, and the movie Perfect Man which Hilary starred in a while back. The line following he raps “Dignity,where you stand” referring to Hilary’s album Dignity and the title track off that album. He goes on to rap “I’m here to Play with Fire” referring to another song of Hilary’s “Play With Fire”. Hilary also makes a reference to Madonna’s “Like A Prayer”, in the song, as well.
Another thing that helps this track is the strong use of electronica that is used in it. Electronica is quickly becoming the leading genre in mainstream. It may look like Hilary is jumping on this new trend, but in essence she is the founder of it’s revival, after she released her third album Dignity, in June 2007, long before Spears released her “comeback” album or hit single “Womanizer’
So overall, the song is catchy. Hilary isn’t a great singer, but she has a good voice, which has always helped her in the past. The rapping in the song also, surprisingly, helps make the song better. And you have to give her some credit, she hasn’t become another X-tina, or Britney, as she goes through her 20’s. All in all, while it isn’t the strongest single out there, it certainly has the potential for being a hit.
B
Filed under: Flashback Series, Pop Music | Tags: Flashback Series, Madonna, Pop-Electronica
Note: This is the first in another series I will be doing, including all kinds of music that I feel is worthy to look back on.
In the middle of 1999, Madonna released the single “Beautiful Stranger”, it would appear on the soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and become a major hit in the UK. The song was not released commercially in the US, but still recieved heavy airplay.
My Personal Opinion: I just discovered the song a few weeks ago and I have it has become one of my favorite Madonna songs(which there have been very few of.) It reminds me of her 98 comeback song “Ray Of Light”, but is also much more endearing, and is pure music candy. She may always go down for “Like A Virgin” but her best music was recorded in the 90’s and 2000’s, with the exception of “Just Like A Prayer”.
Madonna truly fits the rule of “Hate the person, but love their music.”
