Singles of the Week 12/8/13
By: Kevin Schoenfeld
A review of the newest singles to be released and set to impact mainstream/rhythmic/urban radio this week:
Young Girls by Bruno Mars –
Bruno’s fifth and final single off Unorthodox Jukebox is good, but not his strongest. With that said, his previous singles were chart killers and are unequal comparisons. This song opens up slowly and gradually picks up adding all kinds of different beats and background vocals. My biggest problem with the song is that it lacks a unique sound; it’s very reminiscent of the song Grenade. If this song receives as much airplay as his other singles did, you’ll be reaching for that dial quick.
Who You Love (feat. Katy Perry) by John Mayer –
This interesting duet about loving whoever you want is a soothing, slow song. It has alternative, country, and pop elements throughout. Katy’s verse is phenomenal because it is not auto tuned or altered in any way, really showcasing her true talent. There are also a lot of instrumentals featured as well, which enhance the emotional depth of the track.
Hipster Girls by IamSu –
This west coast rapper is still up-and-coming and now I can see why. The lyrics and premise of the song are kind of immature and pretty stupid all together; it’s about girls taking pictures of themselves on social media. However, the song has a good flow to it and gets catchy at the end so for fans of hip-hop it’s worth the listen.
Confident (feat. Chance the Rapper) by Justin Bieber –
The 9th single released from Justin’s Music Monday’s promotion is geared toward a wider audience than most of the others. I was surprised to see Chance the Rapper as the collaborator, but he adds a nice twist on the song and is by far the best verse. Otherwise, it is a mediocre pop song that is so heavily auto tuned it is difficult to understand what Justin is saying at some points.
Party (feat. Problem) by TJ Boyce –
Good, catchy club song but overall nothing too special about it, just your typical track about partying. TJ Boyce sounds a lot like T-Pain with an R&B undertone. Problem shreds it with his verse and tops it off by adding his signature “whaaat’s” to the background. End of the song is definitely the best part, so it’s worth checking out.
Back To The Pump by Benny Benassi –
EDM fans listen to this song! The intense futuristic hook, fantastic build up’s, and hot beats make this song a smash club hit. While it gets a little repetitive, the middle of the song shakes it up and then it really starts to get good. It fades out very well to end with a solid finish. This is by far my favorite new track of the week!
Rockin’ N’ Rollin’ by Fedde Le Grand –
This newly released electronic song contains sweet drops and robotic vocals. The song slows down in the middle but quickly picks back up dramatically to build up the hype of an intense beat drop at the end. My biggest criticism is that there is nothing too defined about the track; however, it makes for a good party/ club song.
