Good Stuff released 30th August 2010
Beyonce – “Why Don’t You Love Me?”
Sometimes I love Beyonce, sometimes I don’t. With this track, I absolutely love her! Here her work is the most fantastically perfect pop - very catchy, with an intricate and highly stylized video. I love the artistic direction in this video, and fuck me is Beyonce pulling out the big guns in terms of sexiness! She exudes a frank, aggressive and sultry style of sex, mixed with the classic appeal of 1950s’ glamour, which is also reflected in her vocal style. We all know Beyonce’s got a good set of pipes, but she really grinds her voice here, releasing desperation, anger and power whilst also exampling her formidable range. The lyrics are great too - arrogant and strong, combining female vulnerability and strength in the contradictory manner that only us females can truly master. I also enjoyed the deeply pitched piano and poly-rhythmic percussion. The best thing Beyonce has released in a while.
Bad Stuff released 30th August 2010
McFly – “Party Girl”
So this is McFly trying to reinvent themselves after being dropped by Island Record in 2007. Now whilst I wasn’t a huge fan of the original McFly package, they did have a certain pop-based charm that was light-hearted, upbeat and kind of fun. This new record is none of those things. It is still essentially pop based, but Taio Cruz’s influence as collaborator on this new track (and their subsequent soon to be released album) is clearly evident. This new track is very much American current pop in style. It’s produced within an inch of its life, and is utterly devoid of personality, spirit or humour, which is something you could at least say in defence of old-skool McFly. If it could be likened to anything, it does sound, bizarrely, a bit like a cheaper, shitter, boy-style version of Lady Gaga, with maybe a splice of Pendulum throw in. Weird, no? With the video additionally considered, it feels like they are really trying to get onto the next Twilight soundtrack. Check it out for yourselves:
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