Song Review: Black Beatles by Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane

This song is just wow... I was looking at the Billboard Hot 100 and for a while, nothing but that audio garbage of "Closer" was on the #1 Spot until now. This song was no where near the #1 spot and out of nowhere Rae Sremmurd moved The Weeknd, The Chainsmokers, Twenty-One Pilots, Arianna Grande, AND Bruno Mars out of the way and is now sitting on the Pop Chart throne. I think The Chainsmokers suck, The Weeknd is "eh", and Twenty-One Pilots is overrated, but regardless of what I think of them, these people are GIANTS. "Closer" by The Chainsmokers has been at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for about 12 weeks! This song knock everyone out of the way, it must be REALLY GOOD. It's not.

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"Black Beatles" by Rae Sremmurd is terrible, in fact. I am very tired of this lame watered down Hip-Hop/R&B. "Black Beatles" suffer from what I now call "The 2016 Syndrome": Boring, repetitive beat, unoriginal, soft music that can be use as elevator music, a singer that can't sing, and a guest artist to carry the weight the artist can't. The sad part, is that right before the beat kicks in, it almost sounds like you'll get something actually good. When the drum machine starts you realize is the exact same worthless waste of airwaves we've been getting throughout 2015 and 2016. It's hard to me to talk about these songs because there's not much to talk about. Musically speaking, this song is extremely boring with no energy, it has some synth and keyboards, a drum machine, and all on a loop as Rae Sremmurd and Gucci Mane rap on top of it. Now, this has nothing to do with the song itself, but this is a huge pet peeve of mine with this song. In the music video, they pretend to be famous rock stars living the life of "Drugs, Sex, and Rock n' Roll".Now, keeping in mind the theme of the song and The Beatles reference that's to be expected, except that this song sounds like those ambiance soundtracks you go to sleep to... with a drum beat! And they pretend to be playing!? The only thing you have in the song are drums and synth and you are playing a guitar and a bass!? Again, this is a pet peeve and has nothing to do with the actual quality of the song, but as a guitarist and a prospective filmmaker, I feel insulted when I watch this video.

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Lyric wise, the song is about being awesome and hatters gonna hate and screw the hatters, you know, generic rap lyrics that we've heard a billion times before? The only real difference is that they compare themselves to The Beatles which by the way, what have The Beatles ever do to you? Are Paul and Ringo part of those hatters you are trying to disgrace? The flow these two guys have is good, I guess. As good as you would expect from a beat so weak. It sounds just like many other songs we've had this year, there's nothing special to say except after the third chorus. Right after the line "Don't fuck with me, I'll break your heart, baby" is just a wonderful display of energy, flow, and rhymes that has been missing from mainstream music for a long time. I am unsure who is rapping those lines but damn we need more of him doing stuff like that. Those lines between the 3rd and the 4th chorus are the only good thing about this song.

I think this song is terrible, but I also think that 95% of the 2016 Pop charts are terrible abominations in music history. This is not the worst song ever, is simply dull, boring, and like everything else we've heard this year. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason this song got popular was because people thought it was someone else, or the simple Beatles reference. This is the type of music that made me give up on any kind of mainstream Pop in the USA.

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Song Review: Girls Talk Boys by 5 Seconds of Summer

I apologize for not posting anything in a while, but I've been quite busy with school and until now I have a break. For a while, I've been meaning to talk about this song, to be completely honest. It's kind of late, but it won't matter.

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I think it's pretty clear how I feel about this band since I did a Band overview on them. As I learned more about them, I will admit, I wouldn't want to call them a Boy Band. I understand the superficiality of the term and the members of 5Sos do not have a "Boy Band attitude" towards their music. With that said, they are making it really, really hard for the fans in general to defend them. As pointed out in my Artist Overview, 5Sos has progressively gone more Pop as their career moves forward. While their self titled "5 Seconds of Summer" Album was a good mix of Punk, Rock, and Pop, their follow up "Sounds Good, Feels Good" sounded less like Green Day and more like One Direction with guitars. I did not realized they released a new single until not so long ago called "Girls Talk Boys" and my previous theory about them going Pop was proven completely and totally, without any spec of doubt, absolutely right. "Girls Talk Boys" is way better than any of their songs in "Sounds Good, Feels Good" by a huge margin (with the exceptions of a few songs), yet this song is also by far the most "Pop" they've ever manage to be so far.

First and furthermost, this song is amazing. I love the groove. This is definitely a brilliant combination of Rock, Funk, and Pop. The steady, hard hitting drums and interaction between that groovy bass and guitars are simply wonderful. I don't know what to say about this song, it's just so tight and perfect... with the exception of the vocals and the pre-chorus. "Girls Talk Boys" starts off sounding like Bruno Mars (specifically Uptown Funk). It's groovy, it's funky, but it's also rock. However, as the song progresses and they begin to sing, 5Sos sound exactly like One Direction, and yet right before the pre-chorus, they revive the Bee Gees (circa 1977), only to go full on Calvin Harris on the pre-chorus. This is what I mean when I say that it's getting harder to not call 5Sos a Boy Band. The way they sing this song is so eerily reminiscent of One Direction that I could edit this song into a 1D music video and I don't think anyone would notice the difference. When they go high, and sound more like the Bee Gees, it fits more into the groove of the song rather than the preteen vocal work they were going for. The first time listening, it is very awkward to hear such a 1D-like vocal work and melodies in such a tight, funky song that is obviously deserving of a lot more. Where it really goes south for me is the pre-chorus. It sounds so generically pop. If I caught that one part on the radio and listened to nothing but the pre-chorus of the song, I would have never guess this is 5Sos. As mentioned before, I would assume it'd be Calvin Harris (mainly), the Chainsmokers or some other dumb generic DJ. I love this song, but in the sense of the band's growth this feels like both a step forward and a step backwards at the same time.

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On to the lyrics. These are the worst and most Boy Band-ish lyrics 5Sos can and will possibly sing. The Chorus is stupid. I wouldn't know how to write a chorus for this song, but repeating "When the Girls, When the Girls Talk Boys, When the Girls Talk Boys" is not acceptable lyrical work for a band like 5Sos. When the girls talk boys... what? What do they say? What do you think they say? Why do you care? When the girls talk boys what, dammit! This is not even a sentence! The rest of the verses in the song are at least complete ideas, or ideas that are eventually completed by the end of the stanza. However, these are very One Direction-ish love song lyrics. I hate to keep bringing 1D up but it's just the best comparison. I am guessing the narrator is talking to either his girlfriend or the girl he likes and wants to know what she talks about with her friends. And because this guy is a self centered douche, it has to be about him. "When you talk to your girls, do you talk about me? Do you say that I'm a sweetheart, do you say that I'm a freak"? I mean, you could interpret the song as a guy being nervous about what his girlfriend is saying about him behind his back. Are they good things? However, the way this song is being sung is way too confident to be about insecurity of your reputation. I'll probably get a lot of hate for this, but this is an Uptown Funk/One Direction mashup. There is no way around it.

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Is the song good? Totally. The lyrics are a bit too sleazy and douche-y for me and the vocal melody isn't the best 5Sos has to offer, but the music is good enough to make me ignore the song's flaws. But the problem was never on 5Sos's music, is their persona and their image, and this song is a perfect reflection of that. If you want to sound something like a combination of Rock and Pop, that's fine. I find Punk Rock to be a very limiting genre, so I'm all for 5Sos expanding their sound like they did in "Girls Talk Boys". Embrace your Pop sound, expand your horizons and sounds. However, quit trying to call or portray yourself as something you are clearly not.

Artist Overview: Hailey Knox

My second request came to me in the form of a Facebook post shared with me. A friend of mine sent this post of a New York Radio Station talking about a young New York artist named Hailey Knox. To quote the publication, "She's the living proof that World Class Rock is alive and well in New York's Back Yard" and I, honestly, couldn't disagree more. If Hailey Knox is considered "Rock", then we can safely say that Rock music as part of the social consciousness is dead. However, false advertising or trying to keep a genre on life support by using the term as loosely as possible, is not what is of relevance, but whether is Hailey Knox any good or not. Is she?

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I'll dive straight into her music because I can't find any information about her, so I can't tell you who she is. It seems she is mostly a YouTuber who got a chance to release an album and got a record deal with S-Curve Records and I'll be honest and straightforward: I am unimpressed. Before I trash talk Hailey, let's give credit where credit is due. She has talent as a guitar player and singer and if she writes her own music (which it seems she does) then she is also a talented song writer. The first song I've heard was a live version of "Geeks" and is very bluesy and honestly I love it (both the live version and the studio version). In both versions it has a solid guitar work, finger picking mostly, which gives it a very chill and distinct sound. In the studio version there is a string ensemble which honestly I find completely unnecessary because they bring nothing to the song. There is no fill, no build-up, in general, no need for the strings. Her song "Awkward" is more generic a pop song. While I feel is better put together than "Geeks" is less distinguishable and could be song by anyone. It sounds like another collaboration between Clean Bandit and Jess Glyne, or like a watered down Kelly Clarkson song (which for the record, being compared to Kelly Clarkson is not a compliment). While I'm still with "Awkward" I probably should point out that this video is either a Rip-off or a tribute of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Considering that these songs have no apparent relationship, I find it suspicious.

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Other songs in her album "A Little Awkward" are not bad, but pretty forgettable. They are catchy enough to get stuck in your head for about 2 minutes after the song ends but that's about it. "Loopty Loop" is alright, "My Worst Enemy" is more of a lounge guitar  ballad. Honestly, this is what "Geeks" should've been like (studio). It's good but not extraordinaire but certainly a song where Hailey took advantage of her strong points. "Take it or Leave it" is just, uh... Let's just skip this one. Although the chorus is the best part of the song thanks mostly to baseline. It reminds me of a song by Mägo de Oz named "Al-Mejandria" which the song is pretty much forgettable but the chorus hits you so hard that you get sucked in the instant it kicks in, but unlike "Al-Mejandria" I don't think the chorus is enough to save this song.

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Lyrically? Personality? What is Hailey's persona? Well, I've seen this shtick before. To put it simple, Hailey Knox is to Blues what Tatlor Swift was to Country. Her appeal is the "geeky girl next door" and I've seen this before. In fact, as soon as I first saw her, Taylor Swift jumped right into my head (which is not necessarily a bad thing). She at the very least she is trying to do something different than her Pop Music Peers, and I say that because the rest of her YouTube page are pop covers and the only information I found is that she is labeled, indeed, as "Pop" (yes, the radio station is a total liar) and lately pop music has been a snore after an other. Not that Hailey's music is particularly intense or anything but at least sounds like music that's not from a supermarket, an elevator, or a hotel lobby (well, for the most part). Her songs do have a chill and relaxed vibe, but because of the writing, the subject maters, and the style and influences in her music, it works.
Just like "One Dance", even if I fall asleep listening to this, is the subject matter that allows that "low energy" to work in favor of the song and not against it.

Hailey Knox hasn't released much but I think it's pretty solid for her first album. I don't know if I'd be eager to listen to what she releases next, but I would certainly not mind to get her in the Pop charts instead of other artists like Shawn Mendez, Drake, Justin Bieber, The Chainsmokers, or any bloody twat that gets a hit song because of stupid Vines, just to name a few. Hailey is not my cup of tea, but she definitely deserves more recognition and a thumbs up!

Song Review: Sweatshirt by Jacob Sartorius

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For the first time, I've actually gotten 2 requests to make a review. One is going to be an Artist Overview and the other one would be this one: a song review that honestly I wish I hadn't accepted. I said that I wanted to get outside of Asia in my reviews for a change and I think I did a pretty good job, specially since not all reviews have been bad. In fact, only Zayn's song "Pillowtalk" have had a negative review since I made this switch. Today we've broken this streak and oh boy what a song to do so. The song in question would be "Sweatshirt" by 13 year old vine star Jacob Sartorius.

So, there's no way around it, the song is awful. I actually feel ashamed to have it in my internet browsing history. I would rather the FBI, my family, friends, ex-girlfriends, etc, see what type of porn I've looked into other than letting them know that I've actually listened to this song for 1.03 seconds. There is no excuse for it. Asking "what is wrong with it" would not be a useful question since "all of it" would be the answer, but let's dissect this for a moment. There's a term for musical mediocrity that I have adopted from Mr. Todd in the Shadows called "White Guy with Acoustic Guitar" (it's not literal, you don't need to be white or play an acoustic guitar to be a "White Guy with Acoustic Guitar") which is when someone tries to pretend to be sentimental and/or meaningful through lazy gimmicks. In his own words: "As long as you're a lazy, shallow, self-absorbed douche who writes songs that pretends to be sensitive, you too can be a White Guy with Acoustic Guitar". This means that there are "White Guy with Acoustic Guitar" Songs ("7 Years" by Lukas Graham, "The Lazy Song" by Bruno Mars, "Little Things by One Direction, "Stitches" by Shawn Mendez, etc.) and "White Guy with Acoustic Guitar" Players (Whenever that football player or frat bro who thinks he can play guitar plays "Wonderwall" or "Piano Man").
"Sweatshirt" to me it's a perfect example of a "White Guy with Acoustic Guitar" song. The first thing you hear is a guitar strumming and for the sake of this review I did learn this song on my guitar and let me tell you, 3 chords is all you need in it. I am not saying that every guitar song has to be complex but E, A and B, capo on the 3rd fret, is just plain lazy. So, the guitar sucks because it reeks of laziness, and the beats make it sound "hip" because this is what them kids like, right? The autotuned vocals which any person with decent singing abilities could be able to sing without are there too. There's a little synth riff in the chorus which honestly is not that bad and it is kinda catchy, keeping the juvenile vibe that this kid obviously is trying to cash in on. Which if I had to say something positive about it, at least the song is not trying to be something it's not (for the most part). This prepubescent kid is not pretending to be this badass baller swagger sex god (for the most part). It's a 13 year old singing a love song that sounds that was written by an 11 year old. Other than that there is really not much to say. This is a mediocre song that sounds mediocre with mediocre vocals, mediocre synth, guitar, beats, overall mediocre instrumentation, mediocre songwriting and God Dammit I haven't even talked about the lyrics yet.

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God do these lyrics make me cringe. So, remember those "for the most part" I typed? Well, when I said that the song wasn't pretending to be something it's not, that's until you listen to the lyrics.While the song is exactly what you expect from a talentless prepubescent hack, Jacob is trying so hard to write a love song while sucking his own "ego". Lines like "You can think about me all night long" and "So, baby, if you're not ready for my kiss then you can wear my sweatshirt" just make me want to puke and punch this kid in the face. Honestly, I feel like this is the middle school version of "Blurred Lines". You can hear "I know you want it" all over these lyrics. Probably this song was intended as a "desperate plea of a gentleman fighting for his fair maiden", but who am I kidding? That was me trying to be fair, there is no lyric in this song that indicates that this kid doesn't want to get into this girl's pants and nothing more. For those who say "that is disgusting, he's 13" well, he has forced a "fan" (I guess?) to send him nudes, and there are screenshots of it on the twitter account of the girl herself. So there's that.

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Jacob Sartorius  is another musical celebrity (I refuse to call him an artist or a singer) that they are just god awful in their annoyance and immaturity, like Silento or Rebecca Black, but he reminds me, actually, of another musical cancer that debuted in 2010. In fact, even the songs in which this artist debuted was this bad. Yes, I am talking about the one and only Justin Bieber. As a musician and music critic, I am aware that I must hate Bieber at all costs, but in this case, I am actually going to defend him. The comparisons between Jacob and Bieber to me are almost impossible to ignore. From the attitude, the song, the debut, the age, everything seemed familiar to me, the difference being mostly the success of said debut song (and other minor differences). "Baby" by Justin Bieber is a much better song, by far. Sure, it had more writers including Bieber but this allowed for the final product to be a more "revised" version, so to speak. The only credited writer in "Sweatshirt" is Rolf Sartorius which is the birth name of Jacob Sartorius (his first name), his father, and grandfather so I don't know who to blame for this. The lyrics in "Baby" while the opening line are as egocentrical as "Sweatshirt", someone still makes it cute, because the focus is on Bieber's feelings and how this girl broke his heart, not on how awesome I am and how lending you MY stuff is THE blessing of the Gods. As a love song, it works because it focuses on Feelings and not Ego. Also, "Baby" feels juvenile as well, and the song still stays in the theme not creating a disconnect between singer and subject matter. Even Ludacris in his rap verse understands the subject matter and tells a story of his first crush. "Sweatshirt" just feels like his trying too hard to be a Swagger Ladies Man, and even the sweatshirt in the story feels more like an innuendo the more you think about it.

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Also, "Baby" was catchy. I haven't heard it in years and only the mention of it got me singing it in my head. I couldn't be able to even hum "Sweatshirt" to you even if my life depended on it. Songs like "One Dance", "Watch Me", "Hotline Bling", "Baby", and even "Friday" work as pop songs because they stick in your consciousness so you remember them whether you like it or not. In a way, the songs become a part of your life and become a part of the social consciousness. Don't get me wrong, most of the songs I just mentioned I think are awful, but I remember them. A pop song's success is not measured by quality and longevity, but by notoriety, commercial results, and presence (airplay, per say). And to achieve this, the song must be, at the very least, catchy because that'll make it at least memorable enough to be imprinted in Pop Music History. As mentioned before, "Sweatshirt" is not catchy. The moment I stop listening to it, I forget about it, and just as forgettable is the singer himself. Which, fortunately would mean that this little pukestain wouldn't have the staying power to last a life-long music career. However, I hate to break it to you, but this song did chart on number 90 in the Billboard Hot 100 which honestly, for being the first song you've ever released is not too bad, which makes me fear that the worse is yet to come. Is this the second coming of Bieber? Is this song the first chime of the Bells of the Apocalypse of the music world? Is this the end of New good music in popular media?

Song Review: H.M.J. by Dream Evil

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I am currently vacationing in Costa Rica and today was a religious holiday. In the last few days, there has been a pilgrimage to the Basilica in Cartago to celebrate the virgin Mary. I am not a believer, but I was raised as a roman catholic so I wanted to make a review of a song about a man who is faced with a dangerous task, and on his way he finds Jesus Christ. The Song is called H.M.J. which is short for "Heavy Metal Jesus",  by a band named Dream Evil. This whole introduction might seem like a set up for a sarcastic punchline, but as a matter a fact, I wasn't lying when I said the song was a man encountering Jesus. When I first heard this song it was just the most epic thing I've ever listened to. The title "Heavy Metal Jesus" promises a lot and it delivers. Anyone remotely into metal and Heavy Metal needs to listen to this song. This should be a metal classic alongside Master of Puppets, The Trooper, Run to the Hills, Raining Blood, Cowboys from Hell, etc.

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I was extremely curious about the band Dream Evil when I first heard this song. It had a lot of "power metal" imagery (fantasy elements, like monsters, epic adventures, etc) but combined with the theme of Jesus blessing a warrior. I thought this might be a christian metal band like Skillet or Stryper, however I found no information to support this claim, and most of their songs seem to have an entirely different vibe from this one, more leaned to fantasy rather than religion. Dream Evil is a Swedish power metal/heavy metal band formed in 1999. To be honest, I'm not a fan of their other work. I heard Todd in the Shadows quoting a critic in his show "One Hit Wonderland" saying that one good song can save an album but one great song can kill it. I feel like that but with Dream Evil's other songs. If I had heard their other songs before H.M.J. I'd probably like them more, but H.M.J. is such a great song with a lot of energy that their other work just seem to lack.



So, what makes H.M.J. so great? There's a little term I use which is called "Primal Metal". When you listen to a lot of music as I do, specially Metal, you'll end up finding musically complex and intriguing artists and musicians that are not only talented but also complex and interesting (either instrumentality, technicality, or both). Some bands like these are Wagakki Band, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Luca Turilli's Rhapsody, etc. But sometimes all this complexity is just exhausting and you just want to rock out, and you want something a little more straight forward, basic and simple yet hard and powerful. Rammstein and Bullet for My Valentine are 2 bands I go to when I need to fulfill that primal need of mine, hence the term "Primal Metal". H.M.J. is as primal as you can get: hard, rocking and grooving, not stopping. The first thing you hear, an incredible guitar riff that grabs you from the first second you hear it. It kinda has a bluesy flare to it and it's heavy like any good metal song should be. The drums and bass just groove with that riff giving it a lot of energy, making it an all round fun song to listen to. I begin tapping my feet and headbanging from the first 10 seconds of the song. It's quite a simple song, but it's also pretty short, so it doesn't overstay its welcome.

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The energy of this song is just infectious. It pumps you up like very few songs can. Something like "Eye of the Tiger", "The Final Countdown". A more direct song would be "Walk" by Pantera which is another song that grooves you into it's realm of power. I honestly think I could win a fight listening to this song, and keep in mind I am an online music critic (physical activity is not my forte at all). The guitar solo is just your classic shred. Throughout the song, there is a "Call-Response" between the vocals and the lead guitar, the singer throws a verse and the lead guitar responds with a short killer solo. But when it's on the main solo the guitarist just takes it away with a solo worthy of Kirk Hammett from Metallica with great speed and amazing use of the wah-wah pedal. The singer is not that great for power metal standards. He's good, but he's no Bruce Dickinson or Dio. But in this song, he sells me on it. He doesn't hit high notes like an opera singer but the ones he does are just the right ones. He doesn't oversell it: What you came for is what you get.

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Lyrically, you get what you were promised. This is one of the few songs I've seen in a while that actually tells a story. However unlike other songs with a narrative, this one is very straightforward. There are no metaphors, poetic arrangements, nothing. The story is as straightforward as "Last night I went to a bar and met this chick". The song tells about a man (probably a warrior) going to slay a beast as he encounters Jesus on his way. Jesus warns him about the dangers ahead and the valiant warrior decides to continue on his way. Jesus blesses him and the warrior proceeds with his journey. Does he ever succeed, the story doesn't say. Jesus just blessed the man with his Flying-V and the man continues his journey. Honestly, I think the story is perfect the way it is. You don't need to know if the narrator slayed the beast or not because that is not the focus of the story. The focus is "Heavy Metal Thunderstrucking Jesus" (direct quote from the song). It's like a friend trying to tell you a story about how he met George Clooney and he decided to focus on the penny he found afterwards. When you meet the Son of God introducing himself saying "I'm heavy metal Jesus" you know what you're story HAS to be about.



H.M.J. is just, to me, one of those stupidly perfect songs. Everything is so simple you'd swear they came up with this in a jam session in one go and the lyrics were an improv intended as a joke, yet it all just comes together so perfectly, and honestly, I think the beauty of this song lies on it's simplicity and the energy in which the song is being played. There's not really a lot to say, but you'll feel it once you hear it. What can I say other than it is Heavy Metal Thunderstrucking Jesus!

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Song Review: My Sweet Passion by Nikki Gregoroff

So, The Hot 100 hasn't given me anything interesting lately. Drake went down a few spots and came back up, and just like that, every song in the top 20 has remained practically the same. So I decided to review a song outside of the pop charts, or this decade. But before I do that, I'll give you a quick run down on the Top 20 starting from number 1 over here: http://nanasushireviews.blogspot.com/2016/07/billboard-top-20-quick-rundown.html

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My Sweet Passion was released in 1998 as the character theme song of Amy Rose in Sonic Adventure. I will admit, there is a certain nostalgia bias in favor of this song because Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast was the first videogame I have ever played and Sonic Adventure DX (the Gamecube remake) was the first Gamecube game I ever owned. Not to mention that despite its ups and downs, Sonic the Hedgehog is my favorite videogame franchise.With that said, I know I liked most of the music in Sonic Adventure, however, it was until I began playing Sonic Adventure again after 15 years that I started paying attention to the music, I looked for the soundtrack and I wasn't disappointed with what I heard. If I could describe the entire soundtrack in a nutshell I would say it's the right blend between Funk, Rock, and even Metal. Basically what Maroon 5 tries to makes us think they are but not really. Not all songs are great, but to me the good ones are GOLD. One of them being My Sweet Passion by Nikki Gregoroff. My Sweet Passion leaves out  Rock part out and goes full Funk on us and damn was that a good choice. Since this song was written specifically to be about Amy Rose, they had to make both the Character, the lyrics, and music go hand in hand thus limiting the creativity on the song, and yet still succeeded. The song has this sweet little girl vibe, but is strong, passionate, and very energetic. This song is an overall good time (I would love a jam session based around this song).

Let's start by talking about the music: There is just so much going on in this song. The drums lay a funky beat while the bass walks all over it. A guitar with the Wah-Wah pedal grooves to the song with a second guitar playing a few high notes, with a synth filling in the gaps. Bongos help the drums with the beat as they give their own sound. That keyboard work, that guy knew what he was doing, because that keyboard hit the right notes and don't even get me started on that brass section. To put it simple, there is a lot going on in this song. Everything is tight and done perfectly. If ANY instrument were off by one beat, the whole song would fall apart. One of the things about the song being so rich and tight, is that you can follow a particular instrument to see what they are doing. It's like a book you can't stop reading because it's so interesting. Also, the mixing is impeccable. No instrument in the tune overshadows another. Even the vocals doesn't stand out, they all seem part of one whole body. Of course, to keep with the theme, Nikki's delivery was perfect. The song has a very
"Call-Response" structure. In the verses, the main vocal, which is soft, almost spoken, sing a line and then a whispered vocal follows. This actually adds "seductive" to the mood and vibe of the song. In the chorus they just go all out, a chorus sings "Sweet, Sweet, You're so Sweet" and Nikki sings her heart out in response. Again, she delivered the right energy in the right moment. What else can I say about this song other than it is, musically speaking, perfect.

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Lyrically is where we start seeing problems on the song. Again, there are lyrics in the song directly related to the character and wouldn't make sense in any other context. For example, "I know that your lucky color is that that cool shade of blue (I wouldn't mind painting myself blue for you)" which is a reference to Amy's devotion to Sonic (although it does sound like a naughty fetish out of context). This song might be famous among the Sonic fanbase but not really because of the music. In one of the whispered vocals you can hear "...Looks so cute. I have to shave it". The line goes "I do understand the feelings of a Persian Cat (But the Sphinx looked so cute I had to Shave it". I have NO idea what that is supposed to mean. Is it a reference? Is it related to the character? Is it a sexual Innuendo? I don't know! I've researched this lyric down and I haven't found anything regarding what it means. Even as an innuendo I feel it's a stretch, I won't go into the details but by specifying "Persian Cat" throws me off, followed by referring to the same object as "Sphinx" is just too specific and weird to be a sex reference. I've read that some people don't like this song because it's a little too "Stalky". Well, the character of Amy does chase Sonic very passionately in the games (specially before) and that's mostly because Sonic runs away from here, so I honestly feel that maybe that was the point. Amy is kind of a stalker in the older games, but not so much to make her creepy. The song is the same to me, there might be some lines that might be a little "stalky" but again, not so much to actually call the "narrator" a stalker. Besides, what's the problem with stalker songs? We've let Stalker jams slide before. If we let Every Breath You Take, Somebody's Watching Me, I Will Possess Your Heart, You're Beautiful, One Way or Another (Twice) be a hit, why not this song?

Billboard Top 20 Quick Rundown

-One Dance by Drake: Already Reviewed it.
-Can't Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake: This actually sounds like a song! If you like pop music, even the slightest, how can you Hate on J.T.?
-Don't Let me Down by The Chainsmokers ft. Daya: Way less annoying and awful than #Selfie, but not my thing (but the chorus, if you can call it like that, does sound awful and annoying) and I'm pretty sure I've heard that opening riff somewhere else.
-This is What You Came For by Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna: It's ok, I guess. Definite proof that Rihanna can sound good in a record and that Work is an awful abomination of sound.
-Cheap Thrills by Sia: PUT THIS SONG IN #1 THIS INSTANT!
-Panda by Desiigner: Can you be any more generic? Get out NOW.
-Needed Me by Rihanna: Boring... I really don't need this at all, but at least is not Work.
-Ride by Twenty One Pilots: If the other songs on the radio weren't so awful, I would probably be calling this song generic, very 2016ish, and not very interesting. But since that is not the case... Besides, I can actually see this song growing on me.
-Don't Mind by Kent Jones: I think this song wants to take the tittle of "Most Generic Song" away from Panda. Also, Why do I have a feeling that this song only got popular over a stupid hashtag?
- Work from Home by Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign: A boring song made by a boring artist who's name is misleading: They don't Harmonize, and a group called Fifth Harmony would imply something awesome. Don't fall for this false advertising. This is boring, generic, and just sucks.
-Send My Love (To Your New Lover) by Adele: Not Adele's finest work, but it's still Adele. WHY IS THIS NOT IN THE TOP 10!?
-I Took a Pill in Ibiza by Mike Posner: Is this the Remix or the Original? Still better than most songs in this list. I prefer the Seeb remix, it captures the sentiment of sadness, emptiness, and anguish Mike Posner fails to deliver in the original. Although the original does still sound sad and I like the guitar work in it and it does have nice hooks and riffs.
-H.O.L.Y. by Florida Georgia Line: These guys need to get the hell out of the music industry. I don't believe song for just one second. It sounds phony. NEXT
-Me Too by Meghan Trainor: I hate Meghan Trainor. Also, if you're going to steal a beat don't steal from the Black Eyed Peas. There are WAY better things to steal. Also, I hate her as an artist, but in this song she sounds so pretentious and arrogant. You feel good about yourself and (allegedly) everyone wants to be you? WHO CARES!? Go try something else, you egomaniac!
-Let it Go by James Bay: Oh Look. An Acoustic version of Pillowtalk by Zayn! No seriously, this song is totally forgettable and totally  boring. If you ask me, this song is in the charts because people thought it was the song from Frozen! Also, "Just Let it Be"? You dragged Frozen into this borefest, you don't need to drag The Beatles in there too.
-7 Years by Lukas Graham: Speaking of Egomaniacs. A song from the album Lukas Graham that sings about how awesome the front man of the band Lukas Graham, Lukas Graham, is, while disguised as a song about the tragedy of the passage of time. Musically speaking is ok, I guess.
-Controlla by Drake: I see Drake is still boring! Also, the "I, I, I, I" part? What the hell was that? To be fair, the rap part does sound somewhat interesting even though it sounds just like another Drake song.
-Work by Rihanna ft. Drake: WHY IS THIS SOUND PUKE IS STILL HERE!? This song is AWFUL!! IT SOUNDS AWFUL! This song is WORSE than Friday by Rebecca Black and Baby by Justin Beiber. THERE, I said it!
-For Free by DJ Khaled ft. Drake: You're here again Drake...? This song does nothing for me. But hey, at least I'm not Falling asleep

Song Review: One Dance by Drake feat. Kyla & Wizkid

I'll say this right here and right now. I hate Drake. He sounds awful, just plain awful. First off, he can't sing Jacque Merde and although with is true of the vast majority of the people on the radio right now, unlike a lot of his peers, even his autotune sounds obnoxiously bad. I don't like Rihanna either, but I don't despise her. I kind of like one or two of her songs, and the rest are just "eh" (I don't care for them), but there is only one song of her's I hate, hate, HATE, and oh boy, oh boy, it just HAPPENS to be the one she sings with Drake: "Work" (or as it is pronounced "werk" with an awful out of key autotune). I blame "Work" song solely on Drake. That nasal whine, bad autotune and boring yet catchy songs are all Drake's signature tropes. So, when I saw on this week's #1 Song on http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100 and saw "One Dance" by Drake feat. Kyla & Wizkid, I groaned and rolled my eyes. I already hated it and I hadn't even listened to it yet, and I saw a chance. I could finally rip Drake apart, so I went and listened to the song and... It's alright.

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It's NOT a good song whatsoever, but it is the first Drake song that didn't make me want to puke or fall asleep... or both. I really wanted to hate this song, but probably my expectations were so low that nothing could've meet them. Anyway, the beat, for starters, actually sounds like it has some strength (which compared to all the other weak and worthless beats out there, is already a plus on my book) and the song has a nice piano riff in there. The beat has that reggaeton rhythm, which despise, but with the piano riff it gives it a nice vibe, and for the first time, the fact that the beat is kind of soft helps the song giving it a nice relaxed vibe. But for a song which says "I need a One Dance" this really doesn't work for a dance song at all. Again, it's too weak and relaxed, but knowing Drake, I think that was the point. A lot of he's songs are kind of angsty/depressing (or more like "are about...") actually and while I'm not sure if this is the case, it certainly feels like it. When he says "Got a Hennessy in my hand, one more time 'fore I go, Higher Powers taking a hold of me" it sounds depressing. When I hear this, there's a hint of sadness and regret as he sings this, to me it sounds like an addiction. It's almost like an alcoholic trying to quit and he's always stuck in that "One More".

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The song is also quite short. It only lasts for about 2:12, but it always goes by way faster. This song is definitely one of Drake's more tolerable songs, and to be honest, I've heard this song about a hundred times to write this review and I'll admit "One Dance" is growing on me. I still have some problems with the song, obviously. Drake's autotune is still annoying, that reggaeton beat, and the fact that I have no idea who Kyla and Wizkid are and can't distinguish them in the song, so I actually forget that they are in there somewhere. I was prepared to hate this song, but I actually kind of met with a pleasant surprise. Would I have this song on my iPod? Hell no. Would I rip my ears off if I heard this song again? Not at all. In fact, I might actually welcome it.

Song Review: Pillowtalk by Zayn

I realized my Reviews are focusing a little too much in the East, so for a change I decided to look at the Billboard Top 40 and review the song which currently has the number 1 spot, which happens to be Pillowtalk by the death of One Direction, Zayn Malik (admit it, 1D was done for when he left).

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Let's get one thing out of the way: this song is BORING. This seems to be a common theme in Pop music today, and I'm not saying this because I'm a Rocker or a Metalhead. I listen to just as much Pop as I do Rock and Metal. I don't know who started this trend but everything is sounding almost like lounge music with a beat. It's just so weak and uninteresting, and this song is no exception. Another problem, there's not much to talk about musically speaking. The Music is all synths and drum machine, and it sounds generic, pretty much. The vocals sound good, although it's most likely autotuned. Zayn kinda slurs the lyrics of this song, he could've vocalized better. This song really gives me nothing to work with at a music level, it's boring and generic. I will give it it this, though. This song is about sex, pretty much, and I'm no sex expert, but I could definitely see people having sex to this song, or this song being used in a sex scene. The beat (while it sucks) does keep a steady pace (not too fast, not too slow). I don't think this was the intention of the song, but hey, it's better than nothing. Although, the bridge (where Zayn repeats "Paradise" and "War Zone" over and over again) destroys that pacing. Ok, so I got nothing here. It's not bad enough to hate and it's not good enough to like.

So, the song sucks, but what about the lyrics? Well, they are as generic as you can get. As mentioned before, this is a song about having sex. But in an attempt to sound poetic they throw this opposition gimmick we've seen a thousand times.
"We'll go slow and High-Tempo"
"I'm seeing the pain, seeing the pleasure"
"A Place that is so pure, dirty and raw"
"It's our paradise and our war zone"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_3d6GntKbk

The lyrics aren't particularly bad, I think. Again, they're just not interesting. If we changed all the lyrics for "la" it wouldn't be a loss. The only part that really bothers me is when he sings "Nobody but you, 'body but me, 'body but us". PRONOUNCE "NOBODY" PROPERLY PLEASE. "'body" sounds stupid, and it has no purpose to be. I've sang the song, it still fits on the tempo. If it's a kind of joke, set up, or build up to the next line "Bodies together" then that is even stupider. If it's some sort of pun, you gave it away before you got to it, so it doesn't work.


Over all, is the song good? No. Is it bad? No. I've certainly heard bad songs on the radio in the past month, and this is not one of them. I wouldn't listen to this song, but if I were at a party and the DJ plays it, I wouldn't complain either. Why are people listening to it is beyond me. I guess is because people just need some background noise but I don't know. I would suggest you go ahead and judge for yourself, I stance on this song is a simple "meh".

Band Overview and Concert Night: Wagakki Band

I'm doing this review as a double review, where I talk about the band and about the performance in Irving Plaza on March 14th because not only I feel it would be easier than doing 2 reviews, but also because I feel that I need to talk about both things simultaneously to properly talk about this band.

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If you don't listen to J-Rock or J-Pop, you most likely haven't heard of this band. To you who don't listen to J-Rock and to those who do and don't know this band, all I have to say is this: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!?
Here's the Youtube Mix playlist link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_xTet06SUo&list=RDEMmasccFDm4G0H4rd_7pz6Hw
Go ahead and listen to this band. There are a few BABYMETAL, One OK Rock, and Nano tracks sneaked in there, but that's pretty much all the videos Wagakki Band has released.

I cannot stress enough that this band is AMAZING, and watching them live is even better. Like Diablo Swing Orchestra, I wish this band had more mainstream recognition because, not only are they WAY better than The Weekend, Drake, Justin Bieber, in other words, what you hear in mainstream radio right now (and I'll let you know why in a moment), but also they are unique with their style and performance unlike many artists today which are just straight up rip-offs of each other.

Who is Wagakki Band?

Let's start with the basics. Wagakki Band is a Japanese Rock group composed by 8 members, and their style of music is a combination of (as Yuko Suzuhana, the lead singer explained) "traditional Japanese instruments and  western instruments" and hence, the name ("和楽器" =Traditional Japanese Musical Instrument + "Band"). The members go as follows:
Yuko Suzuhana: Vocals
Michiya: Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals
Asa: Bass
Wasabi: Drums
Kurona: Wadaiko
Daisuke Kaminaga: Shakuhachi
Kiyoshi Ibukuro: Koto
Beni Ninagawa: Tsugaru Shamisen

They formed in 2013 by covering Vocaloid songs on Youtube, one of their most famous include Senbonzakura and Roku Chounen to Ichiya Monogatari. They released their first album Vocalo Zanmai in 2014 and their Second album Yasou Emaki in 2015.

Why is Wagakki Band Good?

As you can tell, I am a big fan of this band, but I'll try to forget all that and be as objective as possible, and then again, whether something is "good" or not is really subjective. This is why I think this band is so good, please read it and  listen to the band. Maybe we'll agree, maybe you like the band for other reasons, or maybe you don't like the band at all (if that's the case, what's wrong with you, seriously...).

Probably the first thing anyone who likes this band will tell you if you ask them this question is: They are very unique. While being "unique" doesn't necessarily mean it's good, it does give you something new to enjoy if done right, and this band does it perfectly. Their "theme" is a combination of Rock and traditional Japanese music, and the way they arrange the songs reflect that, while it's obvious to point out at the Japanese instruments, you should also note that, when given the chance, the vocal phrasing and melody are very traditional as well. The way Wagakki Band puts it together, though, it's not to make one style complement the other, but for them to be together. Neither of the styles is an accessory to the other. Wagakki Band's musical style is the Epiphany of "East meets West".

Once again, the lyrics are in Japanese (as you would expect) so I can't judge them properly. I have looked for the translations to some of their songs, and I love the lyrics in them, and they are amazing. However, some of them were (once again) Vocaloid covers. I do believe, however, that just because you don't understand the lyrics of a song you shouldn't listen to it, which is unfortunately the reason why most people wouldn't like this band and it's sad because the music is really good and the lyrics (as far as I know) are too. What makes this even worse is that in reality, if you want to know what they are saying, all you need to do is type "(name of the song here) lyrics English" on google.

Why is Wagakki Band Good (Part 2) and Wagakki Band @ Irving Plaza

I merged the last point on what makes them a great band with their concert because you cannot speak of one without the other.

Finally, these musicians are top notch. All 8 members are extremely talented in their craft and you can tell in their songs, but this really shines during their concerts. In their concerts (and I can speak from experience now) they really let themselves go. Between their musicianship, music, passion, and energy, you get sucked in into their realm. They really give it their all and do it for the music and the fans. After the concert ended, people yelled "Encore". They came back out and decided to play one more song, but they weren't prepared for an encore (I guess they weren't expecting to have an encore). They Played Senbonzakura one more time just for us. Watching them is also very fun. They tend to dance around and do all sorts of cool little tricks while playing and you can tell they are having fun. In fact, dare I even say, it's like Wagakki was full of Mick Jaggers. They all could be the front man if they wanted. They all do their thing individually but are brought together through the music, so watching Wagakki perform is like watching a parade or a party which you are now a part of as well.

I can try to talk about their concert all day and not come close to describing the experience. Like I said before, it is their realm, their own little reality and like true art, it cannot be explained with mere words, it can only be experienced. I got so into the zone, my entire body has been hurting for 4 days (there was no mosh pit). I've really tried to find a way to describe the concert but I can't find a way to make it justice. Wagakki Band is one of, and if not, The Best concert I've been to so far (and I've seen A LOT of people including Metallica, Paul McCartney twice, Iron Maiden, Bon Jovi, BABYMETAL...). All I can do is tell you to watch Dai Ensoukai (their concert DVD), and although you can see their skills, being there is something else entirely. Like Jimi Hendrix, it's one thing to see him, and then there is being there.


Conclusion:

This was a really Long review, and I apologize, but there is a lot about this band. I seriously recommend this band, a lot (like, a lot). And if you see that they will perform somewhere near you, don't think about it and go. I recommend for you to listen to both of their albums. Most of the songs are great, and those that aren't are still pretty good.

-Vocalo Zanmai
-Yasou Emaki

Artist Overview: 5 Seconds of Summer

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Let's start the year talking about a very somewhat famous and popular band: 5 Seconds of Summer. I have talked about them before on my review of the concert at Nikon Theater, but having the same argument with two different friends pretty much compelled me to make a review solely on the band.

5 Seconds of Summer (or 5SOS for short), is a Pop Punk/Punk Rock band from Australia. They have been fairly successful worldwide and they are by far one of my favorite popular artists in recent memory and I am kind of sad that they don't seem to receive as much attention as other artist who honestly are way too boring like Justin Beiber, The Weekend, or god awful Drake.

I must address an important issue regarding this band before I get into their music: If 5 Seconds of Summer IS NOT a Boy Band, then there is, indeed, no "i" in "denial". It's amazing how 5SOS fans are claiming that 5SOS is not a boy band despite the fact that most of them are pre-teen girls defending a pop group filled with pretty boys that write songs obviously targeted to a pre-teen audience. One of my friends even sent me a wikipedia article defining "Boy Band" (of course, that backfired). Said article states the following points and I'll let you know if they apply to 5SOS:

1. "Is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation, singing love songs marketed towards young females" Check!
2. "Being vocal groups, most boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on stage...However, exceptions do exist." They do play their own instruments, but the shoe still fits.

The other argument my friend said was that their first album was very "Pop" but their new album "Sounds Good Feels Good" was more of a break out of that "Pop" image. Since I hadn't listen to the album yet, I couldn't argue with that. Now I did, so let's talk about it.

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5 Seconds of Summer has released two full length albums and A LOT of singles. The first one simply titled "5 Seconds of Summer" (released in 2014) and the other one being "Sounds Good Feels Good" (released in 2015). Their first album is pretty good. I enjoy most of their songs, my favorite being "End Up Here" and "Good Girls" (despite this one being a complete rip-off of "What's My Age Again?" by Blink-182). My two least favorite are "Amnesia" and "She's So Perfect". I don't dislike them, they are just Ok. "Amnesia" is too boring for me and a little too "sweet" (and I mean the feeling you get when you eat way too much chocolate). "She's So Perfect" to me feels like they are trying a little too hard (either that, or they are hitting a woman's weak spot on purpose), but the message is a good one and the song is alright.

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"Sounds Good Feels Good", the "break out of the pop sound" that my friend proclaimed. WHAT A LOAD OF BULLS***!! They sound even MORE POP than they did before! Any more Pop and they would be One Direction, and good timing, cause they are both just four members now. The only song I truly like is "She's Kinda Hot" and "Hey Everybody!" but the only reason I like "Hey Everybody!" is because is way too similar to "She's Kinda Hot" and also (after listening to it several times) it is a rip-off of "Hungry Like a Wolf" by Duran Duran. I don't like this album. The songs I like (which are like 2 or 3 besides "She's Kinda Hot" or "Hey Everybody!") I can't even remember them and those two are too distracting on their similarities so I can't enjoy them properly either. The rest of the album is album filler that is begging to be the main theme of a John Green movie. To be fair, I was expecting something else due to what my friend told me, so I got pissed when my expectations were not met. "Sounds Good Feels Good" is not bad by any means, it's just "meh". It's forgettable and not very original either. Also, it's too pop from a group that can give more of a Rock edge. When listening to this album, I felt I was listening to a hardcore One Direction album instead of a 5SOS album.

The band in the overall is a great BOY BAND (get over it and face the facts, people). Once again, I really like this band and I can at least say they ARE trying to be good musicians and performers. Their concerts are phenomenal and their music is pretty good as well, with exception of 50% of "Sounds Good Feels Good". I wish I could hear more about them in mainstream media and that they got more attention than they have because they are one of the best and most fun acts of the decade so far. I would definitely recommend 5 Seconds of Summer and if they are playing in your town, go and see them if you have the chance. For the Starter Pack, I recommend pretty much their first album, but specifically:

-End Up Here

-Heartbreak Girl

-Good Girls

-She's Kinda Hot