Technically, you’d have to say Alesha Dixon runs a portfolio career. Once a member of girl band Mis Teeq, she’s best known these days for being a judge on Strictly Come Dancing. She’s also been trying her hand at TV presenting, column dictating and has been attempting since Mis Teeq’s demise to forge a name as a solo artist. So far with little success.
The benchmark for Dixon should be Cheryl Cole. They’re both more famous for judging other people than their own output and despite being background members of girl bands, have to become the only members of their outfits to have solo careers.
Dixon however is nowhere near as shrewd choser of a pop song as the Colemeister. All her tracks so far have been about as exciting as a paving slab. Sludgy ballads with emotional lobotomies. Even “The Boy Does Nothing”, her rattlely upbeat number that had a video covered in ballroom dancers (see dancers, making the connection, people can be so forgetful you see) was an oddly empty track. Her biggest hit “Breathe Slow” went from being pedestrian to passable when it was remixed by Cahill, but she’s yet to have a proper big hit. And she won’t get one either, if she keeps picking tracks like new single “Radio.”
This as cold and neutered as pop songs get. It’s supposed to be love lorn, it’s supposed to be a tribute to emotional turmoil. It’s neither of those things, the lyrics are clumsy and it is incredibly one paced. Written by Chipmunk collaborator Emeli Sande, it lacks any tangible heart or soul, with Dixon pleading with listeners to turn off the radio. She only needs to say it one or twice before most will oblige.
Even when compared with Dixon’s early career in Mis Teeq, this feels like a let down. Mis Teeq only had one or two decent tracks, but they were feisty and likeable with Dixon providing a streetwise, bolshy vocal to supplement her bandmates. Now she just sounds wounded all the time, lacking any musical personality or authority, drifting from ballad to ballad, photocopying a vocal performance, forever destined to under whelm.
Dixon’s constant presence in the public eye will buy her more time with her record label, but this just isn’t good enough.
Monday 29 November 2010
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Single #16: Michael Jackson & Akon - Hold My Hand
Normally, introductions to a single are packed with details about the artist's past endeavours and future plans, but, you'd imagine, most people are pretty up to date with the background of this particular artist, and, well, it's difficult to have future plans when you're dead.
If you've just escaped from a padded cell however, Michael Jackson was a pop singer who sold a lot of records and spent a lot of money. Check him out. He made some decent records.
Key word there, "Was", as in no longer, not anymore, dearly departed and very much missed. Jackson died in 2009. Yet he's still making records apparently, with the mystinfingly successful Akon. They've done a duet. Yes, a duet, they've called it a duet. To emphasise this, Akon even shouts "Akon and MJ" over the hammy synthesised strings that start the song. This is Jackson's record label saying "This is real, this is genuine, we've got Derek Acorah in and apparently Michael's fine with it."
The track itself is non description blandness of the worst kind, much like many of Jackson's later releases. Akon does his stereotypical pleading whine over the top of a sickly sweet backing track, while bits of Jackson float in and out, cut and pasted with the skill and delicacy of a five year old making a collage.
It's cringe worthy in the extreme and goes well beyond homage territory and into downright exploitation.
When artists die young, it's only natural that people want to know more about them and find lost treasures. Take Nirvana or Jeff Buckley, who's careers both ended with only meagre back catalogues built up. There's a need and clearly a market for releasing whatever you can find in those cases.
Jackson though is different. He made albums for forty years and has more than enough material released with his living approval for this to be completely unneccessary. Tracks like this, should be left alone, on the cutting room floor where they belong.
Scraping the barrel? That's much too dignified for what this is. If it flops, as it deserves to, then hopefully this will stop any future plans. If it succeeds? Jackson may be the new Tupac.
If you've just escaped from a padded cell however, Michael Jackson was a pop singer who sold a lot of records and spent a lot of money. Check him out. He made some decent records.
Key word there, "Was", as in no longer, not anymore, dearly departed and very much missed. Jackson died in 2009. Yet he's still making records apparently, with the mystinfingly successful Akon. They've done a duet. Yes, a duet, they've called it a duet. To emphasise this, Akon even shouts "Akon and MJ" over the hammy synthesised strings that start the song. This is Jackson's record label saying "This is real, this is genuine, we've got Derek Acorah in and apparently Michael's fine with it."
The track itself is non description blandness of the worst kind, much like many of Jackson's later releases. Akon does his stereotypical pleading whine over the top of a sickly sweet backing track, while bits of Jackson float in and out, cut and pasted with the skill and delicacy of a five year old making a collage.
It's cringe worthy in the extreme and goes well beyond homage territory and into downright exploitation.
When artists die young, it's only natural that people want to know more about them and find lost treasures. Take Nirvana or Jeff Buckley, who's careers both ended with only meagre back catalogues built up. There's a need and clearly a market for releasing whatever you can find in those cases.
Jackson though is different. He made albums for forty years and has more than enough material released with his living approval for this to be completely unneccessary. Tracks like this, should be left alone, on the cutting room floor where they belong.
Scraping the barrel? That's much too dignified for what this is. If it flops, as it deserves to, then hopefully this will stop any future plans. If it succeeds? Jackson may be the new Tupac.
Tuesday 16 November 2010
Single #15: N-Dubz - Girls
To everyone who's not a signed up fan, N-Dubz are a bit of a joke. They (And by they, you're usually talking about Dino "Dappy" Contostavlos and Richard "Fazer" Rawson, not Tulisa) dress like they've been left in Urban Outfitters with the lights off, make headlines for the wrong reasons all the time and yet both are keen fishers and love flying model planes. They make hip hop for pre teens. Hormone hop, if you like.
Hormone hop is though a profitable place to pitch yourself though, N-Dubz have shifted over a million albums so far and are just about to release their third, entitled "Love.Live.Life."
They've been working with Salaam Remi on their new record, which is quite a coup and perhaps a sign they're looking to be taken a bit more seriously. Previously Dappy and Fazer had produced the albums themselves and it's a surprise to see them handing over control to a third party. Remi has an excellent track record though, he's worked extensively with Nas, a rapper even non rap fans love and was the first person to work with Amy Winehouse, producing her debut album.
The band have talked up a sonic change, especially as they're being geared up to have a big go at the US market this time round. They want new fans, older fans and to see their albums in the hands of adults who aren't just buying it as gifts for their children.
Their comeback single "Girls" doesn't show any sign of a change though as it starts in the way every N-Dubz seems to, with a blast of "Na na....niiiigghhhh" giving way to a garage band beat.
Lyrically, it's no more refined either, with the opening line of "Girls, I fuck wid dem, I dan't usually fall in luv wid em."
Remi has had some effect though, especially when you compare this track to their early stuff. When Dappy and Fazer controlled everything, the tracks were a lot more theatrical and dramatic, with big crescendos and very clearly defined choruses. "Girls" is a much steadier track, with the beat being allowed to develop as the song progresses.
Is it enough of a departure to win over any new fans? No, it's not. The lyrical posturing is still there, as is the clunking hip hop cliche of singing about batting armies of girls away. The beat and structure might be subtler and a little more elegant, but love them or hate them, this is still N-Dubz and they won't have anyone reappraising them just yet.
Hormone hop is though a profitable place to pitch yourself though, N-Dubz have shifted over a million albums so far and are just about to release their third, entitled "Love.Live.Life."
They've been working with Salaam Remi on their new record, which is quite a coup and perhaps a sign they're looking to be taken a bit more seriously. Previously Dappy and Fazer had produced the albums themselves and it's a surprise to see them handing over control to a third party. Remi has an excellent track record though, he's worked extensively with Nas, a rapper even non rap fans love and was the first person to work with Amy Winehouse, producing her debut album.
The band have talked up a sonic change, especially as they're being geared up to have a big go at the US market this time round. They want new fans, older fans and to see their albums in the hands of adults who aren't just buying it as gifts for their children.
Their comeback single "Girls" doesn't show any sign of a change though as it starts in the way every N-Dubz seems to, with a blast of "Na na....niiiigghhhh" giving way to a garage band beat.
Lyrically, it's no more refined either, with the opening line of "Girls, I fuck wid dem, I dan't usually fall in luv wid em."
Remi has had some effect though, especially when you compare this track to their early stuff. When Dappy and Fazer controlled everything, the tracks were a lot more theatrical and dramatic, with big crescendos and very clearly defined choruses. "Girls" is a much steadier track, with the beat being allowed to develop as the song progresses.
Is it enough of a departure to win over any new fans? No, it's not. The lyrical posturing is still there, as is the clunking hip hop cliche of singing about batting armies of girls away. The beat and structure might be subtler and a little more elegant, but love them or hate them, this is still N-Dubz and they won't have anyone reappraising them just yet.
Tuesday 9 November 2010
Single #14: B.O.B Featuring Rivers Cuomo - Magic
It's hardly unusual for hip hop tracks to have collaborators all over them or to borrow a famous pair of lungs for their choruses, but Bobby Ray Simmons Jr or B.O.B to you and me, has made more use of guest vocalists than most.
His first track "Nothin On You" featured the vocal talents of rocketing soul singer Bruno Mars in its gentle litlting hook and his second release and breakthrough hit, "Airplanes" crossed over into a whole new market, thanks to Paramore's Hayley Williams heartfelt chorus.
Both singles did superbly, with "Airplanes" in particular sticking around in the charts for nigh on three months.
Third time out, B.O.B has turned to a more experienced man to supply the chorus. Weezer frontman and famous mental person Rivers Cuomo, who's approaching his twentieth anniversary in the music industry, sings the catchy as you like chorus of "Magic".
It's not a bad track, full of bouncy keyboards and it's got a hook that's very hummable. Cuomo is at his poppy best, with the charm and enthuiaism that make Weezer such a likeable rock band all over this track.
It has a summer party feel to it and is the kind of track you'd think Travie McCoy would be proud to put his name to.
The trouble is for B.O.B, the best and only memorable bit in this song is the chorus. The rap, which is delivered at a ferocious pace, is rendered forgettable by the track's glossy production and as a result, it'll pass most people by.
This isn't the first time this has happened. "Airplanes" might have stuck around for a long time, but that was because of Williams' vocal and the impact of Paramore's ever widening fanbase. B.O.B's verses served as nothing but build up, with his rhymes reduced to bum notes against William's earnest vocal delivery.
On each one of his releases, B.O.B has basically been reduced to a guest artist on his own song. He lets his collaborator become the track's focus and dominate the listener's attention, so whether his words are worth listening to or not, they're buried in the background.
B.O.B needs to strike out on his own next time round and see the public responds.
He was due to do so on his next track single "Don't Let Me Fall", which is a solo track in its album version, but guess what? It's being remixed as we speak to feature rising star Heather Vesey. Someone said once that if you something isn't broken, there's not much point in repairing it. Chances are, B.O.B's label have been guided by the same logic.
If you read the lyrics to "Airplanes", you'll learn of a man craving to go back to a time when he wasn't famous. If he's not careful or he runs out of luck in finding collaborators, his wish will be granted.
Check it out here:
His first track "Nothin On You" featured the vocal talents of rocketing soul singer Bruno Mars in its gentle litlting hook and his second release and breakthrough hit, "Airplanes" crossed over into a whole new market, thanks to Paramore's Hayley Williams heartfelt chorus.
Both singles did superbly, with "Airplanes" in particular sticking around in the charts for nigh on three months.
Third time out, B.O.B has turned to a more experienced man to supply the chorus. Weezer frontman and famous mental person Rivers Cuomo, who's approaching his twentieth anniversary in the music industry, sings the catchy as you like chorus of "Magic".
It's not a bad track, full of bouncy keyboards and it's got a hook that's very hummable. Cuomo is at his poppy best, with the charm and enthuiaism that make Weezer such a likeable rock band all over this track.
It has a summer party feel to it and is the kind of track you'd think Travie McCoy would be proud to put his name to.
The trouble is for B.O.B, the best and only memorable bit in this song is the chorus. The rap, which is delivered at a ferocious pace, is rendered forgettable by the track's glossy production and as a result, it'll pass most people by.
This isn't the first time this has happened. "Airplanes" might have stuck around for a long time, but that was because of Williams' vocal and the impact of Paramore's ever widening fanbase. B.O.B's verses served as nothing but build up, with his rhymes reduced to bum notes against William's earnest vocal delivery.
On each one of his releases, B.O.B has basically been reduced to a guest artist on his own song. He lets his collaborator become the track's focus and dominate the listener's attention, so whether his words are worth listening to or not, they're buried in the background.
B.O.B needs to strike out on his own next time round and see the public responds.
He was due to do so on his next track single "Don't Let Me Fall", which is a solo track in its album version, but guess what? It's being remixed as we speak to feature rising star Heather Vesey. Someone said once that if you something isn't broken, there's not much point in repairing it. Chances are, B.O.B's label have been guided by the same logic.
If you read the lyrics to "Airplanes", you'll learn of a man craving to go back to a time when he wasn't famous. If he's not careful or he runs out of luck in finding collaborators, his wish will be granted.
Check it out here:
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Single #13: Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
Rihanna is probably the finest pop star in the world at the moment. That's pop star defined as arena filling, every single a hit type pop star. There are better artists making better records, but as far as household names go, Rihanna rules supreme at the moment.
That's entirely down to her choice of songs, as she mixes it up with great aplomb, excelling in a variety of styles. She can do soulful ballads like "Take A Bow" and "Rehab" without making you reach for the sick bucket. She can do slick, posturing R&B superbly, especially "Rude Boy" and "Hard". And, most crucially, she pick you a hit, like, well, "Umbrella."
She also has an enviable work ethic, with two albums in the last two years. The promotional singles for her last record "Rated R" have actually bled into the build to her new long player "Loud" with both "Hard" and "Rude Boy" still a common site on many music channels.
Her new track, the first UK release from her new album, is "Only Girl (In The World)" and, once again, it's a sonic departure from her previous record.
Much of "Rated R" was hard edged poppy R&B, full of bite and swagger, with production from UK dance duo Chase and Status and Ne-Yo amongst others. It was fun, playful and packed with singles that seem to bait the listener, saying throughout "Am I supposed to be impressed?" It worked a treat, three million sales a treat, but it's not a vein that Rihanna has decided she wants to extend to two albums worth of stuff.
"Only Girl (In The World)" is built like a dance record. Or, more specifically, like the kind of track that ruled the Ibiza dancefloors in the early 1990s. It has something of Snap's "Rhythm Is A Dancer" or Urban Cookie Collective in its make up, with earnest vocals playing out over a pulsating keyboard refrain.
It probably sits best in Rihanna's back catalogue alongside "SOS" and "Pon Da Replay" and it's a little bit of a let down following on from her "Rated R" stuff. She had an aloofness to her image that was worth pursuing and this sounds a little needier, keener to please and to played on every sticky dancefloor on a Saturday night.
"Only Girl (In The World)" actually feels a bit retro, which, for a girl who was always quietly challenging in who she worked with and songs she released, is a something of a disapointment. This track could have been recorded by any number of acts, including people like Cascada. Though it's still a decent tune and won't have people switching their car radios off, it doesn't have the bite of "Hard" or the playful teasing quality of "Rude Boy" and suffers for it.
She can, has and will do better than this.
Disagree? Video's here....
That's entirely down to her choice of songs, as she mixes it up with great aplomb, excelling in a variety of styles. She can do soulful ballads like "Take A Bow" and "Rehab" without making you reach for the sick bucket. She can do slick, posturing R&B superbly, especially "Rude Boy" and "Hard". And, most crucially, she pick you a hit, like, well, "Umbrella."
She also has an enviable work ethic, with two albums in the last two years. The promotional singles for her last record "Rated R" have actually bled into the build to her new long player "Loud" with both "Hard" and "Rude Boy" still a common site on many music channels.
Her new track, the first UK release from her new album, is "Only Girl (In The World)" and, once again, it's a sonic departure from her previous record.
Much of "Rated R" was hard edged poppy R&B, full of bite and swagger, with production from UK dance duo Chase and Status and Ne-Yo amongst others. It was fun, playful and packed with singles that seem to bait the listener, saying throughout "Am I supposed to be impressed?" It worked a treat, three million sales a treat, but it's not a vein that Rihanna has decided she wants to extend to two albums worth of stuff.
"Only Girl (In The World)" is built like a dance record. Or, more specifically, like the kind of track that ruled the Ibiza dancefloors in the early 1990s. It has something of Snap's "Rhythm Is A Dancer" or Urban Cookie Collective in its make up, with earnest vocals playing out over a pulsating keyboard refrain.
It probably sits best in Rihanna's back catalogue alongside "SOS" and "Pon Da Replay" and it's a little bit of a let down following on from her "Rated R" stuff. She had an aloofness to her image that was worth pursuing and this sounds a little needier, keener to please and to played on every sticky dancefloor on a Saturday night.
"Only Girl (In The World)" actually feels a bit retro, which, for a girl who was always quietly challenging in who she worked with and songs she released, is a something of a disapointment. This track could have been recorded by any number of acts, including people like Cascada. Though it's still a decent tune and won't have people switching their car radios off, it doesn't have the bite of "Hard" or the playful teasing quality of "Rude Boy" and suffers for it.
She can, has and will do better than this.
Disagree? Video's here....
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