Taylor Swift-“Red”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZW8QNIiu1A

Dick: Over the years, I’ve become more and more accepting of Taylor Swifts style of pop-country that, while not being the most unique thing in the world, is always distinctly hers, which is exactly why this song is a bit disappointing. The electronic vocal part on the chorus is incredibly out of place, really subtracting from what is an otherwise decently catchy part of the track. The four on the floor dance parts also just serve to water down Swift’s style, despite how well that worked on her previous single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together‰Û. Still, there are some good parts to this track, and I’m particularly a fan of the post chorus bridge. Not her best performance, but not a disaster.

Mick: In Taylor Swift’s latest, “Red,” she compares her doomed relationship to “driving a new Maserati down a dead end street.‰” Has Taylor Swift joined MMG with this Rick Ross-ian comparison? Unfortunately, Swift does not go into detail over how she’s a kajillionaire, a coke hustler, or a proud owner of blood diamonds, but rather dumps a load of break up on our plates again. The more I listen, the more I realize there is nothing really different between this and her last few singles. There’s not much else to say – same old from Taylor Swift, and it’s getting real old to me.
Dick: C
Mick: D

Adele-“Skyfall”

Mick: Adele’s vintage style, in both fashion and voice, are tailor made for a James Bond theme song. Filled with bombastic orchestral arrangements and classic surf-influenced guitar, “Skyfall‰” comes power packed. Although Bond theme songs are often held to such a high standard, their latest incarnations have been lacking. Luckily, Adele gives a nice shock back to the name. Although the song doesn’t do much on its own, the 007 tag will carry it on. For restoring the song aspect of the Bond series, Adele deserves big props. Despite playing it safe (unlike Jack White & Alicia Keys’ “Another Way To Die‰Û), the overall symbol and meaning is more important than the actual song.

Dick: I had a ton of hesitation about Adele being chosen to do the new James Bond theme song. Knowing her, it could have just been TOO much. Thankfully though, this track shows only the best of Adele. Supported by some excellent and appropriate symphonic instrumentation, Adele stays mostly within the middle range of her impressive range, which actually serves to increase the drama of the track. The verse/chorus dynamic shift is also impressive, and I get chills down my spine every time she comes in with the chorus melody. It may not be the best James Bond theme, but it successfully blends a classic Bond feel with a modern touch.
Mick: B
Dick:A-

Ke$ha-“Die Young”

Dick: I got my hopes up with the beginning of this track, I really did. Because I thought it was “Levels.” But seriously, the intro build-up straight into the chorus is pretty great, with an sawtooth synth-line that I’m a huge fan of. And Ke$ha even keeps her whiny voice to a minimum at this point. Unfortunately for the track as a whole, though, the verse comes in, and with the verse comes her absolutely grating ‘white-girl’ rap voice. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me, and seriously detracts from an otherwise decent track. I get the appeal- “lol, I’m not supposed to be doing this, how silly, I’M RAPPING.” It got old a while ago, and is the polar opposite of fresh at this point. In any case, the rest of the track is pretty strong, and saves it from a complete and utter panning.

Mick: Ke$ha is a bit of a strange personality. She has the party-hard appearance (which she often does with artists such as The Flaming Lips) yet remains out of the tabloids, and her song lyrics (aside from a few P!nk-esque toughen-up lines) remain quite safe in terms of shock appeal. Her latest single, “Die Young,‰” continues this safe approach with enjoyable results. Although it is nothing new for Ke$ha, the chorus is just plain fun. It’s hard to deny it. However, the verses are lacking and the production is sub-par, sounding like a multitude of recent pop hits.
Dick: D
Mick: C

Ne-Yo-“Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)”

Mick: With artists such as Usher, The-Dream, Frank Ocean, R. Kelly, and Miguel dominating the current R&B scene, Ne-Yo remains left out. Due to his complete lack of personality in his songs, Ne-Yo is as bland as a saltine cracker wearing a fedora. The song’s euro-style electronic production is cheap, flimsy, and generic; a perfect match for Ne-Yo. The song’s lyrics feel better suited for an artist such as Justin Bieber (not a shot at da Biebz) and everything just falls apart slowly. A catastrophe, not because there are particularly horrible moments, but just because of how bland it is. R&B’s equivalent of sandpaper slowly rubbing against your eardrums.

Dick: I just cannot fathom your hate for this song. As much as I prefer Ne-Yo’s R&B work, and as much as I think that the whole euro-dance craze is going to reach a breaking point pretty soon, this is far from the worst of the style. The song is pretty predictable, with nothing particularly surprising happening at all, but it does have its charms. The hook is incredibly catchy, and I can imagine myself crooning this to all of cutie GF’s in da club. I’m also a fan of how the vocal line kind of floats around the rhythm during the verse. Sure, no one will remember this song in six months, but it’s fun for now.
Mick: F
Dick: B

Rihanna-“Diamonds”

Dick: As far as first singles go for a new album, this is an interesting choice. It never really explodes, and sticks to its mid-tempo groove for basically the whole song. It doesn’t even stick to Rihanna’s strengths, avoiding the clubby dance-floor beats that she typically knocks out of the park. It’s a bit out of character for her, but not terrible. Her vocal performance is pretty strong, though she does end up sounding just a bit like Justin Bieber near the end of the track. An underwhelming first single, but with the amount of material she’s been putting out lately, we’re bound to get something worth while in not too long.

Mick: The first single off of Rihanna’s next album is perplexing. It’s neither a fast paced club beat, nor a ballad. Rather, it stays in between for a mid-paced and far dreamier song. The repetition and vocal line used for “shine like a diamond‰” is both catchy and interesting, but doesn’t seem to be fleshed out. The rest of the song continues in the same manner with no real ups or downs, making for an exceptionally unremarkable experience. However, the few captivating ideas within the song deserve notice.

Dick: C
Mick: C

By Richard Murphy and Mike Creedon