Amy Studt - Misfit


Amy Studt - Misfit on MUZU.TV.

All day I've had Amy Studt's song: "Going Out Of My Mind" stuck in my head all day. Unfortunately it was never officially released as a single, so I couldn't review it. However "Misfit" is definitely the next best thing. Besides, the only way to get rid of a Amy Studt song that's stuck in your head, is by singing another Amy Studt song. Amy Studt hit the UK in 2002 at age 16, with her first single "Just A Little Girl", she released a few more singles including a cover version of "All I Wanna Do" in 2004, however due to low sales she was dropped and disappeared. She returned with a mature look and a mature sound in 2007 with 3 single releases including "Nice Boys", however her album failed to chart, and the single releases didn't perform as well as they should have done. She is now getting ready to release her third album, but she is also part of MercyMadeMe, who have just filmed a music video, I cannot wait to watch it and review it on my blog.

"Misfit" was written by Amy Studt, David Eriksen and Karen Ann Poole. This is what makes Amy Studt's songs catchy, because she's written most of them herself, or she has connected with the song amazingly. This song has started appearing here and there, it's been mentioned in a few books and has even been mentioned for the "Fifty Shade Of Grey Soundtrack". I think it will be one of those songs that probably isn't the best Amy Studt song, but will be the most memorable and the one that will forever be popping up here there and everywhere.

Now putting all biased views aside since I am kind of a big fan of Amy Studt, this music video isn't that great. Even for the time era, there was definitely better music videos, on the other hand this definitely looks low budget, but even then it could've been better. However it links in with the song, which is exactly what we wanted.

I like the Grease theme to this, you have "the pink ladies", and I have to laugh at Amy Studt all dressed up like Sandy, it definitely looks wrong. This song is all about being a misfit, and how it's good to stand out and be yourself rather than being in someone's shadow. I also like the ending and how she hopes that she gets spotted by potential talent scouts and the other girls are unhappy that she's the one who gets spotted. We all have those types of wishes right?

Overall a great song, however there are better ones on her album, it's accompanying music video isn't great, but it does link in with the song, and it also has a narrative that is easy to understand. I can't wait to hear new music from this girl, and I hope she gets the popularity she clearly deserves.

Wiley Featuring Ms D - Heatwave

I was initially planning on writing a review for this song today, and then out of nowhere I get an anonymous request for me to review this music video.

Wiley, real name Richard Cowie, has been going for a number of years, he is also one of the band members of Roll Deep. He hasn't been quite so successful, his albums seem to get low charting positions, and as for his singles, "Wearing My Rolex" was his best single which got to number 2. This song has beaten that and is currently settled at the top of the charts, but I can see Rita Ora knocking this song off next week with "How We Do (Party)". Ms D is a new solo singer, her real name is Dayo Olatunji, she has sung on Chipmunk's song "Oopsy Daisy" but it was uncredited. That too got to number one, looks like Ms D is currently on a winning streak, but can she keep it up? Especially when she might be releasing her own music pretty soon.

"Heatwave" was written by Richard Cowie, making this song his own. This is one of a few reasons why it managed to get to the top of the chart, and defend itself against Calvin Harris and Example's "We'll Be Coming Back". In my opinion both songs aren't as good as many others that have been released, I admit it is quite catchy if you hear it a few times, which everyone does thanks to the radio, but there are definitely far better songs available. This is definitely a Marmite song, most people will like it, but there will be a large minority that don't.

This type of music video is the sort of thing I dislike. I feel like I'm watching an old Pitbull music video or a Flo Rida music video, it's typical and expected, it's been done before. It kind of makes it seem safe, the sort of video you just make with hardly any thought going into it.

My biggest problem with this is that Ms D does not feature in this at all, instead she is replaced by models? And it gives off the impression that they are Ms D, which then really annoys me because she did give important vocals to this track. Where is she?

And that is all I have to say, there is no narrative, however it does fit in with the song, since they filmed it in a hot country, suggesting a heatwave. But there's nothing to this, it makes it an average music video, that you watch because you like the song, not because the video is great. I really am getting bored of seeing these sorts of videos, change the record (or should I say video?) So I have no choice but give this rating, it would be higher if Ms D appeared, but there's no sign of her!
Buy on iTunes

Miley Cyrus - The Climb

Miley Cyrus, real name Destiny Cyrus, has been having a break from music lately, but she is currently back in the studio and ready to release more material. This song has been stuck in my head all day thanks to a Facebook application called SongPop. She is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus. She has released a number of songs and have featured in a number of films. She is well-known for playing Hannah Montana. She has charted a few times on the UK chart, her highest chart number is 11 in which 3 of her singles have managed to peak at but she has never beaten it just yet. The singles are: "See You Again", "The Climb" and "Party In The U.S.A."

"The Climb" was written by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe. It was originally called "It's The Climb" and was given to a number of country artists who turned it down, it was finally given to the Hannah Montana director who asked them to change some of the lyrics so it fits in with the film, and that is exactly what it does.

This music video works great, it is a soundtrack music video, but they've included the movie scenes cleverly. This song is a ballad, and as all great ballads, music videos aren't that great. However this one is different to what we expect.

I like how she walks down the road, but I think there should be a mountain as it would link in more with the song. Overall it's a great song with a great music video, however I don't think there is enough going on for me to comment on, I also feel that there is quite a lot missing, that could have made this music video so much better.

Rascal Flatts - Banjo

As you already know, I've been playing SongPop a lot lately, and I just bought the Modern Country pack from coins I've earned by winning games, and this song keeps standing out at me, so I thought I'd review it.

Rascal Flatts are a 3 piece Country band consisting of Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney, they released their first album in 2000, and have been extremely popular in the US. However they've only released 3 albums in the UK, and have charted twice on the UK Singles chart, with "Bless The Broken Road" and "What Hurts The Most". Country music is getting slowly more popular in the UK, with the likes of Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry all doing well over here, could it be possible Rascal Flatts will give it a go? I sure hope so as this song is so catchy I can't stop clicking the repeat button, I hope this song gets released soon, I can see this being a chart hit.

"Banjo" was written by Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley and Neil Thrasher. The latter two have written many songs for Rascal Flatts. The idea of this song came to Wendell and Neil as they followed directions to Gary LeVox's farm. As it's in the middle of nowhere and you go across creeks and past shacks. It's got one catchy chorus that I can't help but sing-a-long to, and I don't think I'm the only one. If it were to be released in the UK, then I think Radio 1 would definitely pick it up, some radio play will get this song high on the chart, it's amazingly catchy, just wish it were released in the UK, I want it!

This music video is uniquely different. I have to admit it's hard to stand out as there are a lot of music videos out, and no matter what you do it's probable that you'll do the exact same thing as someone else without even realising. This steps out from Rascal Flatts predictable music videos, they all play different characters Gary's a bus driver, Jay is a lecturer and Joe Don is a lawyer. I laugh at the fact that they don't even meet up, it's quite different you have Gary singing with no instruments, and the others are playing instruments with no lyrics.

The girl who is playing the banjo is Ashley Campbell, most known for being the daughter of Glen Campbell. And it fits in perfectly as she looks great and it's exactly what we need to see in a country music video. It fits with the video as you have "to go-go-go-go-go till you hear a banjo."

Overall a great catchy song that needs to be released in the UK, it's accompanying music video is great, perfect and fits with the song amazingly. I have no problems with this video at all... Well maybe one... Please give it to UK music channels! I've been unsure of what rating to give to this, but since I can't think of anything bad to say of this video, it deserves this rating!
Buy on Amazon

R. Kelly - If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time

I got an unofficial request for me to review this music video by Incubus27, it's definitely not the sort of song I listen to, although I have heard of it before, on the other hand I have never seen the video. This is the first time R. Kelly, real name Robert Kelly, has appeared on my blog... Will it be the last time? It's doubtful. He released his first album in 1992 (I wasn't even born then), and has managed to stay on top of things especially with people still talking about his music now, including his new songs. His most known song is "I Believe I Can Fly". His new songs have stopped being released in the UK, but I believe he will return at one point and when that happens the song is bound to be a chart hit.

This music video is in reverse, but it's the sort of video that you watch and totally forget that it's going backwards, the reason for that is because you connect with the story easily and you just accept it for what it is. Which is extremely clever, also some of the footage is going forwards as well so it's difficult to concentrate properly.

The narrative is gripping, you want to know why he wants to turn back the hands of time, not only that but you want to know what makes her argue with him. We see him not showing up at a dinner, and not answering his phone. But what really got me is when she "blows the candle on" (as it's in reverse) , she walks backwards to the bathroom, with footage of someone having a shower which I presumed was our main character, however as we see the bathroom there is another person entirely in the shower, as Nikki Grahame would say "Who Is She?"

I think that's all I can comment on, I like the ending, however it is expected. I believe there might be a few other issues hidden here and there if I look for them, but I like the use of the reverse footage, and I can't think of any other music videos that uses it to this extent. I like how the scenes they used make you think wow, like the candle and the basketball, as you forget it's going backwards. Overall great music video with a few faults here and there although they do their best to hide them.
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