Paramore - The Only Exception

Paramore is definitely one of my favourite bands of all time, I've liked them from the start, and only recently they have started to become very popular. I saw them live back in 2008, with Tink09 and Hollagram Star, and I really want to see them again. They are currently a three-piece band consisting of Hayley Williams, Jeremy Davis and Taylor York. However when this song was released they were a five-piece band which also included Josh Farro and Zac Farro. Paramore are currently recording for their fourth studio album, and I'm really excited to hear new music from them.

"The Only Exception" was written by Hayley Williams and Josh Farro. This is one of the many reasons why I like this band, because they have a very deep connection to their songs as they write the songs themselves, and they are usually really personal. The song is about finding love and believing it doesn't exist until you find that one person. And the music video reflects that perfectly.

The video is a big narrative piece with little edited scenes of them performing. It links in amazingly with the song and it manages to capture people as it has such a clear and strong emotional draw to it. And you manage to feel everything as if you are a part of the video as well.

The storyline is pretty simple, Hayley leaves this guy she met the night before and sees her father, she then thinks about what has gone on in her life before this moment, such as all the boyfriends she has had and the weddings she has been to, and realises that this guy is the only exception, someone she actually really likes and is possibly falling in love with him.

There is short shot scenes of the band performing, I like how the focus is on the other members of the band in these shots as the storyline focuses on Hayley Williams. I also like how the rest of the band appears at the wedding. It shows that it's not all about Hayley Williams, and that they are a band.

Overall a very catchy song that you wouldn't have identified with Paramore until recently. The music video links in perfectly with the song and the added touch of Hayley Williams lying on valentine cards that fans had sent in just adds to the completion of an amazing music video. And without being biased I have no choice but to give this music video this rating.

Darren Styles - Holding On

This has to be my favourite Darren Styles music video and since I've already referenced this song in Tyler James' "Single Tear", I just couldn't not review this video.

Darren Styles, original name Darren Mew, is one of these artists who does get into the charts but not as much as he should, and thanks to some really good songs he keeps releasing again and again. He's highest charting position is number 16 with "Heartbeatz" which was a collaboration as Styles & Breeze. He deserves higher charting singles, it just looks like he might never beat that position, which is really unfortunate. "Holding On" was released in 2010, and I thought it would chart, but guess it didn't, although it is really catchy.

The music video is a narrative piece, but Darren Styles exudes this amazing performance side whenever he sings, and it's always made me wonder what he would be like to see live. I'm sure his tours are always energetic and fun.

The storyline shows Darren and his girlfriend, only Darren has received a parcel with pictures of his partner cheating on him. He goes mad and storms out of the house. He goes clubbing and catches the eye of one of the girls, she comes up to him to dance and as they are about to kiss his girlfriend pushes him, then she has shock-horror when she recognises who the girl is. We then flip to a scene where we see the photos and there is a photo of Darren's girlfriend and the person who was in the club and made a pass at him. It's quite a triangle right? A lot of people thinks it continues with a ménage à trois, and it might do that, who knows?

I like the shock ending, I didn't expect it. A lot of people are surprised that Darren Styles didn't see that picture with his partner and the girl, however it was one picture out of how many? Obviously he didn't flip through all of them he was disgusted with them. There are a few continuity errors as well, which are noticeable such as the door being open and closed at the wrong times, but apart from that I have nothing bad to say.

The song is really catchy and I'm surprised it never charted. The music video is amazing and I was so shocked the first time I ever saw it on the music channels. However the continuity errors should've been found when they were making the video and so I'm sorry but I'm knocking a star off. Apart from that it's perfect and I cannot stop watching it.

New Release: Tyler James - Single Tear

Tyler James is most notably known for being on The Voice UK. He became runner-up to Leanne Mitchell. He was best friends with Amy Winehouse before she died and he used to be signed to Island Records and released a few singles and an album, including "Foolish" that got to number 16, his highest charting single to date. Now he is back with an extremely catchy song that isn't doing as well as expected in the charts. "Single Tear" is climbing up the UK iTunes chart very slowly, however it looks like it will chart in the Top 40 this Sunday.

The music video has had mixed opinions from a lot of people. Some people get it, whereas others don't. At the end of the day, it looks like Tyler James had a good time filming it. There's a big narrative to it, that people feel gets lost, but if you watch it closely it's obvious what is going on (although watching the behind the scenes video will help too).

The narrative is simple. Tyler James' girlfriend is cheating on him and he sees a video of them together. He then decides to get his own back and takes photos and a video of him getting with a lot of girls. The final scene then shows him giving over the video and photos he just took, to his girlfriend and her lover. But I don't think he manages to hurt her as much as she hurt him.

The video is quite powerful and extremely different, it kind of reminds me of Darren Styles' video for "Holding On" as that is also about getting your own back, only with more of a twist.

This is definitely a catchy song that I'm going to be buying fairly soon, the music video is special and unique, although I can understand how some people don't get it. However since I do get it and think it's very different to what is about and clearly stands out, I can only give it this rating!

Cascada - Evacuate The Dancefloor

Cascada is a three piece band consisting of Natalie Horler, Manian (real name Manuel Reuter) and Yanou (real name Yann Peifer). They have appeared on my blog a number of times, so much so that I forget which music videos I have reviewed. This is constantly a music video I think I've already reviewed and I'm always surprised to find out I haven't. Well after today I can safely say I have. The song has featured vocals from Carlprit, real name Rudi Schwamborn, who has collaborated with a number of singers, and he is attempting a solo career.

"Evacuate The Dancefloor" was written by Manuel Reuter, Yann Peifer and Allen Eshuijs. They went straight to number one with this song, and it was pretty obvious that was going to happen as they did promote the song a lot in the UK, I remember tuning into a show and seeing Natalie Horler performing the song. A lot of people were unaware that they have released more songs, ones that are potentially just as good as this one, but there has been next to no promotion and so no one knows.

The music video has a lot of choreography that is amazing to watch, I like how there is a lot of sync work, and it really works with the song. As we are used to seeing, Natalie Horler isn't dancing, only doing a few steps with her hands. However she can dance as we see in "Au Revior".

There isn't a lot for me to comment on. Carlprit's role is small, but so crucial, I doubt it would have got to number one without his involvement.

Going back to the dancers, some of the things and tricks they perform astounds me, like the guy doing the front flip a long with that woman who does some trick with her feet and for a few seconds she looks like she is floating.

Overall a great song that is totally worth that number one spot, however there are many singles they have released that deserves that top spot too, but people don't realise. The music video is great to watch the first time around but the more you watch it the more you realise there isn't much to it.
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3OH!3 Featuring Ke$ha - My First Kiss

This song was stuck in my head today, funny how I had "Blah Blah Blah" in my head yesterday, and now this. 3OH!3, as I covered yesterday, are a 2-piece band consisting of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They used to be very popular in the UK, but in the last year or two they haven't been doing that well. They remind me a bit of LMFAO, only I prefer 3OH!3. I hope they have a good hit around the corner, they need a good comeback. Maybe another collaboration with Ke$ha would help? Who knows, but I'm hoping they don't disappear. As for Ke$ha well her real name is Kesha Sebert. It looks like an "I'll feature on your track if you feature on mine", this made me surprised, but it worked so well. Ke$ha is still going strong and I really doubt she'll disappear.

"My First Kiss" was written by Lukasz Gottwald, Sean Foreman, Nathaniel Motte and Benny Blanco. All of which have appeared on my blog a number of times. The song is about really liking a girl and having your first kiss with that person, as described by Sean Foreman. The song got to number 7 in the UK, although it should've done better!

The music video isn't the best, but it's not the worst either. It's mainly a performance piece, that looks like most of the budget went into editing. As for the narrative side, there isn't much, but they have edited it intricately.

There is a lot of explicit content, and a few surprising bits as well, that you wouldn't expect to see, how they managed to get it shown in the UK, I don't know how but they did. It relates to the song pretty well, and I like how there is no age discrimination, which is extremely clever.

However I haven't got a lot to say about it, Ke$ha's part is pretty small, and everything has a performance side to things such as the chorus bit where they have the 3OH!3 logo behind them.

The song is extremely catchy, however the video is lacking, it relates to the song but I wanted a lot more, and it's just not there. However they have tried to do their best and I don't think it's their fault for the budget they had, so they have done well considering. Hence why I'm giving it this rating.