Bonnie Tyler, international songstress from Wales, full of power, and full of life. She's bubbly, she can hold her own in a power ballad, and has just released her new album 'Rocks and Honey'. Her real name is Gaynor Hopkins. She is well known for her number one UK single "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", and the song that was on the Footloose Soundtrack "Holding Out For A Hero", which missed out on the top spot and settled at number two. Bonnie Tyler has been touring over the last couple of years, and has been performing this song. However on the night, I don't think she performed it that well, I feel that she's performed it better in the past, and her gravelly powerful voice was missing in her performance (video can be found at the bottom).
"Believe In Me" was written by Desmond Child, Lauren Christy and Christopher Braide. The song is a ballad, but doesn't key into Bonnie Tyler's powerful side. The song doesn't help all that much, and doesn't give her a chance to power it out. It's a nice simple song, and we did pretty well considering, I was expecting the worst.
At the Eurovision Song Contest 2013, the UK got a total of 23 points, placing us 19th out of 26, up six places from last year. We got 4 points from Spain, 5 points from Malta, 3 points from Romania, 1 point from Sweden, 7 points from Ireland, 1 point from Slovenia and 2 points from Switzerland.
The music video looks low budget, although I doubt that was true with how professional Bonnie Tyler is. It's a simple video with very little going on. This is usually a focusing technique so that Bonnie Tyler is central to the video. And she is that.
The problem with her being the main feature of the video is that she fails to entice us. She doesn't do a lot, and she's either sitting down or leaning against the wall, or just normally standing. The song is about believing in her, that she's there for that guy, the one who she truly loves. She sings about not lying to him, that she'll always stand beside him. But where is this guy in this video?
The beach scene shows her independence, and her strong powerful side. She may just be standing on the beach to most people, but to me, I can feel energy vibes coming from her, something she lacked in the performance last Saturday. This is the Bonnie I would like to see live.
Overall a song that doesn't give the range Bonnie Tyler is capable of. And a music video that follows suit. Missing things that could possibly engage the audience. The beach scene should have been extended, that is the most alluring bit of the video. Bonnie Tyler gets the same rating as I gave Engelbert Humperdinck last year for "Love Will Set You Free".
Papa Roach becomes my Sunday Revisit, for many reasons. The main one is because before this week I hadn't reviewed them, another is that we need more rock music on this blog, and country music and other genres that hasn't even been touched just yet.
Papa Roach is a four-piece band consisting of, at the time, Jacoby Shaddix, Jerry Horton, Tobin Esperance and Dave Buckner. The latter left in 2007 and was replaced with Tony Palermo. This is their first ever single and was released in 2000.
"Last Resort" was written by Jacoby Shaddix and Tobin Esperance. It is their signature song, hitting the UK charts at an amazing number three. I very much doubt Papa Roach will beat that charting position, especially since their most recent singles have yet to be released here.
The music video is full of surprises. It's quite small with a performance piece in the forefront. Uniquely this band has incorporated a narrative piece into the performance piece, this is something new, and have yet to be done again, usually it's vice versa.
The performance is great, with lots of energy, a lot of people there, a few crowd surfing moments and crushing effects that makes you easily identify with the people there, as well as making you feel a part of the video.
The narrative clips are short, and shows the crowd in the respective bedrooms or other rooms of people's houses. It shows them in depression, and now that they're at this gig, they aren't quite so depressed. However I think these clips are too quick, it leaves us questioning, why do they feel that way?
With that question in mind, and looking back over the video, some are obvious. One out of the four girls is totally different, therefore not in the clique and not popular. The couple in a relationship... Well the boyfriend seems very possessive... Maybe too possessive? Some aren't so clear. And I think they should have been developed a little more.
Overall a song that brought the attention of a lot of people to this band and which pushed this band into mainstream success. However lately they have failed to keep their fan base, and hard core fans are pretty much the only ones keeping tabs on these guys. They need another big hit! The music video fits in with the song well, and I can't help but enjoy this simplistic, but very real music video. My one problem is that they should've done more to the narrative. However a great music video to go with a great song.
Agnes' song has been stuck in my head all day, it's because I watch her performance of this song on the second Semi Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. The Swedish pop diva, who looks and sounds similar to Leona Lewis has been a global success, and this is her signature song. However she needs another hit song, otherwise she will just be known is Sweden. Her real name is Agnes Carlsson, and released her first album in 2005, since then her third album 'Dance Love Pop' charted worldwide along with the hit singles "On and On", this song "Release Me" and "I Need You Now". But can she do it all over again, and chart worldwide, or will she become lost to the UK and other countries and settle with Swedish success?
"Release Me" was written by Anders Hansson, Sharon Vaughn and Agnes Carlsson. The song is very reminiscent of Leona Lewis' songs, I could so imagine her singing it, and I can't help but think of her duet with Avicii (another well-known Sweden artist), their song was "Collide". Agnes' song got to number three on the UK chart. She is signed to 3beat records, who also has Inna and Alexandra Stan, amongst others, on their label.
The music video is taking the song in it's literal meaning, as well as using the dance music as a forefront. I can't help but laugh at that guy clung to her left side, holding onto her body, while she sings about asking him to release her. It would be good to actually see him, but usually the camera cuts him out. I bet she felt uncomfortable singing while a guy is caging her body with his.
The dance theme with the clubbing atmosphere adds a lot to this music video, showing that it is the sort of song you hear in the clubs. The pulsating lighting is much more intriguing, and makes you feel like you're there watching the dancing.
The make-up scene in the bathroom makes me lose interest. I don't think there's anything to this scene, and it feels like it got added in. If you were to do this scene, it should be at the start, because girls tend to do their make-up as soon as they enter a club. This is what Rihanna did for her video "Don't Stop The Music".
Overall a song I could imagine being played in a club, yet I haven't heard it played in any of the ones I've been into, guess it's too old... The music video shows that longevity brings high charting numbers, as the music video received high praise on the music channels, and was repetitively played four months before the release date. A similar thing happened with Inna's "Sun Is Up". The video represents the music video perfectly, and the bathroom scene is all that lets it down.
Paramore is a three piece band, who has been through it all, break-ups, fall-outs, hiatuses, and awesome music, with verifying degrees of genres. This is a band that will be forever with us, whether dishing out new music, or just in our hearts, they'll never be far from our minds, YouTube playlists and iTunes music or Spotify. The band consists of Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Jeremy Davis. A few hardcore fans think they should return to their more rockier days, but I like how they've grown and this song is just perfect, I even think it's better than their previous single "Now".
"Still Into You" was written by Hayley Williams and Taylor York. The song is about Hayley's feelings for Chad Gilbert who she has been in a long-term relationship with, and how those feelings are still the same as when she first met him. Chad Gilbert is mostly known as the lead singer of New Found Glory. The song was released in the UK alongside it's radio release, this is usually a daring thing to do, yet they succeeded, and managed to get to number 26 on the UK chart.
The music video is filled with so much fun, I want to be there and just jump into that room full of balloons, I want to light up my sparkler while fireworks go off in the background. I want to ride my bicycle in that posh house. I want to have as much fun as they did. Guess this is what Amy Studt was on about in "All I Wanna Do", a cover version of Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do".
There's a lot to like about this video, and it's obviously a performance piece music video, showing that they are a fun, mature band, and that you definitely won't be disappointed seeing them live. It makes me want to see them again, but a) I can't afford it, and b) no one to go with, guess I'll have to deal with all their music.
The problem I have is that this has nothing to do with the song. This is a main thing for me, and although her butterflies in her stomach whenever she sees Chad Gilbert is probably similar to all this fun she is having, I think this video could be for any upbeat song, and failing to add anything to properly connect with the song.
Overall, a great song, that should've charted higher. This band is still looking for a UK Top 10, as well as a number one, surely they'll get it in the near future. The music video is fun fun fun, but fails to represent the song in the meaning of the lyrics. However I want that house, filled with so much fun.
So waking up this morning with no song stuck in my head, makes this blog hard to keep up with. So I decided to add some more rock, and was surprised I have never reviewed Papa Roach before. Well it's time to change that right now...
Papa Roach is a four piece rock band who have been going for a number of years. They consist of Jacoby Shaddix, Jerry Horton, Tobin Esperance and Tony Palermo. They've been on my radar ever since their first song "Last Resort" that surprisingly got to number three on the UK chart. But I never became a fan of theirs until they released "Hollywood Whore" along with the album 'Metamorphosis'. I remember buying the album and playing it non-stop. It also invigorated me into buying their previous albums and a couple of singles such as "Time And Time Again". However they have not breached the UK top 100 since "Getting Away With Murder" got to number 45 back in 2004. However "...To Be Loved" reached number 171 in 2006 and "Hollywood Whore" reached 139 in 2008. However their albums keep breaking into the top 100 Album chart. So why are the singles not? It's down to airplay, and rock isn't that popular at the moment, but also only a few of their singles are getting released here. Once again it's all down to promotion.
"Lifeline" was written by Jacoby Shaddix, Tobin Esperance and James Michael. It was originally titled 'Hanging On' but was soon changed to what it is now due to the lyrics being changed. The song is about hardship in America, and being able to live with who you actually are. This was a well-received song and should've charted in the UK, unfortunately it failed to get the sales it needed.
The music video fits in well with the song. As per usual there is a performance and a narrative piece, this is definitely not uncommon for a rock band. The performance piece is full of energy, Jacoby Shaddix just can't help but move around. There is a lot of energy vibes coming from this band, and you definitely would have a good time if you went to one of their gigs.
The storyline is engaging, although short. I like how he kind of cracks under pressure. The kind of thing that everyone does once in a while. Bills are a common problem with people attacking their inner worries. He is pushed over the edge with an eviction notice, and you can't help but feel sorry for him. He is very relatable.
He soon is seen running from another person, who is later identified as himself, but a broken, bruised and bloody version. I like the incorporation of the lyrics as words as they say "I'm never going to fade away" then the one we are following turns round and says "I'm looking for a lifeline". They collide, and they wake up as one.
At the end he goes home and is happy when he is greeted by his family. I like the happy ending, proving that family and friends are what is most important in life and not money struggles.
I like the whole concept of this video, battling inner demons as well as making them a part of who we are as people, and realising that in some cases there is nothing more you can possibly do.
Overall a song that is now stuck in my head, I really can't stop singing along to it. It's accompanying music video is just perfect. There are no faults, and the imagery behind the concept is inspirational and pertinent to many people in the world. I have a lot of love for this music video, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. You can all probably guess my rating, but here it is anyway.
