Amy Studt - Nice Boys


Amy Studt "Nice Boys" from Logan Hefflefinger on Vimeo.

I have been a fan of Amy Studt since she first came out, her first album "False Smiles" did really well and the singles released from the album did even better. I even remember her performing on Top Of The Pops all those years ago. Unfortunately she was dropped from her record label, which was definitely uncalled for since she got really high charting positions. After a very long wait, she finally returned with her second album "My Paper Made Men", however the album failed to chart and the spawned singles charted extremely low. The album was definitely a different sound, and it did take me a while to finally enjoy it, and realise that this showed off her amazing vocals. On the other hand, she had little promotion and I bet that was the reason why the album and singles have failed. "Nice Boys" was the third and last single to be taken from her second album. She has cited on social networking sites that she has a third upcoming album and apparently it's taken a new direction, and will probably be released in 2012. I just cannot wait for it to be released, let's hope this second attempt at a comeback gives her the popularity she definitely deserves.

"Nice Boys" was written by Amy Studt and Andrew Crutwell-Jones. I like the fact that Amy Studt likes to write her own songs, it makes them more personal and much more easier to connect with the song and the fans out there. There is definitely different perceptions of what this song means, and I don't think I can be persuaded differently, I personally think that Amy Studt has fallen for all these nice boys in the past, and she has finally come across someone who isn't just nice, he's more and he is special. This song suggests that she has found the person she wants to be with for the rest of her life especially since the opening lyrics are: "Never had a man who can, Always had to do it for myself". It's written in past tense so therefore she must have found "a man who can". However other people hear this song and think differently to me, they might think that she's going alone and that she's brushing away any "nice boys" that want to go out with her. Others say that it shows how much she has grown up, she was slightly vulnerable in her first album but now this second album has more of a grown-up style that proves how much she's been through and because of her life she doesn't believe that "nice boys" are nice at all. I like the fact that this song can mean different things to different people, and I'd like it to stay that way so that more and more opinions can be made (Post below if you have a theory on what the song means).

The music video is low budget, that much is obvious and I bet it took some money to afford the models/dancers. But I like how it links in with one of the theories I mentioned above but you aren't aware of that until towards the end. I wouldn't say it's one of the best Amy Studt videos I've seen, or one of the best low-budget music videos I've seen, but the style and calmness of the song and it's music video is definitely what makes this different.

I like the start, it's simple and it focuses a lot on Amy Studt. You can tell she really means what she is saying. I like how the guys are watching her, and when they come around her too, and I always laugh when she pushes the one person's head away. Also the music video tends to focus on that single guy more than others.

The dance sequence is clever. Not quite sure why Amy doesn't do much, but maybe that's the link to "Always had to do it for myself", whereas now she has 5 dancers moving for her and she doesn't have to do much at all. Also when the camera is in the right position it looks like she's doing all the dance moves.

I like the ending and the fight scene, I do wonder how many takes it took for Amy not to start laughing, hearing all those chairs smash, and I bet the guys enjoyed the fighting scene. I think it proves the "nice boys they don't last" lyric as they are obviously not that nice if one little thing could set them off.

Overall I like this song, it did take a while to grow on me, but it did that pretty easily. The accompanying music video has been shown on the music channels a few times and still is. And it has this "nice" charisma about it that links perfectly with the song. I know some of you may think I'm being biased by giving this video this rating, but it just gives me this feeling, that just makes me think this is a great music video.

Alex Saidac - We Shine



Alex Saidac is a new and upcoming Swedish singer, who has already had a hit with this song in a number of countries. I did kind of wonder who it was when I watched it on the music channels today, but I can't stop listening to it, I can definitely see it being big! But which way will she turn? We've had a number of Swedish singers attempt to get on the UK chart but will she be amongst the Basshunter and September, who have had great charting numbers, or will this fail like Ola Svensson's "All Over The World" and Eric Saade's "Hearts In The Air". I reckon it will be a hit, but I've only seen it once on the music channels so we may have a little while to wait and find out.

Alex Saidac grew up as a typical 'tomboy', turning her back on girlie toys she turned to the 'Stockholm underground scene', she became a break dancer performing here and there. She has a love for graffiti art and she is a successful DJ. But when she was 13 she was sent to Argentina training to become, at the age of 17, one of the leading female Polo players in Spain and Scandinavia...in the men's team. Instead she returned to Sweden and entered 'Musikmakarna', and she reached her goal becoming on of the lucky few to gain an internship at Los Angeles. Now she is ready to take on the world by storm, and this track is the one to do it!

This song is really catchy, I do believe if you only listen to it once you may not enjoy it, so I totally recommend you to listen to it about 2 more times and by then you'll love it as much as I do. The lyrics pronounce that the song is about go out clubbing and enjoying it and letting the night be your own, and just enjoying life. The song's meaning kind of reminds me of Pixie Lott's "All About Tonight" and although the songs aren't similar, their messages are alike.

The music video is very clever. I like the fact that Alex Saidac is on a mission and is trying to rescue someone. The use of the searchlight links in perfect with some of the lyrics, and although people might think it doesn't link, I personally feel it works perfectly, since there is a few links and a few more links.

I really like the start with all the words that pop up, these are as follows... "Location: Stockholm, Sweden; Operation: Rescue; Searchlight: Off ---> On; Codename: We Shine; Password: Le Monde De Leo". The mission is taken place during the truck scene. I like this bit because it suggests war at times but instead of a gun, it's a spotlight, and Alex uses it to identify people, as she is trying to rescue someone.

The other scene is that she is in a club with spotlights and this really great glow in the dark, spotlight, rope thing that I so want! This makes the music video look really good and definitely makes it stand out from the many music videos being released today.

At the end of the music video, we find out that she found who she was looking for and the mission became complete, but I think through editing we lost the narrative since we are unsure of how she got there and figured it all out, but maybe we are supposed to fill that in...

Overall, the song is really catchy and her vocals are really good, this is definitely a hard song to sing, and Alex does it so effortlessly. I can see it being a hit here in the UK if the music channels help to promote it. The accompanying music video is a joy to watch as it clearly stand out and I so hope she gets far in her career and releases more here in the UK.

Jonas Brothers Featuring Big Rob - Burnin' Up

This song is really catchy, as much as I hate to admit it, it is. The Jonas Brothers are a three piece band who are currently on hiatus. They consist of Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas, and Kevin Jonas. Currently they are on solo projects, Joe Jonas has released some solo material. Nick Jonas is in a band called Nick Jonas and the Administration, and Kevin.... Well he got married, but that's it... Maybe he's waiting for the brothers to get back together, since he never sings and maybe he can't sing much, if at all.

This song is the group's second best charting single in the UK, however this song was a B-Side to their other song "When You Look Me In The Eyes". Personally I see this song as the classic Disney song. Anyone who comes out from Disney, such as the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez; is guaranteed to end up singing a song similar to this. That is why this song has been criticised to being similar to a lot of different songs. Besides these sort of songs tend to be extremely catchy, and I have to agree.

The song was written by the brothers themselves, which makes it personal to them. The song is about being at a party or somewhere and there is this girl, and you feel this automatic connection with her and she does to you. I think it is clever to write a song based only on that.

This music video links in pretty well with the song even though it is a little absurd, especially with all the film similarities. But this is what makes it good. I'm not entirely sure if the UK music video version has Big Rob, as the single doesn't have his rapping, but maybe the music video does, I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's nice for it being a collaboration.

I especially like the start, the use of making the Jonas Brothers think about what their music video is going to be like and them visualising it is an extremely interesting way of starting a music video, and I think most of the Jonas Brothers' music videos are very well thought up.

I like how Nick Jonas becomes James Bond, Joe Jonas becomes a Sonny Crockett parody and Kevin Jonas becomes a Kung Fu Master. I also like the fact that a lot of people make cameos including Nick Jonas' (now ex) girlfriend Selena Gomez. The other people who appear are David Carradine, Robert Davi and Danny Trejo. I bet you there are more cameo appearances but I can't quite find them.

Overall I like the song, it's very catchy, and it's accompanying music video is just as good, it's a little over the top and is only slightly linked in well, but some bits are funny including when Big Rob does all three. I think it deserves this rating, and I hope you guys agree with me.

Daisy Dares You Featuring Chipmunk - Number One Enemy

I was happy when this song came up on the music channels this morning, I hadn't heard it in a while, and I remember buying the song off iTunes to try and help her get a good charting position. I really do like this song, and I'm surprised she was only 16 when this song got released, and she has such a great voice, that makes me want to watch her live.

Daisy Dares You's real name is Daisy Coburn. She takes her star name from the 1990s British television show: ZZZap! She is the same age as me, only I was born in January whereas she was born in November (so I'm older). But I think it shows how mature she is inside. No way could I go out and become a pop singer (even if I could sing). And I think this is the reason why I like her, because she's very strong willed. She knows what she wants and she'll go up there and take it. She has recently disappeared for the time being, with rumours that she's hitting a modeling career while her recording contract is being dealt with. She was first signed to Jive records and RCA records however, RCA is disbanding Jive records, amongst other record labels, and although all artists on these disbanding record labels have been promised that their contracts are secure and will be able to release music, I'm already wondering how long it's going to be before we hear from her.

This song is extremely catchy, I'm not sure what I made of it this morning, I was happy it was on, but I thought she seemed a little shouty, however the song got stuck in my heard, and I just listened to it again, and I just think she's finding her own way, rather than being shouty. "Number One Enemy" was written by Daisy Coburn, Matthew Marston and Chipmunk. I like the fact that her first ever single was written by herself, it just proves how devoted she is to music. The fact that she also collaborated with Chipmunk on her first ever single definitely shows how much of a star she is going to become because Chipmunk is very well-known now (but even back then he was known). Chipmunk's real name is Jahmaal Fyffe. The song is all about disagreements with her sister, which explains a lot about the lyrics of the song, I also like the fact that Chipmunk raps: "Scarlett! She ain't your enemy", I presume Scarlett is her sister...

I really like this music video, although I am not entirely sure of what the link is to the song... I like the fact that it's about Alice in Wonderland, and not long after this song was released the new film was released, it's a shame this song didn't appear on it's soundtrack, but to be honest there wasn't a link with the song at all.

I like the house, and the drink me potion, I also like the mad hatter's table, and I presume Chipmunk is meant to be the mad hatter since he picks up the top hat. I find the cup cake bit really funny along with the pig as well, and the coloured sheep, it looks like a complete fairy tale.

Overall, I really like this song, and it's chorus is amazing, but the music video doesn't link in at all and I don't really know why that idea was chosen. There is also little to say about the music video because there isn't a lot going on except for the Alic in Wonderland theme.

Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts

Christina Perri has such a beautiful and clear voice it's unbelievable that it's taken this long for her to become known. Now she's becoming a worldwide star and it's going to be difficult to keep up with her. She also has a brother who is also in the music industry Nick Perri, who has played guitar for many different bands.

This song was written by Christina Perri, Drew Lawrence and Barrett Yeretsian. I like how she manages to display her emotion through this song, it is really emotional and really nice to just sit back and listen to. The song is about someone who she was in a relationship with and that someone was using her to collect his "Jar of Hearts". This song is kind of her response to what he did. Christina Perri wrote this song on her own experience of someone who wanted to rekindle their broken relationship.

I'm not entirely sure what to make of this music video, at times it looks really good, but then there are some bits of it I think makes it look messy. It looks a little low-budget in my opinion, clearly they weren't aware of the phenomenon this song was going to become.

I like the interpretation of the song in dance. I always enjoy watching dance displayed so effortlessly and interestingly. I also like the link that was used, because this song was first played on So You Think You Can Dance (the US version) and that is how the song managed to become well-known and why it charted so high. So the dance sequence was used as a reference to the TV show.

I also like what Christina Perri is wearing, it makes her look like a rock chick, it's something you would have expected Avril Lavigne to wear in her early days, especially the white dress and the combat boots. This could potentially be a bad thing, because at the start the music doesn't start straight away, and anyone who saw her could think that this song is sort of in the genre of rock, and would probably swap the music channel over even before the song started.

I really don't like the Jar of Hearts, the way they show this is terrible, in my opinion, and I know it makes him look like a dementors from Harry Potter. But they could have done it a lot better, and it definitely brings down this music video.

Overall, I really like the song, after hearing it a few times, but it's music video isn't as good as I first thought it was. I hope Christina Perri keeps on going and has a very good career in the future, but I also hope that her music videos will get better than this one.