This song is created by Guru Josh Project, I have to say it is extremely catchy and although I wasn't necessarily into this sort of music when the song was released, I bought the single, loving the song. I must have watched the music video quite a few times on the music channels, purely because I liked the song...
The band consists of Paul Walden (A.K.A. Guru Josh), Anders Nyman and Darren Bailie. They didn't last long, and only released two singles, this one being their most well known one. The song is a remixed version from Guru Josh's single "Infinity" which is also referred to as "Infinity (1990s... Time For The Guru". It was a club classic and still appears on compilation albums to this date. The re-worked version pushed the original back into well known status and has once again became a massive hit for Guru Josh. This remixed version uses DJ Klaas' mixed beats, as the single of the song. The song was written by Paul Walden, and is definitely one of the club classics that will still be heard of in about 10 years time, maybe even more. I have to admit, I don't understand what the lyrics mean, there's just nothing that good behind them, all I can get is that if you get with Guru Josh "you will find Infinity", which suggests a night of your life? Or maybe just a hell of a lot of fun, which is what this song is all about especially when played in the clubs.
Now the music video isn't necessarily the best, and there are a lot of problems I have with it and I sure you do too. But the main thing about it is that it doesn't really link in with the song, I don't see that anywhere, if she's getting the night of her life from Guru Josh, why couldn't they have shown that message better? I don't get it at all, and sometimes without a link, it could make it a good music video (as I have mentioned in the past), but in this case, it looked more like they just made a video for the sake of it, and personally I would have preferred just seeing everyone dancing at that live performance.
Right, let's start off with the good thing about this, and then I'll come back to the bad bits. First up is the use of the TV, although it is blurry and distorts the picture amongst other things. It is a really good technique, and it makes you think you are watching the same thing as the girl is and so that you become connected to her (until she starts to take her clothes off and then you question why she is getting excited about this piece of TV footage, maybe it was the saxophone player?
Okay so.... Why on earth would you go into an abandoned house, for one thing? The next thing is how on earth did she know that it was already furnished, with a settee, a saxophone and a TV? Also what are those things doing there in the first place? And where on Earth did that hammer come from? And why attack the house when it is in such a damaged state already that in doing so it may crash on top of you? This makes no sense what so ever and all I'm coming up with is more and more questions.
This is all I have to say on this, questions, questions and more questions. I do like the song and I can see it being around for a very long while, although I have not even heard the original, let alone compared both music videos, maybe that could be my Sunday revisit? Or maybe not. I don't think this music video is that good, and although the song is really catchy, I think I would have expected more, maybe I did?
New Release is finally back, we are now back to normal guys after our Big Brother Special.
I have been behind the Saturdays since their first ever song "If This is Love", the reason for this is because I grew up with Frankie and Rochelle, and I just think it's right to back them all the way. The girls consist of Vanessa White, Mollie King, Una Healy, Frankie Sandford and Rochelle Wiseman (now known as Rochelle Humes), the latter two were in a band that was originally called S Club Juniors but soon became S Club 8. The Saturdays have been going strong for a number of years, and I can definitely see them going for a lot more. They have had various top 10 and top 20 hits, but believe it or not, they have NEVER got a number one single, and I so hope they manage to do it sometime soon, although I am doubtful this one will make it as it is a pop ballad and they rarely get to number one, even though this song sort of deserves it, as it is incredibly powerful.
The song is the third single to be taken from their upcoming album: 'On Your Radar'. "My Heart Takes Over", was written by Ina Wroldsen and Steve Mac who have written for the Saturdays quite a few times, and I have previously mentioned their writing credits in another review which was Cobra Starship Featuring Sabi "You Make Me Feel...". They have written a number of songs, and The Saturdays definitely perform them amazingly. I like how you can feel their words that they sing and it's really emotional, which is perfect for this type of song.
I have to admit I kind of like the music video, it's soulful and interesting, and wintry. I like how it represents the UK, it was actually filmed in Iceland, and we are supposed to expect winter soon, but people here in the UK are still wearing t-shirts with no coats, suggesting that winter is extremely late this year. But even so, sometimes it's nice to see all these wintry music videos popping up on our screens.
Now the scenes are clever, because the song is about love, and the scenes really represent what they are feeling. The beach that Vanessa starts to sing on has loads of rocks/pebbles and other stones which suggest a 'rocky relationship', I think this is extremely clever idea as pictures tend to say a thousand words, right? Then you have the road Mollie is walking on, which could signify the path of a relationship, it's quite bendy at times with quite a few corners and turns. The field all five girls are in shows that they are exposed, as you usually are in a relationship, and the rock formation Rochelle is stuck between could suggest a difficult choice, do you leave the relationship behind, or keep on going up? Frankie and Una aren't really shown much as in where they are, apart from the field.
Now I have to mention this, as a lot of people have commented on the video about this. The Saturdays are definitely not wearing sensible shoes, they are wearing heels, boots and stilettos which isn't really the best footwear for a beach, a road, a field or a rocky path, obviously they still wanted to look fashionable while wearing big thick clothes. OR it could be another thing that signifies where they are in their relationships because it is supposed to be difficult to walk in heels on a beach and a field and everything else, proving that relationships are difficult.
Overall I really like this song, it takes a little while to get used to this pop ballad but after a while it'll be stuck in your head in no time. The music video relates well with the song, and although there is not a lot going on, or any 'heart hands', but that's okay as it has a wintry feel which could get us in the mood for Christmas.
This is Samanda's second single, and gives us our Sunday revisit, and makes Samanda go down in Big Brother ex-housemate history, as they are the only ex-housemate to release more than one single. I thought they would have gone all the way and become a artist, but their third single never got released and it's doubtful they'll ever return to music, although I think they deserve to.
So this wraps up our Big Brother Special week, I hope you all have enjoyed this week of special s and it's back to normal tomorrow.
The song is a cover version of Paul Anka's hit "Puppy Love", who was then covered twelve years later by Donny Osmond, who made the song famous again. "Honey Love" is really good and I love the fact that the Honey Monster gets a little solo, which is a whole new verse that wasn't included in Puppy Love. Samanda's voices are even better in this song than in "Barbie Girl", and I'm pretty sure they didn't change them in the studio. And I have to admit, I'm so happy the Honey Monster didn't turn out like Robotic Ken, otherwise we would have been in a lot of trouble. This was a charity single, and all proceeds went to the Variety Club Children's Charity. I felt sad that this didn't chart higher, managing to get to number 125, which is a really low charting, and is probably the reason why "Whistle For A Hottie" was never released.
This music video is FAR better than "Barbie Girl", once again it's low-budget, but what does that matter when clearly they are all "honey love" upped? This song definitely should have charted higher. I like the start, and how Samanda comes out the back of a pink stretch limo, and then the Honey Monster appears from the back of a stretch Hummer.
I like the fact that they are both on the piano, is the Honey Monster going out with both of them? I especially like some of the choreography that is done in the video, especially when Samanda and the Honey Monster are kicking their feet. I also like the ending when all three jump, I wonder if they had to take a few takes of that as their jumping all had to be in sync.
I love the guitar solo, it fits nicely after the Honey Monster's solo, and is pretty funny at times. I think it's nice that Samanda tells us at the start that it's a charity single, and I just wish more people had downloaded it at that time, because Samanda had real potential to become recording artists.
Overall, I am obsessed with the song, I like how they've jazzed it up and the fact that it's a charity single. The music video is perfect, and I haven't got a bad thing to say about it to be honest. Obviously if a mega celebrity was singing the song instead of Samanda it probably would have been a better video and would have charted higher, but apart from that I could listen to it again and again. I hope Samanda do return to music, but that could be hoping too much, right?
Okay, so this isn't a music video, and wasn't released to music channels, BUT it sort of counts, it was shown on a TV channel, it has music, it has artists singing, and is definitely the best advertisement for Big Brother, so it sort of counts. To be totally honest I got a little scared as I couldn't find another music video and I was desperate to get a video shown today. For the purposes of this blog, I am going to rate and review this "advert" as a music video, even though technically it isn't.
Now this music video features a lot of ex-housemates, I think they must have gotten most of them, if not all of them. So many go past that sometimes I can't even count them all let alone name them all, and I know they aren't all extras and that they all were actually in the house. The only disappointing thing about that is the song wasn't recorded, they just used Kelly Rowland and David Guetta's recording of "When Love Takes Over", although I reckon it would have been better if all the ex-housemates have sung the song in the studio (with the producers changing the voices so they all could sing), and sung "When Bruv Takes Over", rather than dubbing "Love".
This music video is amazing, At the start we see Makosi being a secretary and then Anthony Hutton starting to mouth the words to "When Love Takes Over", then various other housemates appear, including H (from Steps), Samanda, Michelle Bass, Nadia Almada, Brian Dowling, Pete Bennett, Josie Gibson, Brian Belo and Nikki Grahame amongst a tonne of others. I think it was an extremely great idea and shows how happy the ex-housemates are that Big Brother had returned to our screens.
I like the use of the aeroplanes and the smoke and the balloons, I couldn't help but laugh at Jodie Marsh's scene, it's like she has a group of dancers with her. The signs are clever and it represents the live show audience since they have lots and lots of signs that they hold up. And the use of Brian Dowling (our new host) being in front of everyone is a really good idea.
Overall I loved this advert, and wished they had recorded it and then released it on iTunes, as we all know it would have made the chart. I feel a little upset that Channel 5 didn't change Big Brother all that much and kept it roughly the same, which was probably the reason why it lost quite a few viewers, but hopefully they'll realise what they did wrong and re-vamp it for next year. If this advert were a music video, it would definitely have deserved this rating.
Nadia Almada won Big Brother series 5, and she will always be remembered for her big laugh and her big heart. BUT after returning for Ultimate Big Brother, everyone turned against her and she was evicted quite early with a lot of boos. This song was released not long after she won and I have to admit that I agree with some of the comments, it's so bad that it's good. Nadia is from Madeira and she is a transvestite, who was born as Jorge Leodoro.
As far as I can tell this song is an original song, believe it or not. I could have sworn it was a cover, but if it was I cannot find the original version anywhere. Nadia's song actually did well on the chart, getting to number 27, which is quite an achievement for an ex-housemate, but there was no second single or album that followed which is a little disappointing since this single charted so high. Personally I very much doubt Nadia helped with the songwriting, although I cannot even find songwriting credits for this song. Her voice is bad, she can't sing, and she can't dance and obviously not even changing her voice in the studio could do anything. But I have to admit this song is very catchy and after only one listen it is stuck in my head. It's so wrong that it's right.
The music video is once again dire. But I think it is not as bad as previous ex-housemates. There is no narrative storyline, which kind of upsets me a little as it may have made this music video a lot better, and the performance side of things is just as bad. This could have been a lot better, but then again if it were low budget (which it looks like it) then they must have paid a lot to those dancers therefore leaving not much left to the imagination.
I like quite a few things about this music video, the dancers is a very clever technique to use, and I like the fact that the camera is more focused on them than on Nadia, which is really clever, because clearly Nadia can't dance that well, and so instead we only get a few snapshots of her. Sometimes I think anyone can dance, if taught and given the right choreography, but it's times like these when I see someone who will never be able to dance, and I take back what I have said.
I like some of the scenes, but some of them just doesn't work with Nadia, especially when she's lying down on the sofa/chair and trying to be sexy, it seriously doesn't work. Other scenes, have little choreography and she doesn't pull it off that fluently, so it just looks like a complete mess.
Overall I really like the song, it's quite catchy, but she cannot sing very well. The music video is okay, but i would be suited for someone else, it kind of reminds me of Shabnam's music video, but this is a little bit better. My rating is once again low, but the video deserves it, Although I think the song would have rated a little bit higher if it was just on it's own.
I know what you're thinking, you are wondering why I'm reviewing this music video for, but to be honest, Samanda is in our Big Brother history, and will do until someone overrides them, because Samanda is the only ex-housemate to release more than one single, and although no album has been released, and their third single has been waiting for it's release for 3 years now, they have managed to get two charted hits, so they are officially the closest ex-housemate to become an artist.
Samanda came second in Big Brother series 8, they were the bookies favourite to win, and mine too. The entered at Day 1 and manage to last all the way, they were picked at the post by Brian Belo, who wasn't in the Big Brother house for long, so in theory Samanda were the winners, and in celebrity status they are definitely above Brian, in my opinion. Their most memorable task was the twin task, where they were separated and they both had to draw a 3 pictures and they actually drew the same pictures.
The song is a cover of Aqua's sensational hit "Barbie Girl". Aqua has recently reformed although they've done not-so-well here in the UK, and totally suspect they won't be around much longer. There is some good bits to the song, but the bit I really hate is ken's robotic voice, seriously did they run out of money or something? Their voices are changed slightly, but they have sung this song live a few times and as we know from the Big Brother house, they can actually sing, which could be the reason they managed to chart so high with this song, managing to get to number 26, which is a Big Brother record for ex-housemates. I also think the music video was one of the main influences in getting this single so high up on the chart. Will Samanda come back to music or TV? They've been missing for almost 3 years now, only popping up for special Big Brother advertisements. I am hoping they do come back and finally release "Whistle For A Hottie" at least. Let's all keep our fingers crossed, as Samanda could be our first ever recording artist from Big Brother.
The music video is low budget, everyone can see that, and it's nothing like Aqua's narrative music video, which could be both good and bad, but this clearly is a notch above the other ex-housemates' music videos. I think it's a little bland and boring, with no connection to the song, but sometimes that's okay.
I like the dance routine they've got going on, they did that exact choreography in the house, so maybe this music video is supposed to show them as who they are, or how they were in the house (if there's a difference). And I like it when they laugh, it's not because they are faking it but they actually do something and laugh, which kind of lightens up this music video. I like all the bright lights and all the different scenes, but it just feels like there is something missing, which could be the narrative story line.
Overall it's quite a good cover (minus the robotic Ken), but I don't think the music video is as good as it could have been, and I know it was low budget, and it could possibly be one of the best ex-housemate music videos we'll ever get to see, but I just feel that it isn't worthy of a high rating, because compared to other high rating music videos, this is bland, boring and not that great. I cannot believe I'm giving it the same rating as Chanelle Hayes but it kind of deserves it. I bet children will find this music video a lot more appealing.
Okay, so I'm bending the rules a little bit, because she released this song before going into the Big Brother house, however I'm including it because I think it'll probably be one of the better videos I review, and I don't want this whole week to have low ratings.
Louise Cliffe is currently in Big Brother at the moment, she hasn't done anything memorable and although I think she'll be one of these ex-housemates who stay in the limelight, I reckon people won't remember her being in the house.
The song is about social networks, which kind of goes alongside with the artist she collaborated with and the music video. She isn't the best of singers, but she certainly isn't terrible, as we all know from her rarely singing in the Big Brother House. You can tell they've edited her voice with this song. It didn't make the UK chart, but that was down to no promoting whatsoever, and I didn't see this video at all on the music channels, so maybe that was the reason it didn't go anywhere. Will she win this year's Big Brother? I doubt it, and I reckon she'll get 4th or maybe 3rd if she's lucky. This is why I decided to review this music video today.
Now, this music video could possibly be the cream of the crop, this week, but that doesn't mean that this video is any good. I wouldn't say it's dreadful, but they could have done a lot more. Obviously it was a low budget music video, and it does look very cheap, I have to admit I've seen better low budget music videos. To be honest I can definitely understand why this didn't appear on any music channels while I was watching them.
You can sort of tell that they only filmed so much of Louise Cliffe, and that at times she was re-used again and again, this annoyed me a bit because obviously not a lot was going on so you just had to watch repeat after repeat, and I definitely won't be watching this again. She reminds me of Aylar Lie, although they are very different, I think they are similar because of their career paths.
I have to laugh when she is "playing" the guitar, if you can even call it that, she's not even strumming it, and I doubt it made much of a noise when that bit was filmed. I have to admit I liked the things that appeared behind her, like the links and the chat messages, it made it look more like a website rather than the usual. But it also annoyed me that when all 5 different characters were at the bottom of the screen, they kept bumping into one another, but instead of bumping, they went through one another, this totally brought the video down even more for me. Maybe this video isn't cream of the crop as I first thought it might have been.
Overall I totally advise Louise Cliffe to stay away from music when she comes out, because as we have witnessed before ex-housemates who embark on a singing career always fail. I do see her being in our faces for quite a while though, so it'll be interesting to see what happens to these finalists in the future.
Chanelle Hayes was a housemate in Big Brother series 8. People remember her as being the wannabe Victoria Beckham, and she'd walk the streets until someone thought she was Victoria. If Victoria Beckham changed her hair, Chanelle did too. Chanelle had quite a few arguments in the house but she was probably one of the most loved. She had arguments with Ziggy Lichman (who was an ex Northern Line boy band member before entering the house), and Charley Uchea. Chanelle walked gaining making her 13th in the competition, on the results show, I specifically remember Davina McCall having to re-call Chanelle's name because the audience thought she missed her out. Personally, I thought she had a really big chance of winning that series of Big Brother, and if she didn't, I had expected Samanda to win. But I was shocked that Brian Belo won. Chanelle was singing quite a few times in the house, and she was an amazing singer, but yet again another ex-housemate has failed to make a music career. I think she deserves a second chance, she wasn't happy with the music video, but she wanted a shot at being an artist, she had it but people didn't promote her well, adding to the number big brother music failures. Recently she has had a baby, and still appears in Lad Mags, is this the thing she'll be doing for the rest of her life? Or is a musical comeback still on the cards? I have my fingers-crossed.
I have to congratulate the song based on the fact that it wasn't a cover, this kind of brings the standards up a little bit, but then the video lets it down totally. The song was written by Ben Ofoedu and Jack Lucien, both are aspiring singers, with a chart hit here and there, but it looks like they won't make it and probably follow the footsteps of Chanelle, without a very sexualised video. I have to admit I did buy this single and I still have it (I just checked). The song is very catchy, and catchy songs tend to do well no matter what the song is about. However, Radio 1 refused to add the song to their playlists, even though they interviewed her, which probably was the reason behind it only charting at number 63. Her voice is good on this track, but you can tell they've edited it, if you watch her singing from the house, you will realise she has a much better voice. DJ's enjoyed mixing this track and it featured in a lot of their sets. I want Chanelle to return to music, with a much better record label behind her, but until then she is one of a few ex-Big Brother housemates who've made the chart.
This music video is terrible, it's the only word I can use for it and it's not at all Chanelle's fault, she did express her concern about it's sexualised theme. I do remember watching it on the music channels, and I must have been missing something back then as I don't remember it being this erotic. I don't really know how this video was allowed to be shown, but it was... I bet the director and the producer and whoever else was involved, including camera men and the like, totally enjoyed making this video, and I'm not saying their immoral or anything, I'm just saying they'd be nothing like photographers, who are generally nice and usually don't exploit you. Sometimes this video makes me think that Chanelle was pressured into making this video and sometimes in life that sort of happens.
Ignoring all the obvious stuff that certain people will totally mention on, I'm kind of wondering (no jealousy here, honestly) why she has 3 men with her, in different scenes there are 3 different guys. First you have the guy who's in her bedroom with her, he has hair and looks a bit like Jason Flemying, but I don't think it is. Then there's this guy in a lap dancing club (which I'd understand if that was Chanelle's character's job). And lastly, we're back in her bedroom with a whole new guy, which totally confuses me. Are they portraying Chanelle as some Godess or something? Anyway, this video didn't do her any favours.
Overall, it is quite a good song, and to be honest I think it would still make the chart today, with the help of some radios deciding to pick it up. However it's music video didn't help one bit, and although a lot of people (mainly guys, but girls too) who enjoyed it, they didn't help it's performance on the chart, and there were far more people who disliked it. I hope she makes a musical return at some point, as she has the voice for it, but I don't have my hopes up, this music video has ended any music career she wished to have.
Shabnam.... Do people remember her? She was in the Big Brother house in series 8, with Charley, Chanelle and Samanda. She was the first to be evicted, spending only one week in the house, and I think she is the only "loser" of Big Brother to keep the limelight for the longest time. However Shabnam wasn't the first to go, instead someone called Emily Parr was asked to leave Big Brother because she used an offensive word. I remember Shabnam as being this really energetic person, who always sung every now and again, and I feel sorry for her that this was her single, as it made her crash and burn before she was ready. This series gave us a few singers, it is also memorable as it was an all-girls house for a few days.
I thought we would have gained the first ever Big Brother artist, and although four ex-housemates from this year tried, they all failed disappointingly. This song, which is a cover of Lulu's hit single, which has been covered a number of times, didn't get enough promotion at all to help make it chart. Shabnam was a really good singer in the house and I feel really sorry for her that the production behind her didn't help whatsoever. Will she ever make fame? Or was this the end of the road for her?
The music video shows Shabnam having a lot of fun, she was definitely energetic, and I think this video makes her more of an exhibitionist, which is a shame because although she wants to grab the limelight, she wants it for all the right reasons.
I always have to laugh at the bar man, when Shabnam is messing about, it is so funny and he can't help but laugh, I do kind of wonder how many takes this took because the bar man is laughing and laughing. I've seen this music video on a music channel a few years ago (possibly when it came out and possibly on the same channel as the YouTube video is on), I was a little younger then and I think the video quality was a lot better than this video I've found.
A lot of people have picked up that the miming isn't in sync with the song, this is not at all Shabnam's fault and has everything to do with the editors of the music video, this could be a main factor as why the song didn't chart, along with the fact that the song is very iconic and it's difficult to do a better job. Will Shabnam return to music? I'm not sure, I very much doubt it, once you've dappled in it and failed, it's extremely difficult to make any sort of come back, but I know that if she did make a come back it will be a hell of a lot better than this and I bet her vocals would be better.
Overall I like the song, although there isn't much of a vocal performance behind it. The music video is dodgy and annoying and dire. I do feel extremely sorry for her and I really don't think she deserves the rating I have given her, but sometimes it's not the artist's fault. I hope she gets what she wants out of life, but I am kind of expecting never to hear from her again.
Personally, and I think a lot of people think this too, but every time I see Hilary Duff I can't help thinking she's type-casted as Lizzie McGuire, I used to watch that show when I was younger, and all of the re-runs too, and she hasn't changed, she's always been this character and it's going to be hard for her to get out of that, and even though she's tried lots of different things it hasn't worked.
I was trying to think what artist to do for today, as all the artists this week have either been new ones, or ones I only know one song from, so it had to be Hilary Duff. This is my favourite song by her, I don't know exactly why but it's one of those songs that gets stuck in your head. It was written by Dead Executives and Hilary Duff (NOTE: if the artist appears at the end of the writing credits, it suggests they had a minimum input into the song lyrics, sometimes this means they have added a single word or line, or they did the chorus or a certain verse). The song is all about going out and having fun, which is exactly what happens in the music video, making it such an easy music video to come up with.
I like the start of the music video, it suggests getting ready to go out and have fun, this is always the most important part of when you decide to go out, because you have to look good, no one in their right mind goes out in what they usually wear, without doing anything.
I like the fact that Hilary knows most of the people she passes in the clubs and it suggests she's a "party girl". I also like the "London" sign and the "Paris" sign, that must have been difficult to edit that just right, but it worked.
There's not a lot happening in this music video, I have to admit I don't think the short black hair style suited Hilary at all, but I did like the long straighten look. There really isn't much to comment on and this is the music video's flaw, because if there isn't much to comment on then there really isn't a lot going on.
Overall, the music video links in with the song, the song is really catchy and it's something that would've been played in the clubs. But there's not a lot going on, it's pretty predictable, and it's not at all out of the ordinary. I would definitely not remember this music video if I watched the music channels for about an hour. It doesn't stand out from the crowd, and it was unsurprising this video was created for this song. Even though the song is my favourite from her, I just don't think the music video is up to scratch, and it is a little disappointing to be honest.
I have to admit, I wasn't aware of who Carrie Underwood was until a few years ago, thanks to Reggie Yates on Radio 1's Official Chart Show. He asked a question along the lines of "Who has sold the most records world wide after being a winner on American Idol?" I had expected Kelly Clarkson to come on top with Jordin Sparks following, but instead Kelly came second with Carrie Underwood first, which really surprised me since Carrie Underwood, as of yet, has never charted on the UK chart. Carrie Underwood won the fourth season of American Idol, and has had a number of hits in the US.
This song was sung by Carrie Underwood, and released on the Enchanted Soundtrack (it's one of my favourite films ever, and I so hope the rumours are true that there is a sequel in the works). For some reason a music video was released, which I watched a few days ago on the music channels, but the song was not released as a single, therefore it obviously didn't chart anywhere, even though this song is sung beautifully and it's the only one I know from her.
I love this music video, it works perfectly, again it's another soundtrack music video, but this is different from the rest, they've used the animation scenes from the film at the start of the music video, also making Carrie Underwood into an animation, which was an extremely clever thing to do, and kind of reminds me of Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliot's hit "Car Wash". And they don't use any other scenes from the film, instead they use what they filmed, which is a really clever and unique idea.
I think Carrie Underwood is really pretty in both the live bit and the animation, I like the use of the waterfall, and in theory they HAD to use it. I like how similar it is to the film, and that they used all the same effects. I like the fact that Carrie spreads happiness throughout the street, that newspaper stand man was awe-struck by her. That florist liked her lots too, and I thought it was really sweet that she gives the flower to another person, and links them two together, and I love the dancing with the children bit. And especially the end how the people just stop and move away creating two lines. It's definitely a music video that stands out from the crowd.
Carrie Underwood has this strong and powerful voice that makes you realise she is worthy of winning American Idol, although she deserves to become a worldwide star, I reckon the UK will really like her, and her sort of music is definitely making the chart now, so maybe it's the time for her.
Overall I love this song, and it'll be stuck in my head all day. The music video is very different, and definitely stands out from the many different music videos out there. It's a shame she never released it as a single as I could see it charting quite high. I hope one day she manages success over here in the UK, and I look forward to writing more reviews of her music videos.
I haven't been much of a fan of Professor Green, to be totally honest Rap is not at all my genre, and I find it difficult to work out who is who. However this one stands out from the crowd, he uses such personal words that describe his life, one could almost shed a tear. His real name is Stephen Manderson, so you can sort of realise why he decided on an alias. He collaborated with Emeli Sandé, who has an amazingly strong voice. She has a university degree in medicine, but she no longer needs it. Every single she has released including collaborations have all made the UK top 10, and I can definitely see her being a worldwide star, I know America is going to love her.
This song was written by Stephen Manderson, TMS and Iain James. This song is extremely personal to Professor Green and deals with his life, especially the suicide of his father. I like Emeli Sandé's vocals on this song, they are so powerful, and it sort of makes sense why the song managed to get to number one so easily, but I also reckon it had something to do with performing this on the X Factor.
The music video is strong and powerful, I love the fact that it has a beautiful narrative that some people may even cry at, I also like the emotion that pours out of Professor Green's face, you can tell he means every single word, and this is what makes it such a powerful song. It's the same with Emeli Sandé, she's found a connection with the song, and she knows exactly what she is saying and what it means. This is definitely a powerful song and music video, and they've done a really good job with it.
The narrative side of the video follows a boy (who looks like a young Professor Green, although I don't know the actor's name), he is standing outside looking in, watching his step-mom and her daughter. His dad sees him and comes to the door, they hold hands and you all think aww, but then his dad lets go as soon as he walks in. We then see him go upstairs (to get away from his step-mom), and into his old bedroom, he is angry he wants to 'scream' and 'shout', and so in a fury he rips down posters and pictures and rips his bedding and all sorts, his step-mom shouts at him and he shouts back, he then goes into another room and does the same. He then puts his hands over his ears and shuts his eyes, the next thing, he's in a warehouse and Professor Green steps in. The ending is my favourite bit, it's kind of a future and past sort of distinction.
I love the narrative storyline, but I also like Professor Green's rapping, he performs it perfectly and his emotion in his face is amazing, a lot of people have compared his rapping to Eminem, saying you could easily mistake one for the other. Emeli Sandé's vocals are amazing and I can see her being a BIG star soon. She is singing under a shower of rain, well I think she is, I'm not sure what that is about, but I think it signifies fury and wanting to let loose, when really you can't, and you have to learn to control yourself, and that you can't always get what you want.
Overall, this song is amazing, even though rap songs aren't really for me. And the accompanying music video just blows me away, I could watch it again and again, and I feel so sorry for the little boy, and although I can't empathise with him, I can definitely sympathise with him. This deserves this rating, everything has pulled together perfectly and this is how a music video should be.
Hilary duff is a mega star, everyone knows who she is and has probably watched one of her TV Programmes or films. She is a big star in Music too with a number of hit singles. Haylie is Hilary's older sister, she has been in a number of films and has featured on a few soundtracks, but together they are an unstoppable force. They clearly love one another and they get along perfectly, the way siblings should. A lot of people, including me, reckon they are alike, they could pass as twins at some points in this music video, for those of you who don't know, Hilary is usually on the right, and Haylie is usually on the left. They been wanting to collaborate for a while, and I'm glad they have as this is a great song.
Our Lips Are Sealed, was originally sung by The Go-Go's, and became quite a big hit in the US. The writers are Jane Wiedlin and Terry Hall. Not long after Terry Hall decided to re-record it with his band Fun Boy Three, this gained a lot of popularity managing to get to number 7 on the UK singles Chart. Then it was Hilary & Hailey Duff's turn, they managed to get moderate success in Canada and Australia, but failed everywhere else, personally I think it was due to little promotion of the single. Their version was sung for the Movie Soundtrack: "A Cinderella Story", which has Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray as the lead roles. (NOTE: This film is really good and it's one of those ones you can watch again and again, just like many chick-flicks).
The music video is the perfect soundtrack music video, I have reviewed quite a few soundtrack music videos over the past months, but I think this one is one of the best, it has intricate prominent scenes from A Cinderella Story. I like seeing how well the girls get along with one another, having a laugh and enjoying themselves.
I like the scenes in the car, they are enjoying themselves, obviously Hilary Duff isn't actually driving the car, it could be on a trailer, or even Blue/Green screen. But I like it when Haylie gets in the back and puts her hands over Hilary's eyes, and I love the ear bit and the green gherkins bit, it's really funny.
I like the special features they use, like the pink and green, ultra-violet lights that make the girls stand out. And the scenes they use from the film is nicely added to the music video giving it a really good effect, and puts the music video together really nicely.
Overall I really like this song, and Hilary and Haylie Duff should definitely collaborate again in the future, the music video is pretty good, I think the use of scenes from the film has been edited in perfectly. But I still think there's something missing, it doesn't make you go WOW, and you can easily forget about this video if you watch it amongst a load of others, such as when you're watching the music channels.
Amerie was a big hit a few years ago, maybe a few more. And this song is her biggest song in the UK, managing to get to number 4 on the chart. I have to admit, I hadn't heard this song until about a year ago when I went on holiday with Tink09 (who seems to introduce me to a load of songs, according to this blog), and she was singing along to this song, and I had never heard of it, but it's really became catchy and as soon as I heard the video being played on the music channels I couldn't help but watch it. It's one of those songs that will get stuck in your head all day, even if you know none of the lyrics the music behind is catchy enough to play again and again in your head. Amerie has a new album coming out next year, people thought she dwindled down and disappeared, but that's not the case, and I can see her doing really well since R&B is doing amazingly here in the UK, could this be the time for her to become big? Time will tell, but she does deserve it.
This song was written by Amerie, Rich Harrison and Stanley Walden. Rich has written for a lot of stars, but has mostly collaborated his writing with Amerie, but has got writing credits for Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Will Amerie and Rich join forces again for her new album? It's possible, and will a hit single like this one come out, I think so. We nearly didn't get this as a single, as the record label felt it was unfinished, but were unable to give details. Amerie and Rich Harrison then leaked the song onto radio stations across America, in an attempt to get it released, and it worked. Amerie became more known because of this hit single.
The song was remixed with a vocal performance by Eve, this is the song that people tend to listen to nowadays, and it is considered to be a collaboration. Amerie picked Eve to do the remix with because she feels that Eve is in a male dominant genre, full of all these male rappers, and that Eve, along with few other female rappers, show that anyone can do anything if they set their mind to it.
I actually like the music video, there is a lot going on, which accompanies to the amount of music behind Amerie's vocals. There's no narrative, but that's okay, and there are some cut-scenes of this hit movie "Hitch", as this song was a last-minute soundtrack from the song.
Amerie co-directed the music video, as she had the perfect idea for the video. She appears as a Go-go dancer and it works perfectly with this up-tempo chaotic song that is just right. I like some of the choreography, even though she isn't dancing all that much.
I love the start, the way she struts down the road, it's a strong and powerful walk, which suggests that the song is strong and powerful. I like the drums and all the other instruments behind her, and that red panelled wall is really interesting too.
There is so much going on in the video, it's hard to comment on it all, but I do like it lots. It seems there's not a lot I can comment on as the dancing and the performance is all we have, but the fast-paced song goes perfect and they've done really good editing. I just have to give it this rating, I just think it's lacking something, although what it is I don't know, maybe it's the narrative?
Sunday Girl is an artist I've never heard of before, she comes from the UK, and has released 4 singles, with not charters, as of yet, why she is still around, I have no idea, generally by this point artists are dropped from their record label, and disappears for eternity. Her real name is Jade Williams, and she gained her alias when she worked for a pet store, she didn't mention to the other members of staff her real name, and since she only worked on Sunday's she was always referred as "Sunday Girl". Will she still be around in a few years time? I don't think so, and to be honest if this is the sort of songs she releases I can understand why she isn't that popular.
Now this song... When I first saw the video, I was really excited as I thought it was Basshunter's new song as he covered this song in his "Now You're Gone (album)", but then I realised the music was different and the lyrics were different. So I decided to find out more about this song, hence coming to do this review. This song, which shocked me, was originally sung by a band called Sunscreem, in 1992 (meaning this song is one year older than me), and has been covered by many artists including Steps and Rollergirl, who made the song famous in Sweden. My favourite cover is Basshunter's (which also features Lauren Dyson's Vocals).
I have to say I hate this music video, it has no link with the song what so ever, and I'd understand it if they were in a club or something, because this is where this song is more than likely going to be played, but no, the people are "Whipping their hair" to the song, which I would totally understand if this was a cover song for Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair", but it isn't.
Sunday Girl, doesn't look like she's enjoying this, usually if you are singing a song and performing it you usually put some umph into it, but there's nothing here whatsoever. It is really boring, and I know I shouldn't have expected much from it since she has failed to make any chart position thus far, but I reckon her other music videos were better than this (I haven't seen them so I wouldn't know).
Overall, I don't really like this version of this song, it sounds a lot like the original by Sunscreem, and they haven't changed the song much, for those of you who want to hear a better version I totally suggest Basshunter's version, as I haven't heard a better one just yet. The music video is bland and boring, there is no narrative, and no performance, and I will not be watching this video on the music channels whenever it comes on. As much as I like the song, there are better versions and the video could have been so much better, there isn't any "heart hands" either.
Alexandra Stan is popping up everywhere, after her hit "Mr. Saxobeat" (which has been covered a number of times), she is ready to set the UK chart on fire with this catchy hit.... BUT when is the release date? No one knows, which is the worrying thing, we did have the 3rd of October, but that was the same date as Inna's "Un Momento" (which was released on the same record label), so when will it be released? If ever...... The music channels are in favour of this song, I watched it three times today, and there will probably days in the future where I'll watch it even more. I can see it being a big hit, but with no release date how will people know when to buy it? Could this make it a flop? We'll just have to wait and see.
The song is really catchy, it's simple lyrics is similar to "Mr. Saxobeat", and I like the fact that a saxophone is used once again. It was written by Andrei Nemirschi and Marcel Prodan, who also wrote "Mr. Saxobeat", so I definitely am interested in what her album is going to be like, I can also seeing that become a hit, whenever it gets over here.
Right, before I start commenting on the music video can I just state that the video above is the UK edited version, which, once again, has annoyed a lot of people. 3 Beat Productions and All Around The World Records, tend to cut and edit music videos and songs of the artists that are on their record label, this frequently happens with Inna and now Alexandra Stan. This video then becomes a disappointment compared to the video released in the rest of Europe. Why the UK can't have the same video beats me, but it also annoys me that we don't get the total full story, I know they haven't changed much, but this one misses all the fun, and I don't know, it just gets on my nerves. For those of you who want to know what I'm talking about, you can watch the original music video on the right.
I like the fact that this music video follows on from "Mr. Saxobeat", my question is whether or not it will carry on further, if that happens I'll be totally excited as I love it that Basshunter does it, so having two artists do exactly that, will make me so happy. (NOTE: Basshunter may not carry his story line on as Aylar Lie is quite famous now, so his story so far has ended as a cliff-hanger, I have my fingers crossed that his next video follows on from the story).
I love the twist at the end, which is really good as it could lead on to the next music video, there could be a police investigation, it's possible Alexandra Stan could have a stalker, who's after her for stealing. There's a number of possibilities where the next music video goes...
Now forgetting about the fact that the story line follows on from "Mr. Saxobeat", this music video slightly links in with the song, however personally I have no idea how they came up with this narrative as I'm not entirely sure where it links, which is a little confusing.
Now, I sort of have to mention this... Pitbull look-a-like appears once again in this video, it always makes me laugh when I see him, as I'm aware that it is not him, but he looks similar, and I'm glad someone commented on YouTube about it, otherwise he would have bugged me forever and ever.
Overall I love the song, and the fact that the video follows on from "Mr. Saxobeat", but my worry is, is that the song and the video don't exactly link in with one another, and although it may or may not effect her charting position, it does suggest that a better storyline was out there. This rating is based on the UK music video edit, I would have given a 4 STAR RATING, if it was the original music video I was reviewing.
Cher Lloyd performed on the X Factor yesterday, to try and promote this song, which is released this week. She came fourth on the X factor last year and her first single "Swagger Jagger" managed to get to number one. This time around she has collaborated with Mike Posner, who's a big hit in his own country, America, at the moment. So could this be the song that pushes Cher Lloyd into American stardom before her own X Factor mentor, Cheryl Cole, does it? She performed this song amazingly on the X Factor, and I'm pretty sure it'll be number one this Sunday, but with the competition of Professor Green Featuring Emeli Sandé, Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris and Labrinth Featuring Tinie Tempah all trying to get number one, this clearly would be quite a battle for the top spot.
This song was written by Savan Kotecha, Max Martin and Shellback, an unstoppable force in my opinion. Once again all three have come together and created yet another song, I bet we'll be seeing more writing credits by these three in the future. Now the fact that Cher Lloyd and Mike Posner never even wrote any of the lyrics is a little disappointing, but sometimes this is where the big hits come from, if Britney manage to do it every single time, then surely everyone else can. I like the fact that Cher Lloyd doesn't rap at all, she is good at rapping, but sometimes you need a song like this to make the "haters" realise she can actually sing. She will be a megastar if she hits America just right.
The music video has a lot of links, and it's nice to see that. But what has she done to her hair? Seriously she changes every few days, In this music video she pulls off the half-shaved look, and it does suit her, however yesterday on the X Factor she had her hair looking a little like Cheryl Cole's, so it makes you question whether she has found her niche in the world. Does she change her hair often as she is still unsure of herself, and doesn't quite know where she belongs? This could be both a good thing and a bad thing; good thing: she may grab the attention of various people from young to old with her various looks; bad thing: she could be influencing little kids to beg their parents into having a hair cut like Cher Lloyd's, and once they go for the half-shaved look, she has her hair normal again, this could possibly upset that kid.
There is a major thing missing in this music video..... The song's about love, so where's the "heart hands"? As I've mentioned in previous posts, "heart hands" are very in at the moment, but can look cheesy if not done correctly. Whether she did do a clip of "heart hands" and it looked wrong so they cut it out, I don't know, but it is definitely something that should have been put in.
I like the balloons, there's quite a few of them, and there is a little bit of repetition of footage, but you hardly notice it. Mike Posner looks like he's trying to look like MC Hammer, which is a definite no-no this day and age. But it is a great collaboration and I wish Cher Lloyd can crack America.
Overall the song is really catchy, as to be expected from these writers, and the music video coincides nicely with the song, it's definitely a step up from "Swagger Jagger" although I do like both songs. It's just missing "Heart Hands"!
Love Bites, as I mentioned a few days ago, are a band I was really fond of. They only managed to release 2 singles and split up just before their album was released. The four-piece pop/rock band consisted of Danielle Graham, Aimee Haddon, Hannah Haddon and Nicki Wood. Their debut single "You Broke My Heart" did pretty well managing to get to number 13 in the UK chart, however this is their second single, and it only managed to get to number 48. Rumours have been started that they have reformed, is it true? I can't possibly say since I have no clue, if they have I'll be really happy, and I hope they release "Love Sucks", which is the album that got cancelled. But they split in 2006, and to be honest I'm not entirely sure if the rumours are true... We'll just have to wait and see.
I have to admit, I think this is my favourite of the two singles, it has a perfect storyline, and it's the one that I sing (when no one's around) to myself, it's just really catchy and I think it should have been a hit, and that if anyone decided to cover it nowadays (they may make it longer) but it would totally be a hit. I know the lyrics are cheesy, but cheesy lyrics can be great at times, and to be honest these lyrics are better that "You Broke My Heart". I also think that the girls have really good voices, I'm not entirely sure if they were edited in the studio, but they sound like the perfect recording voices. I would also like to know where the girls are now, I know they are reforming (if that's even true), but it'll be interesting what happened after the band, and also why they split.
The music video is okay, but it's not as good as their first one. However this one does contain a live performance, which is always nice to see in a pop/rock video, as you can imagine the energy vibes of the group and the crowd. And some of the aspects that happen is pretty cool too.
I like the start, how you see the girls in the bar, working, or being bored, and the band then goes off stage, and they take over. I like how the music doesn't start until a few seconds after, this is used a lot in music videos and you hardly ever notice it, when watching the music channels. I like how the guy they are singing about is the guy who was in the previous band, and I like how he tries to make the Love Bites rubbish by throwing water and turning off the lights, but to be honest I'm pretty sure he could have done a lot more.
I like the fact that you clearly see that all three girls have their own vocal (I presume Hannah doesn't sing). And I have to congratulate one of them catching that water bottle. I also like the crowd and the bouncer, although you kind of expect that.
Overall the song is pretty catchy, and I guarantee after a few plays it'll be stuck in your mind. The music video is okay, but I think the storyline could have been a bit better, but maybe they could only do so much. As much as I want to give this a high rating, I have to be fair, so I hope you all agree with my rating.
Hit The Lights.... Who are they, I hear you ask. Well..... They are an American band, but they are quite a big hit here in the UK and have headlined some great festivals and tours. However they have yet to chart in any country yet, so it's a little surprising they are still around, but they aren't the only ones who haven't had a chart hit and still around today. Hit The Lights, back then were a five-piece rock/pop punk band and they consisted of Colin Ross, David Bermosk, Nick Thompson, Nat Van Damme and Omar Zehery. They are one of those bands that maybe you're unsure about, but you cannot help but like their songs.
Tink09, yet again, introduced me to this band a few months back, when we went on holiday. I was pretty sure I had heard this song before, although I wasn't entirely sure. Also, I had a lot of difficulty finding this video, hence the share from "Vimeo", but I don't think I would have found it, if it wasn't for Tink09, so my thanks go to her! This song is very catchy and it wasn't long until the song soon got stuck in my head, and then on the way back home, I already knew some of the lyrics.
The music video....... I have to admit it is definitely low-budget, but sometimes it doesn't matter, it's not really their fault if they didn't get much money towards this video, to be honest we're probably luck to at least have one. I like the start and how it is the present, and then not long after we go backwards in time to where it all started. I'm sure I've seen this in a few music videos in the past, but I don't which ones, so clearly they weren't as memorable.
The bit I don't like is that when we watch what happened four days ago, we see the two main characters talking, but instead they are silent and we get subtitles, which then you're too busy reading to actually listen to the song, instead, I think Hit The Lights could have implied what they were saying (apparently actions speak louder than words) and in videos they surely do. I think this is definitely the one thing that I would change if it were to be re-released.
I like the rest of the storyline, it's really clever and a little weird, but hilarious at the same time. Seriously, who would think to buy a whole lot of eggs, then kidnap their ex and make him go all eggy? But I find it really funny when the eggs shatter all on to him. I also like it when they fight at the end and then kiss, but to be honest, I don't think she liked him that way because he was eggy.
I had to admit I had a bit of a shock on the opening, as the girl lip-syncs to the song at the start, and I thought she was the singer, at first, so I was a little surprised at this manly vocal coming out of her, how wrong was I? But then we see the band, and I thought, few. I like the band bit, as I've mentioned before, this is helpful in a rock band music video because you get to see what they are like live, and clearly they are very energetic, and that is also referenced in the gig reviews of this band on the Internet. As much as I think I may enjoy one of their gigs, I'd probably have to listen to all of their songs to be sure I want to go. As this is the only song I know by them, thus far.
Overall, I really like this song thanks to Tink09, but I'm a little surprised at the music video, it seems extremely low-budget, and the camera is a little on the dodgy side, in terms of colour and camera movements. But other than that, it has a cracking storyline with a very far-fetched scheme which is hilarious in its own way, and I could definitely watch it again and again.
For those of you who are unaware, Ashlee Simson is the younger sister of Jessica Simpson. Ashlee's music has turned a bit recently and it has a rock vibe to it now, which has totally gained my interest and I really can't help liking it (personally, I think she has a better voice than Jessica Simpson). Ashlee Simpson has had a lot going on recently. She married Pete Wentz (most known for being in the band Fall Out Boy), and also got an acting role on the new updated series on Melrose Place. Over the years she has changed her hair colour, she originally had black hair, she then died it blonde, and now it's red, I like the new red colour, it makes her look more like herself and makes her seem confident in herself. She hasn't done very well over the years on the UK chart but she is set to release a 4th album, and I believe it will be bigger and better.
L.O.V.E. was written by Ashlee Simpson, Kara DioGuardi and John Shanks. Kara used to be a judge on American Idol, and has worked with a number of artists over the years, John Shanks has written a number of tracks to famous stars such as Miley Cyrus and Bon Jovi. So in theory this song should have been a success, why wasn't it? I think it was due to the music video. The song is all about love, and the catchy chorus leaves you singing along to the whole song for the rest of the day "LO, LO, LO, LOVE, LO, LO, LO, let me hear you say".
The music video is simplistic, and it could have been a lot better. Obviously they had a house party with various people, and Ashlee Simpson had some choreography to do, which she works well. However the people in the background are pretty annoying, they're just trying to have fun, which includes jumping on top of people...
I don't think Ashlee Simpson suites the blonde hair, it seems like she's trying to be her sister, and that is definitely something you don't want to do. However now I think she's found herself and I can't wait for her return to music.
Now not many people have noticed this, so I'm a little unsure if it's just me.... But I think the guy who's sitting on the sofa, with the braces on but no t-shirt looks a little like Ashton Kutcher. I may just be me who thinks this, but I think he actually does. I suggest you pause the video at the bit where Ashlee ruffles his hair, and then find a picture of Ashton Kutcher and compare, because that is what I did, and their facial features are similar.
Overall I really am obsessed with this song, it's one of those songs that no matter how old it is, it'll get stuck in your head once again. However the music video doesn't match up as well as it could have done, an I think this is what lets it down. I have to admit if the people who made this music video knew about "heart hands" then it would definitely have got used quite a bit.
The Love Bites were the first ever rock band I liked, and they were definitely the band who got me into rock music. I was a part of their street team and everything, I've still got the stickers to prove it. After just two singles they soon broke up, and their planned album never got released even though it was ready. The band consisted of Danielle Graham, Aimee Haddon, Hannah Haddon and Nicki Wood. The band split up in 2006 after just 2 years. There are a lot of rumours that they have reformed, but whether this is true or not, I don't know. We'll have to wait and see.
You Broke My Heart, was the first of only two singles this band released, other single being "He's Fit". The song performed really well on the chart, making number 13 here in the UK. There second single did not do as well, and probably was the reason for the demise of the band. Personally, I think they should have released the album anyway, then fans (such as myself) could have bought it.
The music video links in perfectly. I love the fact that the guy actually has blue tinted eye-brows and a patch on his nose to represent it's broken. And he still go out in daylight? Seriously, how on earth did he get someone to go out with, while looking like that? Besides, I can understand how the band could have broken his nose, but to colour his eyebrows blue, without him realising they are doing it.... "yeah, right".
I like the fact that the band kind of follows him, by just appearing. It must have taken AGES to film this music video, as there would have been a lot of pausing. Also I like the fact that they jump out of the cinema screen, I have no idea how they did that, and no other music video thus far has used that effect. Also wouldn't it have been difficult getting the drums into the bus? Or is that a different effect used?
Overall I love this band and their songs. They remind me of Evarose and Checking Pulse, and I so hope the rumours about them reforming are true. I think this music video is really good, although it is a little cheap looking, suggesting possibly a low budget? However I like the narrative style of this song and it's music video, so I hope you don't think I'm being biased but....
