I seemed to have misjudged something this week. Last week I realised that two great songs would be going head-to-head this week for a high chart placing. So I decided to review one last week, which was Bridgit Mendler's "Ready Or Not", and I thought I'll wait until my 'New Release' to review Ke$ha's "C'Mon". However the latter is now an airplay release only, and we are unable to download the single on iTunes. Will it forever be like Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble", highly promoted via radio, TV and the music channels and never ever get a proper download single? It seems highly likely, which really gets on my nerves, I want a single release, and it has also spoiled my plans for 'New Release', I could've done Bridgit Mendler's "Ready Or Not". So after searching at all the new releases, I finally lay my hands on this one, and with my rant now over, I'm ready to review.
Daniela Brooker is another new artist, I seem to be reviewing a lot of those recently. She is 19 years old and has been releasing a few singles on iTunes, under herself as well as Storm Records/Storm Management. She has a very authentic voice, and reminds me of Lana Del Rey. To be honest the start really made me think she was in a similar style straight away. However I soon changed my mind when she started singing, as she is a great emotional singer, and I believe every word she sings. On the other hand the music just isn't to my taste, but I can see why some people would like her. She just needs a break through, some sort of promotion to push her into the limelight. "Heartbreaker" is her fifth single overall, and no sign of any album release so far, but surely there's one just around the corner. Once again this single hasn't had any promotion, I didn't even know who she was before today, let alone this song, and it doesn't look like many others know about her either, and so there's been not many sales, even though it's early days, and it doesn't look like she will chart at all this weekend.
The music video is quite old school, reminds me a bit of old Jazz. The performance side is effortless, graceful and full of emotion. I personally wouldn't go and see her live, however I can tell I wouldn't be disappointed if I did go. Her emotion flows across the stage and reminds me a lot of Amy Studt's second album 'My Paper Made Men' which spawned three singles : "Furniture", "Chasing The Light" and "Nice Boys". Daniela Brooker will eventually get the respect she deserves, and when she does everyone's going to be speechless, just wait and see.
The narrative side is slow-moving, she's singing into the phone talking about a guy, possibly an ex. We could guess that she's talking to someone who might be thinking of going out with him, while we are shown scenes of him around a table with three girls all flirting with him at once, along with scenes in the back of a car. Showing him to be a player.
Overall a song to certain people tastes, however the more prominent she gets the more people will enjoy her music and soon enough we may have our British answer to Lana Del Rey. The accompanying music video is flawless, links in with the song, portrays a perfect performance, so is there anything bad about this video? Well I surely can't see anything except greatness. Hence the rating.
Paramore gets my Sunday revisit since I was surprised on Thursday when I reviewed Mandia Nantsios' "One Last Time", that this music video has yet to be reviewed. Well today I shall finally be changing that.
Paramore, back then, were a four-piece band consisting of Hayley Williams, Josh Farro, Zac Farro and Jeremy Davis. Since then Taylor York became part of the band and the Farro Brothers have left. Paramore still have a big fan base, with their most recent single "Now" managing to chart in the UK this week at number 39, making it their fifth highest charting position in the UK to date. Paramore will definitely continue to be a success.
"Misery Business" was written by Hayley Williams and Josh Farro.This is pretty obvious since, a) most bands write their own songs, I don't think I've ever come across a pop/rock band who don't write their own songs. And B) Hayley Williams performs their songs emotionally. The song is all about an ex-girlfriend to the boyfriend Hayley's going out with, and she's glad he's moved her away from her.
The music video doesn't exactly portray that. However on the other hand it does show one mean girl, who does need to be taken down a few pegs. There is also a good performance piece, which definitely portrays the energy they release on stage.
The narrative side is quite funny, and you can't help but laugh, and wish you could do those very things, and just be mean for a full day. Again the mean girl is another unknown actress, after fervent searches I came up with a few names who it isn't, which didn't help all that much. So if anyone knows, please post below and I need a source too.
The performance side is simple, but different as the background is pretty much the album cover, managing to promote the album 'Riot!' in the process of people watching the music video. Which is extremely clever in a subliminal way. There is a lot of headbanging, which also happened when I saw them live back in 2008, so it practically is a good portrayal of what they were like on tour.
Overall a great song, that needed to chart higher, although it was understandable, at that time, why it got to where it got. The music video is fun, great, and perfect. And when Hayley gets her own back, that was a comeback that was clearly needed, and I can't help congratulating them by showing that you don't need to fight to get your own back on bullies. And although the message is right up there, it fails to make a direct link with the song, however it does come close.
H "Two" O are a bassline/garage duo consisting of Solution and Oz, real names Selim Ben Rabha and Simon McDevitt. Since this, they have not released any more on iTunes, however they are still creating music, but I doubt they will be able to make anything as big as this song was. The featuring band is Platnum. they are a three-piece consisting of Aaron Evers, Michelle McKenna and Mina Poli. They were signed to 'Hard2Beat/Dance Nation' records (who also had Basshunter, September, Star Pilots and Sash!) and released a second single with them which was "Love Shy (Thinking About You)". But recently the record label is no longer releasing, and so Platnum had to find a new record label, which just happens to be 'All In Recordings'. Platnum has released a few Singles under this record label (none of which has charted), and they have a new track "Love You Tomorrow" being released in a months time, with an album (finally) being released later on in the year called 'Lost In The Music'. We've waited so long for this album, it's bound to be amazing.
"What It Gonna Be" became a UK hit managing to get to number two in the singles chart. Just missing out on the top spot thanks to Duffy with "Mercy". It's extremely catchy, and definitely was worthy of the top spot. Platnum have failed to keep in the charts since leaving Hard2Beat/Dance Nation, but their songs are still as catchy as ever. I have little faith in them being able to chart quite so high again, on the other hand, I can see them managing to crack the chart once again, they deserve much more success.
This music video is exactly what you kind of expected. The song influenced many school kids to buy the single (whether through downloads, or actually purchasing the CD single). It's a pure narrative piece, with a few performance pieces added throughout, and a complicated dance routine involved too.
The music video was set in Dulwich College, using a school theme as a back drop. According to the 'Behind the Scenes' video, the initial thought behind it was 'St. Trinian's'. And it sure represents that.
I can't help but laugh when Aaron falls into a day dream, it's very predictable and they must have had great fun filming that part. I like the ending too, it shows that he is devoted to her, and wouldn't stray.
The ending also includes H "Two" O in a few scenes, and they are also in the class room, however you rarely see them. Platnum, on the other hand, takes up the focus of the whole video.
Overall a very catchy song that should've got to number one, it also managed to chart in other countries in Europe. The accompanying music video, has everything you could possibly want and much, much more. I also like the complex dance routines. Especially when the geek dances, you can't help but laugh. This video is fun, sexy and full of everything, it's one of those videos you would definitely watch again and again.
Eoghan Quigg - 28,000 Friends (Official Music...by Videozz
Okay, to celebrate the 28,000 hits on my blog, I thought I'd do this song since it relates. However I do not like this song all that much and as for the music video... Well... You'll find out.
Eoghan Quigg was a contestant on the fifth series of The X Factor. He came third overall placing behind JLS and Alexandra Burke. He was set to win, topping the votes for the first five weeks, along with the seventh week. Personally I felt that this year was one of the most talented, with the likes of Diana Vickers, Ruth Lorenzo, Laura White and Rachel Hylton along with first, second and third. All of which are releasing music, or are trying to do so. Others who managed to go on and do more things were Daniel Evans, Austin Drage, Bad Lashes and Scott Bruton. It sure was a competitive year. Eoghan Quigg released one single and a self titled album in 2009, the latter reaching number 14 on the UK chart and number 1 in Ireland. He was subsequently dropped from his label, and no new music ventures thus far, but who knows what will be next for him, if anything.
"28,000 Friends" were written by James Bourne (of Busted and Son of Dork fame) and Busbee. The song lacks a lot of things, and after finding James Bourne's vocal performance of the song, I realise that it's all down to Eoghan Quigg. It lacks emotion and soul, it has been heightened into a pop song that just doesn't work. The song reached number 96 in the UK, and number 32 in Ireland. Check out James Bourne's version below.
The music video follows the song perfectly in it's lack of emotion and soul. And where is all her 28,000 friends? Where's the showing of the sites quoted in the song: "YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, IM"?
We centre more around the singer, which is totally not right, since he is singing about as girl he really likes, who has 28,000 friends and can't find all that much time to include him in her busy life. So where is her busy schedule?
So instead we have a performance music video, which can get good ratings from me sometimes, however this is missing a lot. I definitely wouldn't go to see him on tour if all he's going to do is stand there with the microphone. There's no energy, there's nothing to engage the audience, and even my attention wasn't always held on this video.
Overall, a song that wasn't sung as well as the songwriter sings it, and a music video that fails to engage or entertain, it's almost like it was a complete waste of money even bothering to make the video, plus a waste of people's time watching it. However, at least Eoghan Quigg can finally put this side behind him, and if he ever returns to music, he will easily make a better video. Although, it is possible to do worse, I suppose, but it would be difficult.
So where did this girl come from? Out of the blew I got a follow from a certain person called Mandia Nantsios on twitter. I took my time exploring and finding out more about her, as I'm used to getting bands and artists following me and then when I follow them back they soon unfollow me. But after a bit of time Mandia Nantsios is still following me, so I thought it was about time to reviewed her...
Mandia Nantsios is only 16 years old, I don't quite believe that from this video, but I guess she must be. She's another Canadian star (quite a few of those popping up now), but one who has set her sights high, and one who will definitely be achieving them pretty much soon. Everyone step aside, because the biggest new thing is staring us right in the face, and she's ready to capture the world.
"One Last Time" is written by James Fauntleroy, but it is totally been made for Mandia Nantsios. Her vocal range makes this video so emotionally great that you are captured in seconds, and her power is effortlessly expressive. This is her second single, her first being "Never Again". I thought this was going to be a typical sixteen-year-old, high school crush song, but hell, I was so wrong. The song reminds me a lot of JoJo's "Leave (Get Out)" and the music video isn't too different either.
We are so use to seeing the typical high school crush music video. It's usually a singer's first music video, and she seems to be following in the footsteps of greatness. Britney Spears did this type of music video for "...Baby One More Time", JoJo did it for "Leave (Get Out)", Paramore with "Misery Business" and Stacie Orrico with "Stuck". There are many more, some become big stars, others disappear. However Mandia Nantsios will definitely be on everyone's lips soon enough.
This videos quite different though, instead this manages to link in with the song perfectly, with a nice added twist, which is always great to have. Mandia and Paul (the male lead), have been together and they keep breaking up and saying goodbye, only to reunite not long after. But she has had enough and have decided to break it off for good and say goodbye one last time.
All the markings are the amount of times they have broke up and got back together, only surely there is way too many lines, surely they've split up and got back together every single day for a year, maybe even longer and more frequent with the amount of markings. Of which reminds me of another music video: New Found Glory's "Kiss Me".
The choreography, is amazing, the professional dancers are so detailed and concise that you can't help but marvel at their dancing. As for Mandia Nantsios' dancing with her 'friends', they seem to be bringing back the dancing children can easily copy, which is totally dated and would've fitted 10-15 years ago, however we kind of need this back in the videos, and I'm all for it. Not only that, but they seem to be bringing back Double Denim too.
Overall a song that caught me by surprise and of which I shall be downloading this week. And a music video that also caught me by surprise, and has a unique twist to it that I can't help but enjoy. I have no faults for this video and everything is exactly perfect. It looks like I've found my next "Artist of the Month" for March...
