ordinary pop songs and why they're great.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

 
Ah of course there should always be things to mark the time and make one cringe at a later date and so to the most recent thing I like - "When I'm Alone" by Lissie. Weirdly takes you in with the simple little guitar riff (what else relies on that? loads of things I'm sure) then you realise it'd be nothing without the equally insistent bassline. While you're thinking all that, the chorus hits you over the head, so catchy and radio-perfect it's bordering on impudent!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i7jNwv_3oc&feature=related
Post script .... I've found the real special thing in this one, the bit you wait for. It's the fact that, following the middle section (well the quiet section anyway), at 2:50, she very brings the chorus back (via the backing vox) kind of half a phrase too soon. You just have to skip at that point. It's joining the ranks of incredibly good "bring the beat back" moments. Rah!!!!

And before that it was a song that actually fits the bill for this blog. "Russian Roulette" by Rihanna. Fits the bill as in I think, rightly or wrongly, most people would have thought it was a bit of latter-day indistinguishable shite. But it transcends brilliance to me. It has every ounce of perfect wrung out of it. Never mind umber-ella-ella, she can actually sing and phrase and ... then there's the little bit of harmonising in the chorus. This, musically, is a gospel song. Take away the instrumentation, forget it's Rihanna - oh it's lovely. It doesn't half feel good to sing it everso everso loudly in the car too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ2nCGawrSY