Single Life...June 26, 2006
Hey folks, just back from Pride in New York, so I'm late in doing this, but here's my singles for the week.
Trace Adkins - "Swing" Trace's first single from his upcoming album. Before I heard it I swore it was gonna be about Texas swing. But no, it's a novelty ditty about "striking out" with pick-up lines at a bar. It's really cute, considering how dopey it could've been. Of course, Trace's sexy baritone doesn't hurt, either.
Claudja Barry - "I Will Stand" It's great to have Claudja, a veteran of the early 80s dancefloor, back in action with this inspirational song. I got it at buy.com which I didn't even realize did downloads. While you won't really recognize the singer, Warren Rigg & Tony Moran do their usual pop-trance spin on the tune. Not bad, not great, but not bad. Maybe I'm on self-help-dance-song overload. On The other hand...
Mary J. Blige with U2 - "One" On the risk of being stoned, is there really a reason for this? I mean, the original, from Acthung Baby, a song that really grew on me through the years, really didn't cry out for a remake, let alone an American Idol-style cheesefest that this is. Maybe this would be a semi-cool idea in concert, but on record, it just screams marketing. And Bono has just turned into Elton John without the bad hair. I love Mary J. Blige. I love U2. But on the same slant, I love Alfredo sauce and I love brownies. But not together. Double-ick.
The Fray - "How To Save A Life" Going for the second single from the underdog smash, "Over My Head (Cable Car)", this Denver band doesn't stray far from the formula, which is a pretty safe bet. It reminds me if Joe Jackson would be doing Train's songs. It's not at catchy as "Over My Head", but ok nonetheless.
LeAnn Rimes - "And It Feels Like" One of the country-pop crossover siren triumverate (along with Shania Twain and Faith Hill), Rimes felt the backlash from country radio (stupid as they are), which virtually ignored her last album, Twisted Angel. And like Faith, who came back with penance with the back-to-roots Fireflies, Rimes had great success with her next album This Woman, which produced 3 top-10 country songs: "Nothin' Bout Love Makes Sense" (#5), "Probably Wouldnt Be This Way" (#3), and "Something's Gotta Give" (#2). So to not take any chances, Rimes' record label is releasing her next pop-flavored disc as yet only overseas, where such musical "indiscretions" are welcomed. The first single from Whatever We Wanna, "And It Feels Like" is a by-the-numbers soft-rock number in the Celine-Faith mold. However, Rimes' voice is amazing as always, and the tune thankfully doesn't drift too far into melodramatics. The album version on the CD single is much preferable to the remix, which hurries up the beats to try to double-time the verses. It sounds pretty incongrous to the original intent of the song, and seems like her vocals are trying to catch up to the throbbing beat. Also included is an edit of the dance version of "I Need You" her hit from Twisted Angel. It too suffers a little from the double-timing, though not as much. (Also included on the CD import single is the video, apparently borrowing the set from Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now")
Dannii Minogue - "So Under Pressure" Kylie's little sister has an impressive career, though like her sibling hasn't been given a good break in America as yet. This summer Dannii puts out her second hits collection, The Hits and Beyond, in England. The third new single from the CD, "So Under Pressure", notched up another top-20 UK hit. Very trendy, though not as infectious as the material from her amazing Neon Nights album. My fave from the assorted remixes is the "Riff & Rays" version, which throws a proto-newwave element in the mix. Also on the import CD is the video, which seems like a "very special" episode of Fear Factor with Dannii cavorting with albino snakes and bugs.
Trace Adkins - "Swing" Trace's first single from his upcoming album. Before I heard it I swore it was gonna be about Texas swing. But no, it's a novelty ditty about "striking out" with pick-up lines at a bar. It's really cute, considering how dopey it could've been. Of course, Trace's sexy baritone doesn't hurt, either.
Claudja Barry - "I Will Stand" It's great to have Claudja, a veteran of the early 80s dancefloor, back in action with this inspirational song. I got it at buy.com which I didn't even realize did downloads. While you won't really recognize the singer, Warren Rigg & Tony Moran do their usual pop-trance spin on the tune. Not bad, not great, but not bad. Maybe I'm on self-help-dance-song overload. On The other hand...
Mary J. Blige with U2 - "One" On the risk of being stoned, is there really a reason for this? I mean, the original, from Acthung Baby, a song that really grew on me through the years, really didn't cry out for a remake, let alone an American Idol-style cheesefest that this is. Maybe this would be a semi-cool idea in concert, but on record, it just screams marketing. And Bono has just turned into Elton John without the bad hair. I love Mary J. Blige. I love U2. But on the same slant, I love Alfredo sauce and I love brownies. But not together. Double-ick.
The Fray - "How To Save A Life" Going for the second single from the underdog smash, "Over My Head (Cable Car)", this Denver band doesn't stray far from the formula, which is a pretty safe bet. It reminds me if Joe Jackson would be doing Train's songs. It's not at catchy as "Over My Head", but ok nonetheless.
LeAnn Rimes - "And It Feels Like" One of the country-pop crossover siren triumverate (along with Shania Twain and Faith Hill), Rimes felt the backlash from country radio (stupid as they are), which virtually ignored her last album, Twisted Angel. And like Faith, who came back with penance with the back-to-roots Fireflies, Rimes had great success with her next album This Woman, which produced 3 top-10 country songs: "Nothin' Bout Love Makes Sense" (#5), "Probably Wouldnt Be This Way" (#3), and "Something's Gotta Give" (#2). So to not take any chances, Rimes' record label is releasing her next pop-flavored disc as yet only overseas, where such musical "indiscretions" are welcomed. The first single from Whatever We Wanna, "And It Feels Like" is a by-the-numbers soft-rock number in the Celine-Faith mold. However, Rimes' voice is amazing as always, and the tune thankfully doesn't drift too far into melodramatics. The album version on the CD single is much preferable to the remix, which hurries up the beats to try to double-time the verses. It sounds pretty incongrous to the original intent of the song, and seems like her vocals are trying to catch up to the throbbing beat. Also included is an edit of the dance version of "I Need You" her hit from Twisted Angel. It too suffers a little from the double-timing, though not as much. (Also included on the CD import single is the video, apparently borrowing the set from Celine Dion's "It's All Coming Back To Me Now")
Dannii Minogue - "So Under Pressure" Kylie's little sister has an impressive career, though like her sibling hasn't been given a good break in America as yet. This summer Dannii puts out her second hits collection, The Hits and Beyond, in England. The third new single from the CD, "So Under Pressure", notched up another top-20 UK hit. Very trendy, though not as infectious as the material from her amazing Neon Nights album. My fave from the assorted remixes is the "Riff & Rays" version, which throws a proto-newwave element in the mix. Also on the import CD is the video, which seems like a "very special" episode of Fear Factor with Dannii cavorting with albino snakes and bugs.
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