So there I was all set to start my latest round of singles reviews by tearing seven strips off McFly for their latest single “Lies” which is out on September 15th following their recent free album giveaway in The Mail On Sunday. I mean lets be fair all the ingredients were there for a complete bashing. I mean here’s McFly, walking away from their previous label to start afresh (did they walk or were they pushed?). Their teen market and fanbase potentially eroded by the fact that they are that little bit older. Their previous material now sounding decidedly dated and shall we say lacking the maturity to guarantee them any kind of longevity, and what do they do?
They drop a track that quite frankly surprised me by having a little bit more gumption about it than I would have ever dreamt they were capable of delivering. it’s definitely not going to alter your perception of music as a whole but it does show they are capable of leaving their comfort zone and heading off into slightly more grown up pastures. There’s a nice production sheen on this one with some well rounded chunks of brass dropped on to a brand new template which owes less to the breakneck ‘child friendly pop/rock’ they were renowned for and replaced with something that has aspirations in the funk market. As a band they have a history and some baggage they have got to live down but dare I say if they keep this up there’s a fighting chance they might just be able to do it.
The new single from Flo Rida, out on September 8th. So far the material I’ve come across courtesy of Mr Rida has done little to excite (namely the previous relatively high profile single ‘Low’) however even though he is only batting an average single at us for a follow up this one is a marked improvement. Boosted no doubt by the presence of everyone’s favourite guest Will.I.Am (Black Eyed Peas) it’s a familiar backdrop of mid tempo beats and an insistent parping synth line (tres European) and that odd deep south parlance (Air = Ayer, Club = Cluuuurb) which I have started to find somewhat amusing. On the whole though the backing track sounds like it was cobbled together in five minutes or pulled from an assembly line of material that represents the genre. it’s lack of imagination is the one reason I can’t put my weight behind this one, average.
Next up is Estelle, after labouring in the little league for so long her last album ‘Shine’ has catapulted her into the majors. ‘Pretty Please (Love Me)’ is as much a showcase for her talents as a soul vocalist as her previous singles were for her talents as an MC on the mic. The production is lush and the guest vocal from Cee-Lo places him as the backbone of the track. It does illustrate what both of them can do but sadly this is one track I would consider to be ‘album only’ it coasts pleasantly enough out of the speakers but does little else, loitering in the air before fading away and leaving scant impression on this listeners ears. Inoffensive and little else out on September 15th.
Finally we have Ginger Woz Red featuring Sacha Soulette, ‘So Good’ in it’s rather vanilla radio edit has a melody that doesn’t half remind me of ‘The Real Slim Shady’. A cutesy little piano riff and laced together with a straight up and down ‘soul’ vocal that in all honesty could send you to sleep. There are remixes a plenty which all serve to try and save the song but sadly with the best will in the world this is pure filler. Icky in the worst way.
