My Virgin Ears 4.07.09, Pop/Hip Hop edition
Hey! Lots of music to get to this week. We’ve got some artists we haven’t heard from in a long time so check it out. Remember, hit the links to check out the tracks and leave your own thoughts below.
All-American Rejects
Doghouse/Geffen/Interscope
I’m definitely liking what I’ve heard from AAR since the group broke out, and they’ve really kept their momentum with their latest tracks. “The Wind Blows” and “Gives You Hell” have really helped them define their sound and set them apart from the other groups they broke out with. These last two songs they’ve released have been good, but aren’t as catchy as they songs that got them their popularity.
Bow Wow
You Can Get It All (f. Johnta Austin)
Columbia
Bow Wow samples TLC on this “comeback” track, and seems to have brought Nelly’s career with it. It’s not a bad song, it just sounds like every Nelly R&B track from 10 years ago. Try again, Bow Wow.
Cascada
Robbins
Hey, Cascada? Leave the pop-rock ballads to Kelly Clarkson and Miley Cyrus, ok? I haven’t heard the dance version to this track, but I sure hope it’s better than this.
Tinted Windows
There are times when members of various successful music groups get together and form a great new band. This? Is the opposite of that. Ready for this? Tinted Windows consists of Taylor Hanson of “Hanson”, Cheap Trick’s Bun E.Carlos, Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha, and Fountains Of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger. I’ll be amazed if this song doesn’t end up on some new high school movie soundtrack starring Hillary Duff or Amanda Bynes.
Eminem
Shady/Aftermath/Interscope
Eminem unleashes “Slim Shady” once again and recaptures his signature sound. There were rumors that he recently put out another single, but I refuse to believe it. Mostly because I heard it and it was CRAP. He may be doing the stupid voices, he may be trashing celebs again, but that’s the Eminem/Slim Shady we love. This song will be drowning the airwaves soon enough. We missed ya, Em.
Hinder
Universal Republic
Here’s a pretty sweet rock ballad from Hinder. Oh, and wouldn’t you know it? Just in time for graduation. Kiddies, if you haven’t picked a class song, step away from the over-played Green Day’s “Time of Your Life” and write this one down. Great message, and a safe recipe for airplay.
Sean Kingston
Epic
Not long ago, you couldn’t turn on the radio for 5 minutes without hearing a Sean Kingston track. Now that we’re gliding into spring and getting ready for the summer, this song makes me wish we were already there. I honestly don’t even know what the hell he’s saying in this song with exception to the 911 part, but puns aside, it is a hot track. Right off the bat I’m picturing a group of hot girls just tearing it up on the dance floor to this Jamaican doughboy’s new track, and that makes me happy.
BONUS TRACK:
I won’t touch this one, but give it a listen and leave me some feedback below.
| David Cook | Come Back To Me | RCA |
Love Eminem, but his new song is weak. The female vocals mesh with Em’s style like Miley Cirus would with Metallica. The music doesn’t hit hard at all. I love Dr. Dre, but he should have kept his mug out of that video.
I have to disagree with you about Tinted Windows and Kind of a Girl. First of all, you seem to say that the group isn’t going to be successful… Well, I have honestly failed to see a bad review from any big source. Rolling Stone LOVES them. And based on their performance last month at Austin’s SXSW music festival, they seem very promising. Second, the whole point of the band is to make light pop music that isn’t overly-thought over. Maybe the song WILL end up on some Hillary Duff soundtrack, but the music is purposefully shallow. The band has said so in numerous interviews. I know that you have your own opinion (and you are of course entitled to it) but I feel like you are dismissing an extremely talented group of artists right off-hand… and I actually think Kind of a Girl is the weakest song they have of the ones they have performed so far… Messing With My Head and ChaCha are much better!