THE KICKDRUM

PUT IT IN YOUR EARS AND LISTEN

[thekickdrum]

Count ‘em

Usually at this time of the year we get drunk, have a disagreement about what The Song Of The Year is and then end up not posting anything at all.

This year is different. This year it’s obviously New Rules.

[theverge]

Where do you see that culture affecting music, especially with Spotify and Apple Music and the instant gratification of the streaming economy?

“I mean, I really hope there’s sort of like a backlash to how instant everything is right now. It’s like we’re in this “just add water” culture, where people think that things should come so easy and so instant and everything is disposable. I feel like music is suffering. Sometimes art doesn’t feel valued, so people don’t put that much time into it, and it’s really about singles and quick money and basically that kind of music is a completely different kind of music. I mean it’s music that’s made to sound like the other things that are doing well; people trying to put out records every year, year and a half. You don’t get good music like that. And I hope that eventually — I see vinyl coming back, and the experience of music [as] a tactile thing in your hand — I hope that people learn to value art again.” 

— SANTIGOLD, for The Verge

[thekickdrum]

So Here's The Thing...

Look, we meant to get around to it, we really did. Towards the end of last year we had all these grand plans to write end of year lists and throwback charts and reviews and everything. But we’re all friends here and we can be honest with you – we fucked it. We spent too much time going out and getting pissed and not enough time toiling away in front of our computer screens.

Suddenly it’s a month later and if we haven’t reviewed 2015 by now, we’re never going to do it. So let’s just sum it up in the following two sentences and never mention it again:

In 2015 Carly Rae Jepsen released the pop album of the decade. The first track on that album is the pop song of the decade.

Never forget.

Anyway, with that brushed under the carpet and our journalistic reputation in tatters, we forge on to 2016. Bowie’s dead, Busted are back and Kesha’s in court. God help us, we’re going to go and listen to Run Away With Me and dream of the good old days.

[thekickdrum]

For some reason Piece by Piece needed a single edit.

This is the title track from Kelly Clarkson’s album Piece by Piece.

Pretty fucking good eh? Probably the best song on the album next to Invincible.

Unfortunately it apparently needed a single remix and, while we’re not against them, in this case it just isn’t necessary. Here it is: 

It's lost its emotional punch. It’s always nice to have a rousing thump-along but this swallows the message up and makes it all feel a bit vapid. Shame, because the message is incredibly genuine. The original has a great battle-drum rhythm that builds to make the end a proper climax. The end to this remix loses that completely. 

Still, we all remember Phil Tan’s single remix of The Saturdays’ seminal track Work. Thank God this isn’t as bad as that.

LORD SAVE US.

[thekickdrum]

Hailee Steinfeld’s HAIZ

The new Hailee Steinfeld EP is the kind of thing we would’ve liked Charli XCX to release. All four tracks are in the upper echelons of 8′s and 9′s out of 10, proper catchy and not too shouty.

Highlight Hell Nos and Headphones is a nice little sad-banger which is surprisingly honest and open. “Skiing in the powder room” is an amazing lyric.

You’re Such A has a good “you think I’ll say dick but I don’t” bit.

Rock Bottom is a bit Tove Lo and that’s fine.

Love Myself is the big single track. 

Tbh the whole thing gets another point just for the EP title. 

[thekickdrum]

What is the best song on the Grimes album?

This is. This is the best.

[thekickdrum]

Earlier this evening we had some thoughts on the new Vanessa White video, which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/vanessathesaturdays/videos/896068640477572/

[thekickdrum]

Carly Rae Jepsen’s E•MO•TION: Under-Appreciated Pop Gold

There's one thing people should know about Jepsen's last album Kiss. It isn't that Call Me Maybe was on it, and it isn't that Owl City song that's on it too, it's that Kiss was one of the most underrated pop LPs of recent years. She's now come back with E•MO•TION and (other than having a ridiculous name) it's another completely unabashed album with all the bells and whistles we wanted. Amazing, we're pleased. It retains everything we loved about its predecessor. It amps up Kiss's early 90's twinkling synths to pulsing 80's neon thumps. Production is consistent and on-point throughout the album's duration. Hooks everywhere with humongous choruses. But we can't help but think, is it enough? I Really Like You did moderately well worldwide and that's a stone cold banger. Could this be her last major album if it all goes wrong? 

Some of our worries lie with Taylor Swift. We love her, we know she's good. But she has just done the whole 80's thing and, honestly, we think she nicked a few of those ideas from Jepsen back when Kiss came out. 1989 is a great album and Style would fit almost too perfectly on Kiss or E•MO•TION. Therein lies the problem though. People will think Jepsen is tagging along for the ride, riding on Swift's coattails if you will. In other words, Carly Rae Jepsen did 80's well before Taylor Swift and did it better alright. And this is still true now. If 1989 was trying to sound like the 80's, E•MO•TION sounds like it's actually in the 80's. On top of that, the public needs to see Jepsen as an album artist. 

Even though it's an amazing song, Call Me Maybe has cursed her to a career of chasing a follow-up single that's another mega-hit (in the eyes of Joe-public anyway). We think this is completely unnecessary as we know how good her albums are. Still, we can't shake the feeling that, unfortunately, her newest effort might be the most underrated LP of this year. We bloody hope it does well. 

We've kind of lost steam but our overall thoughts are this: 

1. Listen to E•MO•TION 

2. Listen to Kiss 

3. Realise that Carly Rae Jepsen makes amazing pop music that isn't just Call Me bloody Maybe 

Our Highlights from E•MO•TION Run Away With Me (one of the best she's ever done)

I Really Like You

All That

Boy Problems (token song by Sia, produced by Greg Kurstin) 

Your Type 

LA Hallucinations 

Warm Blood 

When I Needed You  

I Didn't Just Come Here To Dance 

Never Get To Hold You

[thekickdrum]

WHO SAID JOURNALISM WAS DEAD, EH?

https://soundcloud.com/stef-138/rawm

[thekickdrum]

Don't believe me. Just watch.

Pop music can be a cruel mistress. She’s often not fully appreciated in her own time, and she’s not always as good as you want her to be. Every day spent with pop music can’t be like the day that you heard Beat Of My Drum for the first time – but nor should it be. I suppose what we’re getting at here, is that you have to savour and celebrate the good moments as they happen, because before you know it the whole tawdry affair will be splashed across the pages of your least favourite Sunday tabloid.

We’ve always tried to do that on this blog: take the rough with the smooth, but sort of focus on the positives rather than the negatives. It’s probably not that easy being a popstar, it’s probably a hell of a lot harder than it looks in fact - so why shouldn't we stand up and tell them when they’re doing a good job? Enough people are going to tell them when they aren’t.

Which brings us to the point of this post. Tonight something rather special happened on The X Factor. And rather than whine on about how the series will never reach the peaks of its former years, we’ll just share this little gem with you. It’s a game changer. And bloody hell Fleur: you're doing a good job.

[thekickdrum]

We need to talk about 1989

There’s a lot to like about 1989. For a start, the demolition of the Berlin wall paved the way for German unification, and back here in the UK Soul II Soul’s place at the top of the singles chart with Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)* caused a ripple in the pond of popular music that can still be felt today. But of course, more specifically we’re talking about the new album from American singer of song, Taylor Swift. And upon initial listening there are two clear, and equally worrying options here: either Taylor Swift has become the sort of person who only puts her third single on the deluxe version of her best selling and critically acclaimed new album, or Taylor Swift is the kind of person who doesn’t release New Romantics as the third single from her best selling and critically acclaimed new album.

Let’s dwell for a second, if we may, on the least scary of those two scenarios. It could be that Taylor has been persuaded by her record company / management / whoever that by putting the third single from her album only on the deluxe version, it’ll mean that those stingy fans who bought the standard version of the album will either have to buy the standalone single (they won’t be streaming it for free) or buy the deluxe version to find out what they’re missing. We’d like to think that Taylor isn’t that sort of girl, that she’s someone strong willed enough not to fall for dirty record company politics, devised to cruelly exploit fans and take their money.

That being the case, unfortunately, we are left with one terrifying scenario to consider: that Taylor Swift isn’t going to release New Romantics as a single at all.

If that is the case then it’s a shame because not only is New Romantics a perfect slice of pop that typifies the sound and message of the album that Taylor is trying to put across, it’s also one of the best songs on the album. It’s quite easily a nine out of ten in terms of lyrical quality, melody and production. Put simply: it is A Very Good Song.

In our experience, trying to petition an artist to release a bonus track as a single or even to perform a b-side live is usually an exercise in futility (Memory Of You, we’re looking at you). So, for now, we’re going to have to learn to live in a world where the defining moment of Taylor’s career doesn’t get the pomp and circumstance it deserves. And unfortunately that means no video where Taylor dresses up as Duran Duran on the Eiffel Tower and there’s special appearance by Martin Kemp.

*In case you were wondering what it would sound like if Booty Luv did a cover of Back To Life (However Do You Want Me), here’s an idea to be going on with until they pull their fingers out.

[thekickdrum]

You know when you repeat a word so many times that it loses all meaning...?

[thekickdrum]

Big Fat Not As Good As Her Last Album

We've just taken the liberty of listening to the new Nicole Scherzinger album, in its entirety, so you don't have to. Look, you can if you want - but basically it's not as good as the last one. It could be argued that Killer Love was a fluke of almost Come And Get It proportions, a pop album so much greater than the sum of its parts that it was never going to be topped... Of course, that could be a vast exaggeration, and actually we're just remembering it with fond eyes. But on Big Fat Lie there is no Poison, no Wet, no Right There or Don't Hold Your Breath, and there certainly isn't anything close to a Club Banger Nation.

So do yourselves a favour, and watch this instead.

[yeswecancan]

Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

Directed by Michel Gondry

1998

[thekickdrum]

We've been reading the comments on the new Nicole Scherzinger lyric video. Lily is not impressed.

[thekickdrum]

Ladies and Gentlemen, your song of the summer.

[brittany-murphy]