Singles Going Steady: New Singles Reviewed 8-28-15 – 9-3-15
Jet Black Heart – 5 Seconds Of Summer – There are two kinds of singles, teasers for the upcoming album nobody expects to gain much traction, and releases that are potential hits. This appears to be the former – C+
For A Better Day – Avicii – Let’s hope this is where Avicii’s soulful middle of the road MOR springs a leak – C
What Do You Mean – Justin Bieber – I never bought Bieber as the anti-Christ, just a garden variety teenage brat with a whole lotta power to wield his brattishness. But I never much cared for him musically either, so his post teens, post Diplo/Skrillex exercise in grown up EDM, this first single off his upcoming fourth album is an low key and pretty calypso flavored synth track that does the job. Good move – B
Dubby (Feat DJ Rashad And Danny Brown) – DJ Spinny – Heavy dubby with jazz inflections and another great sounding Danny Brown explosion – B+
ROOTS – Imagine Dragons – “I’m going back to my roots?” they sing. I didn’t realize they dyed their hair – C-
Walk (Feat Fetty Wap) – Kwab – London youtube phenom makes pop move, can’t say I’m thrilled – C
Downtown – Macklemore And Lewis – Well, it is a hundred times better than song for Macklemore’s daughter, Melle Mel makes an appearance, and it has some of that “Thrift Shop” vibe – B
Hula Hoop – Omi – He had to release a follow up at some point and this is a goodie, another song about how a good moves for him with a smart hoola hook – B+
