Maroon 5 – One More Night
The second single from their ‘Overexposed’ album is a mixed beast. With a reggae-enthused backing and vocal trickery, it’s a refreshing change in sound for the 5, cementing their move into more commercial territory. That said, it never really develops as a song with the verses and choruses blurring together to form one lengthy element with no distinction or change in pace. The bridge works well with its faster delivery but other than this is never really kicks the pace up, though the chorus does begin to weave into your head. An enjoyable Timbaland-esque tune with a shift in style that suits the band but a style that shows its hand in the first sixty seconds and doesn’t really go anywhere from there. (6/10)
Passion Pit - Take A Walk
Taken from their second album, ‘Take A Walk’ is a simple, but addictive tune, built around a thumping drum pattern resembling the walk and a chilled synth line. Throwing in some nifty guitar work and a story-based lyric sheet that is genuinely enjoyable to follow and listen to, and you get a poppy electronic hit that, though never really building on its initial concept, carries the four minutes perfectly thanks to its driving pace and complimentary elements. (7.5/10)
Robbie Williams – Candy
It might sound like the illegitimate child of the Haribo theme and a nursey rhyme – it lyric-checks ‘Ring-a-ring-a-roses’ as a nod to this – but it’s hard to deny that this is one of the catchiest, perkiest singles of the year. With very singable lyrics and some great brass and string work, it’s an unrelentingly driving pop song with the inability to leave your head once you’ve heard it. It gets a little irritating after many listens thanks to its syrupy peppiness and clean production but this is Robbie’s strongest pop song in years and one of his best of all time. (9/10)
The Stranglers - Mercury Rising
‘Mercury Rising’ showcases a sound I wouldn’t expect from the Stranglers, being much more production heavy than the stripped back sound that I remember. Boasting a memorable keyboard riff, it’s otherwise a little muddy and has echoes of Chicory Tip’s ‘Son Of My Father’ and nods to the country genre. It’s not a groundbreaking single but the guitar solo and chorus lift up the song and, though it’s not the typical Stranglers sound, it really works as a single to sit back and listen to. (7/10)
Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Your Love
The seventh single of his ‘Trouble’ album is a little Royksopp in style but a bigger dance focus, ‘Your Love’ is a little bit too ethereal and distant for my tastes and never really grabs you as a song. It’s a harmless chilled out electronic tune but equally doesn’t do anything new for the genre and just fades into the background. (5/10)
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