Pop Blitz 3/19/13

Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man
I've tried to get into the Bruno Mars thing, but honestly, I just find him to be a second rate Prince/Michael Jackson clone. The enormous success of this track baffles me. He's got absolutely no edge. C

The Saturdays - What About Us
This is another pop group I've tried to love without much success. That said, this is one of their best singles. It's hooky throughout and the melody doesn't get lost in the production (which is admittedly trend-conscious). B+

Nicole Scherzinger - Boomerang
I'm pleased to see that she's sticking with straight-up pop, now that she's gained a foothold on the UK audience. This isn't up there with her best, but it's a fun bubblegum pop track. B

Pink - Just Give Me A Reason (ft. Nate Ruess)
I'm not much of a Pink fan anymore, but I do love Nate's singing and (especially) songwriting, and that's what makes this single special. It's her best in years, with a strong, theatrical melody and rock production. A-

Pitbull - Feel This Moment (ft. Christina Aguilera)
This is just offensive, mostly because sampling A-Ha was a great idea used/abused for such a crappy song. Seriously, Pitbull needs to go away and take Christina with him. D+

Demi Lovato - Heart Attack
Not into it. More and more, Lovato's singing voice just irritates me. The melody and production seem so dated to me, and not in a good way. It's got that uninteresting, dirge-like sound to it--just kind of plods along until it's over. C

Justin Timberlake - Mirrors
I can't stand the guy, and judging from the samples of the album, it sounds absolutely atrocious and self-indulgent. This track is the silver lining, though, as it's the best single he's released since his debut. I'm even forced to like it a little bit. He's still a sorry excuse for a pop star, though. B+

Now it's your chance to have your say. Which track is your favorite?

Pop Blitz 3/19/13 Your Choice!

Bruno Mars - When I Was Your ManThe Saturdays - What About UsNicole Scherzinger - BoomerangPink & Nate Ruess - Just Give Me A ReasonPitbull - Feel This Moment (ft. Christina Aguilera)Demi Lovato - Heart AttackJustin Timberlake - Mirrors

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Pop Blitz 9/19/11

Leona Lewis - Collide
Lewis's career needed a real kick in the butt, and I think this is it. I love hearing her staggering voice over anthemic dance production. This could do for her what When Love Takes Over did for Kelly Rowland. A

The Saturdays - All Fired Up
Similar dance sound, but I just don't really get the appeal of this group. I think I keep comparing them to Girls Aloud and they're suffering from that. It's just a little anonymous and forgettable to me. They've done better. B-

Dappy - No Regrets
The chorus is pretty strong, but the verses let it down. It plods along like a typical Chris Brown song, but I don't think there's a lot of staying power. C+

Coldplay - Paradise
It's a new sound from the band, playing around with an epic, electronic soundscape. Beyond that, though, it's more of the same. I'm not sure it's one of their stronger songs melodically, but it's not bad. B-

Florence + The Machine - Shake It Out
I'm liking this more each time I hear it, but I still think the hook is ten times stronger than the verses (which take awhile to get going). It's no Dog Days, but it'll do for now. B+

Darren Hayes - Black Out The Sun
I'm a huge Darren Hayes fan. Have been since the 90's. Sadly, though, I'm finding this new single kind of... boring? I don't know what it is. It just feels like it's all epic and grand with something missing. Maybe it just sounds too much like all of his other stuff to me. B-

Will Young - Jealousy
This is stunning. It easily leapfrogs over every other Will Young song as my favorite single of his career. I'd like about twenty more of these in his future. This is the kind of thing that'll make him the next George Michael. A

Pop Blitz 10/7/10

Joe McElderry - Ambitions While I can't say I'm happy that this perfect Scandinavian hit is being repackaged by another artist, this could be a lot worse. Sure, it's been stripped of the delicate melancholy of the original, but the new Jai-ho peppiness of it all makes this a different kind of treat. A good song is a good song. A-

Nelly - Just A Dream
I can't say I expected this comeback. As far as hip-hoppers go, I've always found Nelly pretty charming. This is more gooey ballad than rap thumper, and it's all the better for that. A nice surprise. B+

Kings Of Leon - Radioactive
Unlikely to chart as high as past hits, but this percussive, rootsy rocker has its own charms. Pleasant, even if it isn't the most memorable thing in the world. B

Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow - Shame
They deserve a stronger song. It sounds like a b-side. That being said, I'm a fan of any song Robbie touches, and the laid-back orchestral flourishes bump this up a little for me. B-

Pink - Raise Your Glass
She's never really released a bad single, so the quality here is no surprise. I'm more fond of the verses than the chorus, though. B+

Kanye West - Runaway
I'm not aboard the Kanye train. When this was performed on the VMAs, I thought it was ridiculously stupid. Presented here without the added spectacle, it's just pretty stupid. C-

The Saturdays - Higher
As far as girl groups go, the Saturdays have done little to impress me. This is utter crap. It's so derivative that I can't believe there were actual songwriters involved. So devoid of any personality. And any semblance of a hook. D

Pop Blitz 1/6/10

Train - Hey Soul Sister
The comeback I didn't think anybody was asking for (yet apparently they were if itunes is any indication), Train are back with something that sounds like solo Rob Thomas or Jason Mraz. It's pretty boring stuff, and that chorus is laaame. I almost kinda used to like these guys. C

3Oh!3 & Katy Perry - Starstrukk
Equal parts catchy and obnoxious, I'm still not entirely sure what to think of these guys. Part of me really just wants them to disappear from Earth. The verses are very, very irritating. The chorus is a bit better, but sounds a lot like their last single. Oh, an getting Katy Perry on here certainly doesn't help matters. C-

The Saturdays - Ego
Picking up where Girls Aloud left off, this is a relatively strong uptempo with a great bridge and chorus but weaker verses. I'm still not sold on this group's potential, but this is a promising step in the right direction. B

Erik Grönwall - Higher
As per tradition, Swedish Idol's winner was saddled with this turgid ballad even though he's got a voice more suited for 80's rock. Loved Erik during the show, but this song pretty much defines crap. They better let him record an album more suitable for his voice. D

Boys Like Girls (with Taylor Swift - Two Is Better Than One
Taylor is everywhere, isn't she? Doesn't matter, as she barely registers here. Seriously, the female vocals could have been anybody. This emo-ballad has grown on me, but there are still so many stronger tracks on the album. B-

Leona Lewis - I See You (Theme from Avatar)
Well, it's no My Heart Will Go On. Like the movie it's supporting, it's quite a pretty experience but lacks any real meat. Leona better start doing better than this if she wants a sustained career. C

Selena Gomez & the Scene - Naturally
I'm actually kind of surprised that this is taking off, not because I don't like Selena (quite the opposite, actually), but because the first (stronger) single pretty much flopped and the album didn't seem to do much better. This is nice in a Hillary Duff sort of way. Fun, throwaway dance pop. B+