February’s Singles Review
Paul McCartney – My Valentine (6th February)
With the release of his fifteenth solo studio album on the horizon, you would have forgiven Paul McCartney for running out of steam years ago.
This seasonally appropriate release is fittingly gentle, and technically very competent.
Eric Clapton’s guitars too, are predictably impressive, but My Valentine ultimately feels a little tired and dated. An in offensive release, yet one that feels workmanlike and vitally lacking in inspiration.
Will.I.Am ft Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez- T.H.E (The Hardest Ever) (6th February)
If nothing else, bafflingly mega-famous ex-Black Eyed Pea Will.I.Am’s latest single can boast an impressively varied cast.
Posturing aside, T.H.E seems a little too eager to impress, and is overproduced throughout.
When it really counts though, Will.I.Am hits the high notes, and has produced an almost thrillingly unpredictable track.
Mick Jagger’s cameo is surprisingly welcome and the veteran singer adds a final flourish to what promises to be one of the year’s most ubiquitous songs.
Scissor Sisters Vs Krystal Pepsy – Shady Love (12th February)
Jake Shears and co. have never been afraid to break boundaries, and Shady Love initially appears to be no different, with Shears’ unexpectedly brisk vocals setting the tone.
The chorus is a little jarring, seeming initially to be little more than a generic floor filler, but it manages to fit in surprisingly well with the eclectic rhythms of the rest of the
song.
Shady Love is not what most would have expected from the Scissor Sisters, but is perhaps all the better for it.
Dappy ft Brian May- Rock Star (27th February)
Even to those with no interest in N-Dubz, it has become impossible to avoid their almost endearingly idiotic front man.
Rockstar is enjoyable enough, in a brainless way, and Dappy’s lyrics are pleasingly earnest but it feels uncomfortably similar in tempo to his previous single No Regrets.
Brian May’s contribution is difficult to pinpoint, and it is impossible to shake the feeling that Dappy could have managed this one on his own.
Images Credits: Image 1 - Mary A Lupa/Shutterstock.com, Image 2 - Christian Bertrand/Shutterstock.com and Image 3 - Wayne Howes/Shutterstock.com.
Become a fan of Velvet on Facebook
What are we twittering about?
