Song Review: Rihanna - Russian Roulette

Review: Rihanna's Russian Roulette

Featured On: PrefixMag.com

http://www.prefixmag.com/media/rihanna/russian-roulette-mp3/33856/

Alright, first things first; let me get this out the way because, quite frankly, I'm tired of hearing it...

Yes, the song is dark.

There. Take that in. I refuse to turn this blog into a rant (maybe later!) but I will say that just because a song has a dark or somber tone does not automatically disqualify it from being enjoyable. There's a time and place for everything, that included. Now if this was a summertime single, I could be more receptive to the complaints but it's wintertime, it's cold outside. Bring on the darkness!

Then again, this is the opinion of a guy who's last CD was entitled "So Cold" so take that with a grain of salt...

Now regarding the song, it's hot. It's fresh. And I think that combination really sews up my anticipation for her album, Rated R. Rihanna has consistently kept herself in my CD deck (er, iTunes library, this is 2009) because she continually puts out fresh music with interesting angles. The content is such that many can relate to and comprehend, but she and her team approach her work from unique angles which makes her songs interesting to say the least.

Russian Roulette is no different. A slight glimpse between the lines of this song will give you a pretty clear view of the underlying message (which I will leave for the avid reader to interpret for themselves), but the angle she approaches dressing that message with this sort of theme is fantastic.

The technique is also nearly perfect. Light piano keys complement the strong bass drums cleverly mimicking a heartbeat. Familiar cymbals add exclamation points to a very strong chorus of orchestral instruments that bolsters, but doesn't overtake, Rihanna's strong performance. The final icing on the cake here is the deep chilling breaths that Rihanna takes at the beginning and end of the song, signing, sealing, and delivering an impressive front-running effort for her upcoming album.

Of course, with all the reviews I post here, I advise you to give the song a listen and form your own opinion. But it's certainly worth the play. Enjoy!

N. Talekt

(Update: YouTube link died, found a live link.)

Song Review: Eileen M. - Empty Apologies

Review for: Eileen M's "Empty Apologies"

Featured on: Soundclick.com

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7252260

I miss the old days.

Nowadays you're pretty hard pressed to find quality R&B that's not over some over-hyped hip-hop infused drama called an instrumental.  Not to say that it's all bad, as I enjoyed the dynamic it created on As I Am by the one and only you-know-who.

Today, I was lucky enough to come across Eileen M's "Empty Apologies."  As you can expect, its a song about deceit, shortcomings, and regret.  Musically, bass drums and simple piano guide us through her story that, sure, we've all heard before, but that doesn't mean it's not worth listening once more.  A tease of strings also bring back a slight classical nostalgia, which makes this song drift away from its contemporary counterparts I alluded to before.  Lyrically, this is actually fairly maturely written for an "underground" artist.  The song structure is consistent and shows good discipline, all the while Eileen keeps the song fresh and interesting.  The hook is sultry and captivating, actually very well done.  I personally would have engineered it a bit different but this certainly works well.

That said, the performance, like much "underground" music, is raw, so you'll get a couple notes and lyrics that aren't as polished as they could be, mainly in the verse sections.  There could be touch-ups here and there but the reason I'm vague about these points is simple because it's just not enough to take away from the song.

With polish, I feel like this song could be quite outstanding.  Without it, it's very good.  The quality is actually just fine, even on the higher notes (yes, there are higher notes, Eileen does display some of her range on this song, leaving me to believe there's actually more to uncover).  Just the details, like the notes I mentioned and actually finishing the song off, would make this complete as it deserves to be.

And it also deserves a listen.  So, enjoy:

N. Talekt

Song Review: JC The Truth - What's It Feel Like?

Review: JC The Truth's "What's It Feel Like?"

Featured on: Soundclick.com
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6719234

From the moment the songs starts you know you're in for a treat. It's got a low-key vibe to it, feels very classy. I think that's what made this song for me, you can feel it.

Once the beat drops, it's on as JC poses a few questions about what things, you guessed it, feel like. I would not consider this a standout track lyrically, but I like the vibe, the message, and some of the questions made me say hmmm:

What’s it feel like…
To have a woman love you so much
That you’d never have to discuss
The topic of trust?

What’s it feel like…
To know the definition of love
Maybe true love
Is only from a daughter or son?

What’s it feel like…
To never have to argue bout shit
And understand the irrelevance
Of gettin all pissed?

These questions and others are ones that JC poses are things that I'm sure a lot of us ponder, and I'm just coming from where he's talking about in my own experience, so this definitely hit home for me.

While it's a short track, I think it does show that this guy knows what he's doing and isn't afraid to go outside the box, and definitely has an ear for a nice beat. A quick listen never hurt nobody, give it a try: