At least Usher sounds like he belongs in a club
Artist:
Song:
Style:
Billboard:
Week of:
Play:
Song:
Style:
Billboard:
Week of:
Play:
Usher! My man! So sorry for bailing on you back in October, but that “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” song had all the same problems Club Anthems I keep slamming up against have: it wasn't just bad, it was boring, and it because it was boringly bad, it was nearly impossible to write about.
Now, after that fucking terrible Taio Cruz song, I'm feeling much more Usher. This is an oasis of songwriting after the desert of suck that was Taio Cruz... but don't get cocky-- I skipped out on you before because that last song had the exact same problems as “Dynamite.” But we aren't listening to that now; now we are listening to “Hot Tottie,” and it's (literally) music to my ears.
Don't get cocky-- this isn't a great song-- but it announces itself right off the bad with massive, imposing bass, almost like it heard me complaining about the wimpiness of my previous “club” tracks. This bass sounds like it's ready to rock a club and get asses out on the floor. I wish I knew why that was so rare, but it's good that someone's got the good sense to make dance music that might actually make people want to dance.
It was actually a nice surprise to find a slinky, sexually charged bit of raunchiness instead of the standard “dance! dance! dance!” nonsense, too. I'm actually appreciating the break from stock club song structure: this tune slides along at a heated growl, and actually has the steamy energy to back its intentions up. Instead of blocky, raver synth and piano stabs arranged as stock pop progressions, we get a darker, minor key fluidity.
Some appreciation has to go to the lyrics, too-- it's kind of clever for the song to be about a bragging woman, and, while you're obviously game to get down to business, it's a little different for the guy to not be the instigator or seducer in these songs. Usually, it's the guy who's making all the claims and talking the girl into bed. I'm not blowing it out of proportion: it's not redefining gender relations or anything, but it's nice to have the story go a little different this time.
Okay, I've got to say it: I fucking hate the autotune. It's even a little worse here than in other songs because of all the soul-style vocal runs... these used to be a badge of a singer's skill, but it doesn't mean anything when it's been pre-programmed. It's just annoying... more annoying than a lot of autotune, and I'm usually pretty annoyed by it.
Also, I think the word is spelled with “d”s, like the California girl group The Hot Toddies. Maybe Billboard got the spelling wrong, idunno, I suppose that's just nit-picking, but... Usher, though I have to thank you for giving me a dance track that doesn't sound like the other generic club songs, and at least sounds like it belongs in a club, I can't say I really like the song.
It is better than so much of the bad I've heard, but being better than bad isn't enough to make me want to listen to it again.
Stay with the song, walk away, or run like hell:
No comments:
Post a Comment