"Maneater", Nelly Furtado
Sometimes it takes a bit to warm up to a hot song. I wanted to dismiss "Maneater" as a mediocre follow-up single to "Promiscuous," as I'm still bitter about Nelly Furtado punishing my ears so much with "I'm like a bird, I only fly away." This time around, she's spiced up her act with some great club hits, leaving the adult contemporary genre in the dust, which is exactly what 27-year-olds should be doing. Maneater has a steady beat, some devilish chords, and a haunting, mantra-like chorus.
"My Love", Justin Timberlake and Timberland, featuring T.I.
J.T. and Timberland hook up again with a synthesizer-laden jam for the fall. This song just sounds cool, right from the start. Timberlake's lyrics even seem a bit on the personal side (I know what you're thinking, "Justin, getting personal?" Well, go listen to "Cry Me a River.") He refers to a ring, and you have to wonder if it's going to Cameron D. or if he's patched things up with Mrs. Federline. T.I. patches on a forgettable rap onto the end, with lyrics that pretty much contradict the romantic aura Justin was trying to create. Justin's flow on this track actually reminded me a lot of Twista's "Celebrity." Still, it's another Timberland hit, and now even I'm wondering if he's somehow got me under some secret spell, like he mixes subliminal messages such as "must buy Timberland-produced tracks" in with his creative beats and melodies.
"Little Too Late", JoJo
This girl's got some pipes. Not surprisingly, JoJo has another #1 on her hands. Unfortunately, she achieves this with the exact same formula as her 2004 smash "Leave (Get Out)" -- some flirtatiuos lyrics, a little tease to her man, and then she drops the bad news...you're out of here, boy! JoJo's vocals are out of this world, and only Christina Aguilera (who actually played a part in her discovery) can top the way JoJo belts it out. I love this song, but I have to say I'm looking forward to when she meets the right fella. Forgive my harping on the subject, but maybe if she can go from "Leave (Get Out)" to "Little Too Late", maybe she's about to cut guys a break. How about a cover of Mariah's "Dream Lover?"
"Hate Me", Blue October
This song is just great. I'm not sure if it falls into the "emo" genre, but I love the mix of delicately sung verses with a rockin' refrain. "Hate Me" deals bluntly in the first person about a tough breakup, alcoholism, and depression. Not the typical formula for a hot song , but it's a huge hit on radio right now. It's rare to see a rock star be so hard on himself, and that's what makes it refreshing, and HOT at the same time.
"How to Save a Life", The Fray
Lead singer Issac Slade starts this song with some delicate mumbling like he just woke up, but gradually crescendoes the vocals, finishing strong. With little more than a driving drumbeat and piano, the 4 minute song moves at a steady pace.
The song is the perfect blend of rhythm, melody, and vocals.
I just watched the Grey's Anatomy version of this on Yahoo Music videos, a great source for music bloggers such as myself. I highly recommend it as a good alternative to navigating through MTV's site (maybe I'm getting too old).
And if you were wondering about the title, according to SonyMusicStore.com, Slade's inspiration from this song came from his experience as a mentor to a crack-addicted teen, and like Slade sings, you pray to God he was able to help.
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