It has certainly been too long since my last post, but I was just giving pop music some time to catch up. They finally did, and I'm really excited about these five songs right now.
"Glamorous", Fergie, featuring Ludacris
Here's another song that took me a bit to warm up to. In Fergie's "Glamorous", she describes a past life as an average L.A. teen, compares it to her high-profile lifestyle, and determines she's still the same chick, just with more dough. Ludacris adds a rap that finally sunk into me that stuttering is very hot right now in pop music - "You deserve nothing but the finer thi-i-ings" is just one of three examples he provides. What makes this song hot is the clapping as percussion and Fergie's breathy voice.
"Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)", Enrique Iglesias
Is it to early to call the song of Summer 2007? If not, I nominate Enrique Iglesias' "Do You Know", or "Dimelo" if you are so inclined (or prefer the Spanish version). What's hot about this song? Well, that's a ping pong ball providing the backbeat to Enrique's always-strong vocals. Another surprising twist is the vocal - the oft-seductive Latin is now yearning for us to empathize with him as a scorned lover - "Do you know what it feels like, loving someone, who's in a rush to throw you away?"
"Umbrella", Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
Jay's (Jay-Z) on the track, but he might as well not, as Rihanna delivers completely on her own. I'll admit I was an early skeptic of a song with "Umbrella" in the title, but I quickly warmed up to it (once I got under the "Umbrella" I guess you could say.) The refrain of this song is particularly powerful, as she sings "Now that it's raining more than ever/Know that we'll still have each other/You can stand under my umbrella", and then extends the "umbrella" with a few more "ellas" and some "ehs" for the coolest stuttering you've ever heard.
"Because of You", Ne-Yo
My boy Ne-Yo's back with another big hit. "Because of You" is going to be a heck of a lot more than just a Kelly Clarkson song. Behind his smooth vocals is a steady drum beat and a gentle piano melody. In this hit, Ne-Yo explains his addiction to his woman, calling her "his sweetest drug." Hmm, wonder why that wasn't the title...
"Summer Love", Justin Timberlake
With lines like "Ridin' in the drop-top with the top down/Saw you switching lanes, girl" and "We can do it fast-fast-slow, whichever way you wanna run, girl", Justin spits it fast on his FOURTH single off of his Grammy-winning album FutureSexLoveSounds. The lyrics really make this song, but Timbaland's pounding track definitely gets your attention!
Other hot songs I would've mentioned last month:
"What Goes Around Comes Around", Justin Timberlake
"Girlfriend", Avril Lavigne
"Goodbye My Lover", James Blunt
"House Like That", Donovan Chapman (former Air Force pararescueman)
Oldie but Goodie: Don't Stop Believin', Journey
Just to note, Kelly Clarkson may also have some tricks up her sleeve this summer, we'll just have to see if her new album has anything hot enough. My first impression of "Never Again" is that it's just a little too angry.
