Pop Blitz 10/7/10

Joe McElderry - Ambitions While I can't say I'm happy that this perfect Scandinavian hit is being repackaged by another artist, this could be a lot worse. Sure, it's been stripped of the delicate melancholy of the original, but the new Jai-ho peppiness of it all makes this a different kind of treat. A good song is a good song. A-

Nelly - Just A Dream
I can't say I expected this comeback. As far as hip-hoppers go, I've always found Nelly pretty charming. This is more gooey ballad than rap thumper, and it's all the better for that. A nice surprise. B+

Kings Of Leon - Radioactive
Unlikely to chart as high as past hits, but this percussive, rootsy rocker has its own charms. Pleasant, even if it isn't the most memorable thing in the world. B

Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow - Shame
They deserve a stronger song. It sounds like a b-side. That being said, I'm a fan of any song Robbie touches, and the laid-back orchestral flourishes bump this up a little for me. B-

Pink - Raise Your Glass
She's never really released a bad single, so the quality here is no surprise. I'm more fond of the verses than the chorus, though. B+

Kanye West - Runaway
I'm not aboard the Kanye train. When this was performed on the VMAs, I thought it was ridiculously stupid. Presented here without the added spectacle, it's just pretty stupid. C-

The Saturdays - Higher
As far as girl groups go, the Saturdays have done little to impress me. This is utter crap. It's so derivative that I can't believe there were actual songwriters involved. So devoid of any personality. And any semblance of a hook. D

Pop Blitz 1/6/10

Train - Hey Soul Sister
The comeback I didn't think anybody was asking for (yet apparently they were if itunes is any indication), Train are back with something that sounds like solo Rob Thomas or Jason Mraz. It's pretty boring stuff, and that chorus is laaame. I almost kinda used to like these guys. C

3Oh!3 & Katy Perry - Starstrukk
Equal parts catchy and obnoxious, I'm still not entirely sure what to think of these guys. Part of me really just wants them to disappear from Earth. The verses are very, very irritating. The chorus is a bit better, but sounds a lot like their last single. Oh, an getting Katy Perry on here certainly doesn't help matters. C-

The Saturdays - Ego
Picking up where Girls Aloud left off, this is a relatively strong uptempo with a great bridge and chorus but weaker verses. I'm still not sold on this group's potential, but this is a promising step in the right direction. B

Erik Grönwall - Higher
As per tradition, Swedish Idol's winner was saddled with this turgid ballad even though he's got a voice more suited for 80's rock. Loved Erik during the show, but this song pretty much defines crap. They better let him record an album more suitable for his voice. D

Boys Like Girls (with Taylor Swift - Two Is Better Than One
Taylor is everywhere, isn't she? Doesn't matter, as she barely registers here. Seriously, the female vocals could have been anybody. This emo-ballad has grown on me, but there are still so many stronger tracks on the album. B-

Leona Lewis - I See You (Theme from Avatar)
Well, it's no My Heart Will Go On. Like the movie it's supporting, it's quite a pretty experience but lacks any real meat. Leona better start doing better than this if she wants a sustained career. C

Selena Gomez & the Scene - Naturally
I'm actually kind of surprised that this is taking off, not because I don't like Selena (quite the opposite, actually), but because the first (stronger) single pretty much flopped and the album didn't seem to do much better. This is nice in a Hillary Duff sort of way. Fun, throwaway dance pop. B+