Feeling Good - Muse

Broadway + Blues + Bellamy = Success

As this week comes to a close, looking at the song from a number of angles, we’ll finish it with the famous rock version by none other than my favorite band, Muse. Muse is known for their rock albums, but Matthew is classically trained and his father was in an older band, therefore his appreciation for the song is almost a given. The song starts out with the familiar piano part right before Matthew starts singing those ageless words. It breaks into very heavy slower rock with the bass guitar taking the brass section, the piano’s heavier chords matching them and the drums pounding the beat with full force. This is a perfect translation of the song into rock, no doubt. The parts get quieter and come back with more strength just like other covers and the original, so not much difference in actual formula. Matthew does a great job, his voice is spot on with every note. He style of singing is much more like Nina’s blues version, his voice is less about victory like the Broadway song and is more like freedom and emancipation like Nina’s cover. Also using the megaphone during the third verse is a cool addition, and it translates well into live shows (I went to a concert years ago and Matthew using the megaphone was fantastic). The voice solo in the final act is shortened but still done as a nod to the originals. A great cover, truly strong rock while holding true to it’s blues and Broadway personalities from years before.

Cover:8

Instruments:7

Vocals:9

Longevity:8

Red Score:8

Feeling Good - Cy Grant

Bombastic Announcement of Freedom and Pride

Wow, I had done a lot of research and looked around to find the actual Broadway recording, and it is honestly better than I expected. The song comes from “The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd,” the Broadway show, which is about the struggles and problems between upper and lower classes of 1960’s Britain. The song is about the character The Negro who beats the main characters in a game that would determine who out of the two was better than the other. He immediately sing this song of triumph and glory. Grant from the beginning has a wonderfully powerful voice that needs no instrument to back him up. They do come in, but his impressive range and strong vibrato alone are totally outstanding, and at the end he pound out some amazing notes. The arrangement of string and woodwind sections are good, complementing well the feeling of the song for the second section of the song. During the third section we hear the brass part come in with a beautiful group of backup singers building to the last part. The end is epic with the whole symphony at full force with the percussion and brass section especially kicking it up a notch. Then with good separations of choir, instrument and Grants voice taking turns at the end, it brings personality and power to finish the song. I am absolutely impressed with the piece by the end, seriously, I hope you can really appreciate it.    

Originality:9

Instruments:8

Vocals:9

Longevity:7

Red Score:8.25

Feeling Good - Nina Simone

The Best of Blues and a Powerhouse Voice

When we hear that first line, “Birds flying high, you know how I feel…” we recognize the song and it will bring out the large or small part of love for blues and jazz that we all have. Nina Simone took the Broadway song, covered it, putting it into her own album that same year it was premiered and made it her own. For many years it didn't get too much attention, but making an appearance on a commercial in 1987 it boomed and really became a huge hit that people enjoy today. The songs bold brass section creates a powerful downpour of personalty. The piano repeating the chords lightly in the background is simple and beautiful. During the second verse the piano plays a wonderful little fluttering bit to go well with the lyrics which stands out fantastically. The drums sound like they are right there in front of you, so easy going and fit the flavor of the song. The string section that comes in and out can be looked over, but it helps magnify her voice, so go back and hunt for them, they are subtle but great. But with no question at all, Nina’s voice is by far the most powerful part of the piece. She has an incomparable amount of personality and realism in her voice as if her heart and soul come through every word she sings. Her perfect control, her excellent emphasis on syllables and every technique she employs is incredible. I could keep going but I’ll leave it as one of the best singing performances of all time. A great song and a cover that totally improved and remade the original into a song for everyone.

Cover:10

Instruments:8

Vocals:10

Longevity:10

Red Score:9.5

Feeling Good (Remix) - Bassnectar

A Fantastic Remix of a Classic

I will say that this is obviously more of a remix of Nina Simone’s version for sure, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t good or just as creative as a normal cover. This song will most just be one to listen to and give me your personal opinion about it. It starts out with Nina singing and slowly being followed up by heavy slow blues brass and drums. As the song progresses to be more instrument heavy, you can hear the dub-stepish parts follow the brasses part. The song begins to “drop” (for lack of a better term) while repeating a piano chord and relaying various other bits of her singing to make the song really have a lot of power. It keeps the brass repeating like the original song and builds on it with wild effects that make for a great modern imagining of the song. As the original song seems to decay into the electronic world, it still keeps that beautiful soulful essences of the song while turning up the bass and blowing out the speakers with heavier drums. Honestly, I am a sucker for remixes because I frankly love electronic music and think it is awesome to enjoy music in a variety of ways. I don’t think this version is better than Nina’s version, no questions, but I listen to it more and it play it much more often. A great reinventing of a classic, and one of the best remixes I’ve heard in years.

Cover:9

Instruments:8

Vocals:7

Longevity:7

Red Score:7.75

Feeling Good - Michael Buble

Classic Blues Mixed With Some Jazz For a New Era

Most people know this song, or at least a version of it. The song was from the 60’s and originally written for a Broadway musical, but it has been covered by so many people, it is hard to put the song in just one category, and rightfully so. With each iteration, the song has changed emotion and power/style. This week, I’ll be looking at the different versions, and analyse about their strengths and weaknesses. I won’t be focusing on the actual song itself, but it in comparison to the other covers done, I’ll still rate it, but there will be a different category called “Cover” to describe how well the cover keeps the energy of the original while being creative and making it the artist's own (this replaces originality). Out of the huge array or artists to cover this song, Michael Buble knows he has the voice for it, and so do his producers, therefore it was almost inevitable he would cover Feelin’ Good. He has a voice that sounds straight from the 40’s and 50’s big band era. He adds emphasis and holds back on various words while spicing up the pitch going up and down a lot to create his personal stamp. This adds a lot of personality and makes it sound like a live version played for a huge audience which might be the best part of the song. The instruments and arrangement is great, it sounds like a beautiful reimagining of the version from Nina Simone with a vast variety of sounds that would only come from a full symphony. This version is passionate and strong and goes well with the other work from Michael Buble, the only problem that I have with the song, is that it isn’t very original because it is basically Nina’s cover of the song with some extra “jazz hands.” The bridge is good and brings a lot of great flavor, but that is about all that is original. A good version, but unfortunately it just doesn’t do much with the song other than re-record it with more instruments and a different singer.

Cover:6

Instruments:8

Vocals:8

Longevity:6

Red Score:7

LOST IN THE ECHO - Linkin Park

Hitting Roots While After Being Lost

Now I know bringing up Linkin Park and their great/terrible music from recent years is just asking for a fight. Hear me out on this song. The reason we love Linkin Park comes from their first two albums of intense rock with a solid scoop of rap and pinch of electronic. The whole album Living Things is 30% intense rock, 15% rap, 35% electronic and 20% “sing/screaming.” It is different for sure, but LOST IN THE ECHO is one of the closest to their original style, like songs Numb and Crawling. Starting with Mike’s rapping, it isn’t the best he’s done, but his voice has matured since Hybrid Theory and he doesn’t sound as whiny, which is nice. Chester does great here, his screams are about as good as they were years ago, a little rasp and a lot of energy. The electric melody combined with the guitar chords is very strong and punch a lot of attitude into the piece. The drums are pretty good, they sound more real than they used to be and are much more creative. The bass also is surprisingly good, going from very low notes matching the bass drum to high repeating notes, it is very well rounded. The guitars are strong but not really indistinguishable from the rest of the song. There is also a lot of synth/dubstep-ish sound (I still don’t know the right words to use) that enhances the other instruments. I highly doubt Linkin Park will ever produce albums as good as Meteora or Hybrid Theory, but it doesn’t mean they can’t make good music that almost matches their old work. The last album Hunting Party was a flop in my opinion, but Living Things was good enough for sure. Give them a chance again my critic friends, Linkin Park still has it in them.

Originality:7

Instruments:7

Vocals:7

Longevity:6

Red Score: 6.75

Sign 'O' The Times

Subtle Rock/Pop Poured Blues

In honor of music legend and major media media influence Prince, I wanted to discuss a little of his impact and reflect on his mastery through the review of this song. Just to let you know, it was kind of difficult to listen to any of his stuff, I could only find it on paid spotify and a some of his stuff on google play or iTunes. I did find a place to hear the actual version, but for the blog I had to link a pretty close version of the song with his original voice overlaid, sorry. This song screams uniqueness, from the guitar and bass to his specific voice and blend of electric and real drums, this song oozes creativity. The song’s percussion sections use of snare and fast bass drum combined with the repeated syths parts and the electric drum solo is awesome, we don’t hear such creative use of percussion parts that often. The bass starting almost at the beginning and carrying the song with smooth, cool, and a sort of dark sound is something that you could never get tired of. The guitar sparking strong flares of personality into the song is like the marshmallows in the Lucky Charms that make that good cereal even better. Prince’s voice is lower here for most of the song compared to his normal pitch in other songs, and this just shows how amazing of an artist he was being able to gracefully use his voice in high sopranos or strong tenor depending on the need of the song. But this is not all of his talent, he is an outstanding songwriter, and this song’s magical blend of various and irregular sounds being able to create a superb piece is his greatest feat. I don’t know for sure, but I am sure he could play all the parts of the song and sing at the same time if it were possible. The lyrics are clever and upfront. He has no problem showing the world that things in the world are messed up. He has made expressing oneself in music a part of your songs. He never worried about what people thought, he made music that he wanted to and you can see that by the unique personality in all of his music. I am grateful for his powerful sense of identity that he carried and encouraged through his music. Hats off and heads down in solemn respect to the great Prince and his life, thank you.

Originality:10

Instruments:9

Vocals:9

Longevity:8

Red Score:9

Eyes Wide - Meadowlark

Alternative Pop That Takes Shape Through Progression

Meadowlark is a band made up of two members (it was three at a time, but now two), with the most notable being Kate McGill who became youtube famous with a few covers of notable songs, and Daniel Broadley is the lead guitarist and does some other small parts. Kate plays guitar, piano and is the primary songwriter. This song creates a great ambiance and starts pretty simple, but picks up momentum with slews of instruments that exponentially grows until the end. With the start of the drum and piano/synth pads, there is a sense of simplicity that sounds great. The chorus picks up the pace and the second verse adds some extra bits to the piano and the synth pads get a little louder. The second verse adds some more back-up singers with some guitar here and there. The almost acapella bridge with Daniel singing very faint harmonies adds that small extra depth which strongly transitions to just very airy sounds and the piano and drums again like in the beginning. The last chorus brings in more back-up singing, a violin section and few other small noise sample to flush out the song wonderfully. Kate’s voice is good, she has a natural glow to her voice which is great, but the range of the song seems to limit the potential of the song and limit its emotional impact. Don’t get me wrong, she does great, but as a more relaxed song she doesn’t need to be screaming, but there seems to be a lack of emotion or devotion that holds the song back a little. Overall the song is good though, simple and true, nothing too fancy, but that what makes certain things in life so good.

Originality:7

Instruments:7

Vocals:7

Longevity:5

Red Score:6.5

Blues Magic - Santana

Fantastically Melded Instruments

Santana has been around for a number of years grabbing classical latino musical sounds, mixing in jazz, blues, a little rock, and they now successfully have come back with there new album, Santana IV. Carlos Santana is one of the best guitarist in the world and an amazing songwriter. Blues Magic is an amazing mixture of blue and jazz that has the instruments play into each other and melt to make a beautiful sound that is so rich it is hard to put into words. Starting with that iconic guitar, there are sublime riffs sprinkled through the song that echo against the chords that are played through the whole thing. The solo is unbelievably smooth. Santana is absolutely brilliant with the guitar using technically good tricks perfectly. But he has a great talent for practically singing through his guitar, and that is what makes his guitar so good, it feels like it has it’s own personality and is alive it is so good. The drums are great, following the song strongly and smoothly, but the extra bongos and other percussion parts really bring a lot of personality to the song. The bass is pretty good, but almost impossible to pick out with the organ parts continually playing in the background (which is a nice touch, adding a little “soul.” But they do drown out the bass which is too bad). Gregg Rolie is the main vocalist, and he does a great job, almost as good as his days when Black Magic Woman came out. The instruments never are loud or boisterous, they are sophisticated and show a perfect amount of control, that is what make this song just become one beautiful piece. In an era or fast paced electronic fueled music, it is very refreshing to hear this.

Originality:7

Instruments:9

Vocals:7

Longevity:7

Red Score:7.5

(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To - Weezer

Upbeat Fun Rock Following A Solid Pattern

When Weezer comes on, you’ll know there will be solid lyrics, guitar, fast drums and a singable chorus. Weezer can make great music, no questions, but the creative level from song to song isn’t that magical, and yet they keep coming out with songs that people love, and I proudly am one of those people. The guitar is what stars this song off, and the acoustic sounds great strumming away happily through the song. The drum part is simple but enjoyable. The bass is the most creative instrument, going up and down the bars in a quick fashion. The vocals are good, Rivers is great. His voice is very unique, and he does a fantastic job here as always. The lyrics are good, an interesting tale, but nothing that really stands above a teenage angst love-ish song. The strongest point of the song is the speed and energy the song has, a very fun, “windows down during a hot day while driving” vibe which makes it so good. It unfortunately doesn’t break the constant and continuous mold that is a “Weezer Song.” The album Raditude does explore some other sounds, but none of it is really as good as their standard formula. A good, fun song for all intensive purposes, but it misses the mark for creativity.

Originality:5

Instruments:7

Vocals:7

Longevity:6

Red Score:6.25

avf - Stromae

Rapping French Could Not Be Better

Being one of the most famous french artist of this time, Stromae is mostly known for Alors On Danse which is honestly a huge mistake because he has so much music that is far superior than that song. He is a mix of rap, pop and some hip-hop with a strong electronic music support system. avf is a song that breaks the mold with various rap sections, drops, irregular chorus and very heavy dub-step background, it throws caution to the wind. For this reason and others, I love this song. Our instruments consists primarily of electric pianos and only a few drums. The bass drum follows the singing to emphasis a couple of parts. The “claps” and other pieces of quick percussion sound like an army of dancers marching to battle. The bass is one smooth repetition of a note’s declining pitch that is mirrored by other parts in the chorus, and it fills the empty parts of the song nicely. The piano that plays through it all really is a “partner to the singers,” going on beat with them. The saxophone and other small instrumental parts could easily be just computer made, but it is the best quality and like most rap songs, it just sets the artist and other rappers up to show off the skill to sick beats. Stromae calls to the name of the song, singing and rapping excellently, a song that demands a little more of his voice than others for sure. Their are too many other people in the song to really talk about them individually, but they all do a fantastic job of being very unique and pass the microphone around for numerous sections. It is very refreshing to hear various voices working together to make such an intricate piece. When I want something that itches my intense rap and techno craving, this song does it for me every time. I encourage you to listen to more Stromae, and I’ll be posting more of his work in the following months because of the genius level creation of pop/rap/electronic sound that our radios lack. (He is normally “good message” kind of singer, but I am sorry if there might be anything inappropriate or curse words in French)

Originality:9

Instruments:7

Vocals:8

Longevity:8

Red Score:8

Come Sail Away - Styx

The Perfect Rock Opera Piece

I don’t remember where or when I heard this song originally, but the moment this song became a part of my life was during a road trip with my friends, we lowered all the windows and played the song so loud that it almost hurt while screaming our voices to the heavenly song that is Come Sail Away. This song comes from the epic age of rock, when Queen, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and too many to name reigned supreme. This song stands with the classics for anyone who is ready to brave a new frontier. A great ballad type opening that transforms into hard rock that will blow your socks off. Dennis DeYoung is our singer here, a great tenor who reaches those higher and lower notes with a strong punch. It is practically impossible to not sing along to this song. Also on the piano, he plays with sophistication and it just perfectly played and written for the song’s story and purpose. This song’s call to “sail away” and the story it builds is fascinating and all too invigorating. The drums comes in during the second segment and become quite versatile during the bridge and last part of the song. The guitar is fantastic, its creative riffs, powerful and invigorating chords will bring a person to air guitar mode without fail. Also, the song has a second bridge of “space synths” and a solo from the electric keyboard like nobody's business, which then breaks into an amazing third segment of even heavier rock that gives me goosebumps. This song is so freaking good. There are few song that pack quite this much variety and perfect control of every instrument. If you don’t love this song with your heart, you should, because it is unbelievable. Play it as loud as possible and I guarantee amazingness.

Originality:10

Instruments:10

Vocals:10

Longevity:9

Red Score:9.75

Feels Like Coming Home - Jetta

When Humble Music Produces Power

Jetta is not a musical prodigy, she has not become a pop icon, an alternative rock star or anything like that. She is a heartfelt singer and someone who loves writing music. You can see it in her music, her voice and deep, sometimes dark, music shows a lot of her inner soul. This song got some good reception, but didn’t stay in the charts for long. This song has a lot of parts and instruments and effects for all of them, but the live version is just as fantastic, and listening to her other stuff online and live sessions, she is quite talented. The song starts with a quiet piano that sets the stage for her gorgeous voice. Her voice is seamlessly soft, strong and almost in pain all at the same time, which is amazing. She has great control and the lyrics are deep enough to bring any listener in. Hearing her voice in the rich chorus parts is great, but the bridges that only include either a piano or guitar allow her voice to shine more and be appreciated. The guitar part is simple and goes off into a fast strum fest which blends with the good bass. The piano keep the tempo with the drums in an amazing way, changing and growing and shrinking perfectly. But as you can tell, my favorite part of all this is the pure sound of her voice. It is like a fountain of beautiful angelic voices. This is one my favorite song that dive deep into my soul through my ears. A wonderful song, something that I hope all of you can enjoy more and more every time you listen to it.

Originality:8

Instruments:8

Vocals:9

Longevity:9

Red Score:8.5

One Dance - Drake (feat WizKid & Kyla)

Remixing Others Music To Make Your Own

This song will be very hard to review: on one hand the song oozes with catchy parts and has a very addicting club sound, but on the other hand it lacks any musical depth or variety. So I’ll start with the facts. Kyla is a R&B singer songwriter whose song Do You Mind is the inspiration for One Dance (as far as I can tell). It sounds like One Dance is just a remix of Kyla’s original with his rap and hook put over it with a few other minor alterations and a tempo change. He does a good job, and I personally think he improves on the original. But the fact that it is claiming to be it’s own song is difficult to accept. The songs percussion, piano part and ambience is practically identical, which shows that this song does not stem from his own creativity. But on the other hand, he does transform the song just enough that is a better song than the original. Now on to the actual music. The beat is exactly what you would hear in the club, the piano and other bits and sample are good, and very addictive, but also terribly repetitive: from beginning to the end it is the same 10 second clip more or less. Kyla singing is good enough, and WizKid is faintly in the background to add a little bit of flavor. Drake does a better job than in other songs, the hook is great, but it is odd to just hear the same thing over and over again, even for club music, this song seems too repetitive. I could be really critical on this song, but it just sounds good, no matter how you look at it, the parts are kind of good. I’ll leave this one to you guys, what do you think? I’ll put my personal review here, but I totally see why this song would get either an 8 or a 3 out of 10.

Originality:6

Instruments:6

Vocals:7

Longevity:5

Red Score:6

(Because the song is restricted in certain ways, it's not on youtube yet. Sorry. Yu can listen to it on i-tunes and google play that I know of. I did link Kyla's original song so you can hear that at least)

https://play.google.com/music/m/Bksltqsvexstqmr3pzuiodsgivu?t=One_Dance_-_Drake

Injection - Rise Against

Angry Music…...Infectious Angry Music

For heavy rock bands, Rise Against might be my favorite. This song is a great demonstration of the skill and talent of the band as a whole. Let’s dive right into the song because it is amazing! Starting with the drums, the raging heartbeat of the song is very powerful, they vary often through the song to keep things engaging the whole time and their silence between chorus and verse makes them standout even more. The guitar is outstanding, the epitome of heavy rock from the 2000’s. The powerful chords from lead and back up guitars and the solo transitions are excellent. With just those two instruments, this song stands above the norm. The bass is pretty quiet, but if and when you can pick it out, the speed, the movement up and down is great (it can be heard more in the choruses and last half of the song). But the best part of the song is Tim McIlrath, our lead singer and guitarist. His voice is perfect for this. Just like Freddie Mercury is perfect in his genre and Eminem for his, Tim’s voice was crafted for hard rock. His voice is not quiet screaming, but not just singing, he finds a good blend and dips into both throughout the song. The lyrics are also pretty good, not the best for the band, but very good compared to the modern world’s standards. In the originality score, if you listen to more Rise Against, you’ll see a very similar pattern, and a very similar sound, but I am always impressed with how most tracks sound unique, but if not listened to carefully, all the songs will sound identical. There is one thing that really sticks out in this song and Rise Against in general, it is the pure emotion and passion that you feel as you hear it. I am never able to listen to this song without air drumming, air guitar, or screaming my lungs out. Seriously, don’t let me listen to this song in the car, I will embarrass everyone to no end. This is a fantastic song in my book and if you need an energy boost or need to let off some steam, this song will do the trick.

Originality:8

Instruments:9

Vocals:9

Longevity:8

Red Score:8.5

Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani

A Golden Song, But Not Quite 24 Karats

Gwen had established herself as a hit pop star by the mid 2000’s and came out with the album Sweet Escape with the flagship song sporting the same name. The song Sweet Escape reached most top 10 charts and just about everyone who listened to music in the 2000’s know it. The beat and initial parts of the song were developed by Akon and brought it to Gwen to collaborate and finish. The beat is really catchy, the whole song is, from chorus to Akon’s “woo-hoos,” they both know how to make music that people will play over and over again. The beat is great, it really doesn’t come from the drums, but the guitar and tambourine mix predominantly make the rhythm. The drums are there, don’t get me wrong, but you have to pay a more attention to pick them out. The guitar and other melodic parts are great at making this very bright sound that surprisingly doesn’t get annoying by the end. Gwen’s voice is just as it always is (which is great), but the back-up singers really brings the whole song up a notch, and Akon’s parts are a perfect response to Gwen’s singing. The lyrics are good, and interesting apology piece telling a story of a place to escape for her and others. There isn’t much to break the song apart, the song is like a blender shot to the face of modern pop, which works out great because it’s reception was excellent. This is a song that is basically good to play in any feel good moment, it is just a little dated by now.

Originality:8

Instruments:7

Vocals:8

Longevity:7

Red Score:7.5

Don't Speak - No Doubt

90’s Ska At It’s Finest

Those first chords and Gwen’s voice will bring back the nostalgia monster from the 1990’s to everyone’s heart. This was one of No Doubt’s greatest hits, but surely it’s their most influential song for years. I know this week is Gwen week, but it would a crime to not bring up No Doubt once this week, especially because these songs are so freaking good. The band had released two other albums before really making any real progression, but their 3rd album Tragic Kingdom stormed the music industry. This song was their breakthrough and became an international hit, receiving 2 Grammys and a couple of others awards. So let’s address why the song is so great. Guitar: The songs guitar’s very mellow-sounding chords are great and mix great with an acoustic guitar which brings a lot of soul and tangible feeling in the song. The acoustic solo is great, and again brings that sound that you crave when you need something that call to your heart. Bass: Good, but not much more. Drums: Well placed choosing either loud or silent pieces and change ups often from chorus, verse and bridge to make them interesting and impactful, not just something to keep the beat. Lyrics: Very are insightful and well written, a true ska/rock song that demands attention. Gwen’s voice here is amazing, just absolutely amazing. She captures the essences of the lyrics and belts out those lower notes with energy and the quieter and slower parts sound like callings in the wind. A superb song from that era, and one of the best female rock songs of all time, no doubt.

Originality:8

Instruments:8

Vocals:9

Longevity:9

Red Score:8.5

Cool - Gwen Stefani

An Odd Topic, Great Sound

Gwen normally sounds like she is stuck in the late 90’s, and this song is no exception. But that is great! I love the 90’s, and this song was put out in the early 2000’s, so it isn’t too far off anyways. This song excels in a lot of ways, being reflective, upbeat and relaxed song at the same time. The song reflects the subject matter of the song, the feeling between two ex’s that are still good friends, still caring for each other and reminiscing about the past while being able to move on. The song starts with a good drum beat, synth pads and guitar strums in the back. The music quiets as Gwen starts the verse and comes back with more force in the chorus, as per usual music tropes. But it sound good, it sounds very heartfelt and relatable. There are a lot of little parts to this song and background noises and pieces which help fill the empty space that has been a pattern in her other songs, which make this song stand out. The guitar is simple and the bass too. The drums are also pretty dull, they do the job, but anyone could do them. This leaves the vocals. Gwen sings like she always does, but her voice is so perfect with the lyrics and the message, it couldn’t be sung any better by anyone else. The song is very thoughtful and the thing as a whole is great, it flows so well together, making a mesh of sound to convey the feelings in the song wonderfully.

Originality:7

Instruments:6

Vocals:8

Longevity:7

Red Score:7

Misery - Gwen Stefani

Finding New Sound From Years Past

Gwen has been making music for year, she is well experienced and it shows in her music, it shows a higher level of maturity compared to other pop idols. This is from her new album This Is What Truth Feels Like, and it is not bad at all and refreshing in various ways. Misery is the flagships song of the album, but other songs like Used To Love You and Make Me Like You are gaining momentum, the latter being on the radio while I was in the car. This song’s opening bass remind me of her strong early 2000’s and late 90’s work. Her voice is a little more natural compared to her last 2 albums, which is very welcomed. The building organ and string sections in the chorus are great while her voice stands in the spotlight. The various percussion parts, wood blocks, drums and such keep a steady slower beat. There are no real melodies or leading instrument, which is common for her music, but it does leave the song a little empty. Her voice is good, it sounds almost exactly like it did twenty years, which is good and bad. It shows little progression in her career or effort to try other styles, she is basically singing for the same audience and yet it has been over twenty years since she was making teenage angst music. But the good thing is her voice is great, the quality hasn’t changed at all, if anything, it has improved over the years. This song's lyrics are good, exactly the same amount of depth as her music has had in years past, but not amazing. I feel like I’m being very critical, this song isn’t bad at all, and for sure one of her better songs in the past 10 years, but lacks the creativity and skill to be anything more.

Originality:5

Instruments:6

Vocals:7

Longevity:6

Red Score:6