Kevin Rudolf ft. Birdman, Jay Sean & Lil Wayne”I Made It (Money Cash Heroes)”
Coming off the success of 2008’s “Let it Rock,” Kevin Rudolf’s latest single “I Made It” is probably what you would expect from the pop singer, and maybe a little less. With an unjustifiable number of guest appearances, and no modern rap cliché left unspared (Lil Wayne guest verse, Young Jeezy “Hey”s, abusive auto-tune use), it’s a little hard to stomach. The song’s fatal flaw may be its rags-to-riches theme, which is overused and pulled off badly. Rudolf opens his chorus with “I look up to the sky, and now the world is mine,” David Banner rhymes “hundreds” with “hundreds,” and even Lil Wayne resorts to recycling old lines. In the end, “I Made It” is a wholly tired hodgepodge of hip-hop-isms. But in today’s obtuse pop climate, it’s unlikely that its myriad flaws will prevent its success.
Erykah Badu “Window Seat”
Erykah Badu is often at her best when she lets her eccentricities loose and gets funky, but “Window Seat” makes it clear that smooth, poignant R&B is the soul songstress’ prime element. From a stylistic standpoint, the song is far from revolutionary; Erykah has certainly utilized the song’s combination of spare bass, subtle keys and calm, sultry vocals to great effect countless times before. But the song’s immaculate construction makes it uniquely compelling-with its multiple parts’ unorthodox structure interweaving impeccably with Badu’s crooning rationale, it is clear that Erykah is an expert at what she does. Consequently, when she contemplates taking an impromptu solo plane ride to revitalize communication with her lover, the idea doesn’t sound ridiculous; it seems perfectly logical.
Japandroids”Art Czars”
Although “Art Czars” was recorded at the same sessions as Vancouver duo Japandroids’ vigorous 2009 debut Post-Nothing, it differs slightly and curiously from those tracks. Lyrically, instead of their usual subject matter of girls, spontaneity and the uncertain future, here Japandroids confront cynicism, anger and authenticity. Echoing these sentiments are the song’s melodies themselves, eschewing Post-Nothing’s awe-inspiring hooks for less immediate, minor-key punk arrangements. Some may take offense with the song’s production, which trades the group’s raw lo-fi fuzz for a faintly more conventional, vocal-centered sound. However, when viewing it in terms of the band’s often-stated goal-making a duo sound like a five-piece-the approach is a definite success.
