Lloyd's Track-By-Track Reviews
Dec 25, 2014 20:45:29 GMT -5
Post by vinilloyd on Dec 25, 2014 20:45:29 GMT -5
CHARLI XCX - "SUCKER"
Average: 9.4/10
Average: 9.4/10
For the first Lloyd's Track-By-Track Reviews, I'll be reviewing the third studio album from Charli XCX, "Sucker". First things first (way too much Fancy reference here), I'll not be comparing it to her previous works, since I have grown tired of people complaining how she descended in quality just because she got mainstream. Secondly, this is definitely not a professional review, I'll be just using my words to review it. I hope you like it.
01. "Sucker" - 9.8/10
It's simply a great opening track, I couldn't resist to it when I first heard it. I love most of Justin Raisen's collaborations with artists like Charli, and he slayed in the production of this one. While the lyrics definitively aren't the best ones in the album, it is highly catchy, I remember singing to the chorus by like the second time I heard the song.
"You said you wanna bang? Well, FUCK YOU SUCKER!"
"You said you wanna bang? Well, FUCK YOU SUCKER!"
02. "Break The Rules" - 9.3/10
YOLO, it simply defines the song. I don't care what other people say, I love what she tries to push in this song. I know she's 22 and is telling young people to don't go to school and blah blah... I can't believe that the young people nowadays are dumb to the point of not going to school just because they heard this song on the radio. Anyway, this is my jam and the breakdown after the chorus is great.
"I don't wanna to school, I just wanna break the rules."
"I don't wanna to school, I just wanna break the rules."
03. "London Queen" - 8.8/10
Worst lyrics of the album, but a freaking catchy beat. It reminds me of the main themes of the Nickelodeon shows of the late 90s and the earlier 2000s. Especially the "I never thought I'd be living in the USA / doing things the american way-ay-ay" part. The idea behind this, a foreigner in the USA doing things the "american way", is not original but is still cool, and it could have been developed better.
04. "Breaking Up" - 9.7/10
I love this one, and is definitely one of my favorites. Everything here, from the stunning music video to her amazing voice effects during the second verse, makes me feel like repeating this song again and again. It has some pop/rock and pop/punk influences (the whole albums does actually), and it fits perfectly with the subject of the lyrics (which in the case, in breaking up).
"You said you loved me / I say 'what?'"
05. "Gold Coins" - 9.2/10
Just like London Queen, the lyrics are the main problem in this one. It is basically about how she has a lot of money, and is spending like she doesn't care. But, man, that beat is so damn good, especially at the final of the song.
"Gold coins everywhere / and I'm spending like I don't care"
06. "Boom Clap" - 9.5/10
The popular song of the album, it was placed right at the middle of the album, and I love how it fits perfectly after Gold Coins. It has easily one of the best lyrics of the album, if not the best at all. This track was certainly one of this year's most joyful pop delights. I just wish it were longer, but then I remember that it was originally for a soundtrack and everything is fine. And it also reminds me that I still have to watch Fault In Our Stars...
"You are the sun, the glowing halo / and you keep me burning me with your love".
07. "Doing It" - 9.4/10
You know those songs that catch you in the opening ten seconds? Well, this song is one of these. It starts with Charli laughing quickly that it is almost impossible to hear, and then we have her powerful vocals catching our attention. The lyrics are repetitive, but it is the last thing you will realize while hearing this track. It kinda gives me a 2000s vibe towards the end.
"All along, we dancing to this song / We doing it, we going on and on, on and on"
08. "Body Of My Own" - 9.3/10
The lyrics are the highlights in this song. She basically declares that she needs no man, and she has the body of her own to satisfy her (in all the possible ways, if you know what I mean). Its bridge is also a highlight. Enough said about this song.
"Yeah, I can do it better when I'm all alone / Lights out, so high, all alone / I got a body of my own"
09. "Famous" - 9.9/10
One of the best songs in the album. The beat is so relaxing but makes me wanna dance shameless at the same time. Seriously, I can't explain what is good behind this track. Just listen to it and you'll understand what I mean. Definitively the second biggest highlight of the album, in my opinion.
"One night we're gonna come and crash the party"
10. "Hanging Around" - 9.1/10
If you are a fan of Weezer or at least like it enough, you'll get the references to the band in this track. It was written by Rivers Cuomo (if you don't know, he is the vocalist of Weezer) and he even offers some backing vocals to the song. It was also heavily influenced by pop rock, maybe because it is exactly Weezer's main genre. I don't like this song very much, but it is my opinion, I'm pretty sure a lot of people enjoyed this.
"Let's go out of this town / Too bored, hanging around"
11. "Die Tonight" - 9.2/10
Her vocals are perfect in this song, it is one of the few tracks that her voice does not sound forced and actually end up being good, mainly in the chorus. It is kinda boring compared to the rest of the album, which is very agitated, but it is still a good song. She also does the nanananana, and I love when she does it.
"Oh, I could die tonight / Cuz I got the magic in my veins"
12. "Caught In The Middle" - 9.0/10
"Our hearts got caught in the middle / Caught in the middle of love"
The chorus reminds me of summer, which is weird, since summer had not even started when I heard to this song first. I'm pretty sure it could work for a last single of album, it has that summer vibe. But still, it was one of the few songs in the album that barely caught my attention and by this point, being honest, I was almost getting bored with this following Die Tonight, but...
13. "Need Ur Luv" - 10/10
...This started! It is easily the best song of the album, and its opening lines are freaking amazing. The drums followed by the sweet opening vocals singing "I need your luv" slayed it. The beat combined with the lyrics of it are completely the best combination of the album, and it sounds like a hit from the 1960s or the 1970s with a modern background. I recently found it that it was confirmed as the third single of the album and after the perfomance at David Letterman, I was sure that this was one of the best songs ever recorded by Charli. It deserves to be a smash hit, but I kinda doubt that. Anyway, hopes up. (P.S. Rostam was awesome at that piano during the perfomance at David Letterman).
Conclusion
"Sucker" is a solid album, with solid and powerful tracks in its arsenal. It goes from a punk rock attitude, passing through bubblegum pop influences and power ballads. If you are looking through an album to listen now, then go for it. I'm pretty sure that you will like of at least four tracks of this amazing album. It might not be her finest work or anything, but is one of the highlights in the mainstream pop scenario this year.
Highlights: "Sucker", "Famous" and "Need Ur Luv".
Worst lyrics of the album, but a freaking catchy beat. It reminds me of the main themes of the Nickelodeon shows of the late 90s and the earlier 2000s. Especially the "I never thought I'd be living in the USA / doing things the american way-ay-ay" part. The idea behind this, a foreigner in the USA doing things the "american way", is not original but is still cool, and it could have been developed better.
04. "Breaking Up" - 9.7/10
I love this one, and is definitely one of my favorites. Everything here, from the stunning music video to her amazing voice effects during the second verse, makes me feel like repeating this song again and again. It has some pop/rock and pop/punk influences (the whole albums does actually), and it fits perfectly with the subject of the lyrics (which in the case, in breaking up).
"You said you loved me / I say 'what?'"
05. "Gold Coins" - 9.2/10
Just like London Queen, the lyrics are the main problem in this one. It is basically about how she has a lot of money, and is spending like she doesn't care. But, man, that beat is so damn good, especially at the final of the song.
"Gold coins everywhere / and I'm spending like I don't care"
06. "Boom Clap" - 9.5/10
The popular song of the album, it was placed right at the middle of the album, and I love how it fits perfectly after Gold Coins. It has easily one of the best lyrics of the album, if not the best at all. This track was certainly one of this year's most joyful pop delights. I just wish it were longer, but then I remember that it was originally for a soundtrack and everything is fine. And it also reminds me that I still have to watch Fault In Our Stars...
"You are the sun, the glowing halo / and you keep me burning me with your love".
07. "Doing It" - 9.4/10
You know those songs that catch you in the opening ten seconds? Well, this song is one of these. It starts with Charli laughing quickly that it is almost impossible to hear, and then we have her powerful vocals catching our attention. The lyrics are repetitive, but it is the last thing you will realize while hearing this track. It kinda gives me a 2000s vibe towards the end.
"All along, we dancing to this song / We doing it, we going on and on, on and on"
08. "Body Of My Own" - 9.3/10
The lyrics are the highlights in this song. She basically declares that she needs no man, and she has the body of her own to satisfy her (in all the possible ways, if you know what I mean). Its bridge is also a highlight. Enough said about this song.
"Yeah, I can do it better when I'm all alone / Lights out, so high, all alone / I got a body of my own"
09. "Famous" - 9.9/10
One of the best songs in the album. The beat is so relaxing but makes me wanna dance shameless at the same time. Seriously, I can't explain what is good behind this track. Just listen to it and you'll understand what I mean. Definitively the second biggest highlight of the album, in my opinion.
"One night we're gonna come and crash the party"
10. "Hanging Around" - 9.1/10
If you are a fan of Weezer or at least like it enough, you'll get the references to the band in this track. It was written by Rivers Cuomo (if you don't know, he is the vocalist of Weezer) and he even offers some backing vocals to the song. It was also heavily influenced by pop rock, maybe because it is exactly Weezer's main genre. I don't like this song very much, but it is my opinion, I'm pretty sure a lot of people enjoyed this.
"Let's go out of this town / Too bored, hanging around"
11. "Die Tonight" - 9.2/10
Her vocals are perfect in this song, it is one of the few tracks that her voice does not sound forced and actually end up being good, mainly in the chorus. It is kinda boring compared to the rest of the album, which is very agitated, but it is still a good song. She also does the nanananana, and I love when she does it.
"Oh, I could die tonight / Cuz I got the magic in my veins"
12. "Caught In The Middle" - 9.0/10
"Our hearts got caught in the middle / Caught in the middle of love"
The chorus reminds me of summer, which is weird, since summer had not even started when I heard to this song first. I'm pretty sure it could work for a last single of album, it has that summer vibe. But still, it was one of the few songs in the album that barely caught my attention and by this point, being honest, I was almost getting bored with this following Die Tonight, but...
13. "Need Ur Luv" - 10/10
...This started! It is easily the best song of the album, and its opening lines are freaking amazing. The drums followed by the sweet opening vocals singing "I need your luv" slayed it. The beat combined with the lyrics of it are completely the best combination of the album, and it sounds like a hit from the 1960s or the 1970s with a modern background. I recently found it that it was confirmed as the third single of the album and after the perfomance at David Letterman, I was sure that this was one of the best songs ever recorded by Charli. It deserves to be a smash hit, but I kinda doubt that. Anyway, hopes up. (P.S. Rostam was awesome at that piano during the perfomance at David Letterman).
Conclusion
"Sucker" is a solid album, with solid and powerful tracks in its arsenal. It goes from a punk rock attitude, passing through bubblegum pop influences and power ballads. If you are looking through an album to listen now, then go for it. I'm pretty sure that you will like of at least four tracks of this amazing album. It might not be her finest work or anything, but is one of the highlights in the mainstream pop scenario this year.
Highlights: "Sucker", "Famous" and "Need Ur Luv".
P.S.: The album version that I got (the album isn't available to buy in my country yet) didn't have "So Over You" and the cover of "Money" so I don't feel like reviewing these two tracks.