I knew I remembered this guy from somewhere!
http://www.vertigoshtick.com/2012/11...n-reviews.html
Brandon Hilton - "Dance Til I Die" (Brandon Hilton, October 9)
Popledge: For one awful moment I thought it was Paris Hilton’s brother – after a quick google search it turns out he’s an internet ‘celebrity’ – well he might as well be Paris’ brother – this track is naff, it just sounds cheap, in fact I’d rather sit through the whole Paris album than listen to this again. Awful. His voice just sounds slurred and weak and the production…I am cringing for him.
Taking Over the Universe: Brandon has been a good friend of mine for nearly a year now, and I have supported him every step of the way. He was a Myspace star once upon a time, but since the invention of Facebook, he's had to resort to the dismal life of being a pop star. Tragic, no? The song is very fast paced, with lyrics that smash themselves together to express a thought, getting the idea of the energy behind the idea across. The song may not be deep, but it is incredibly catchy. The message is that life is too long to worry about the small stuff and we should just party and enjoy life while we can. Brandon has come an incredibly long way both production wise, as well as vocally. This song is his best yet and my personal favorite. I may be biased, but I can honestly say that had I not known him before hearing the track, I would still enjoy it the same.
The Pop Messiah: Um, am I crazy or do the verses to this snoozefest almost exactly follow the melody of Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)?” Hilton’s voice is mediocre at best, even sounding terrible in parts despite the excessive auto-tune that is detectable even on the mid-range notes that shouldn’t need it. His performance lacks any passion to connect to the listener in a song which explores such groundbreaking topics as begging the DJ to turn up the bass, the thrill of new love, living for the music and apparently the desire to go back and make right the wrongs of your past. To its credit, it is remarkable how it manages to touch on so many topics, yet says absolutely nothing we haven’t heard before in a thousand other superior pop songs. I know I’m being a bit of an asshole but I’m sorry, for me personally, music fails when it has no feeling behind it and this song is dead inside. On that note, I guess it’s already time to stop dancing!
Techno School: The first time I played "Dance Til I Die," I automatically assumed Brandon Hilton was some unknown other sibling of Paris and Nicky. Apparently, he is not a third heir to the hotel chain fortune, but a self-made Internet sensation. What can I say? The Heard it Before techno beat--see any promotional video for any techno festival ever and you'll know what I mean--combined with fairly generic lyrics and mediocre vocals fooled me. It just screamed nepotism. Or sheltered-ness. A-la Rebecca Black and "Friday". From the articles I'm reading about him now, Hilton really does seem well-meaning. His lyrics seem honest. He definitely needs to take vocal lessons, though, and spend more time defining a unique sound, if he ever hopes to gain attention beyond his cult YouTube following. Pass.
MESS
