| |
Special Event: atrlcritic | Ed Sheeran's new songs after the upgrade
Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
|
Quote:
Originally posted by hello_world
I'm gonna try to do a review for Little Machines later  |
if you're gonna troll her 
Quote:
Originally posted by hello_world
Also since when did alexanderao have control? Was there some communist uprising here or  |
the mods don't have time for the thread anymore so they had to appoint a user, and apparently they thought alexanderao was the most competent person for the job
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
|
holyground: music in review 
8.8
"appropriate for spazzing like Lorde"
highlights
"but I got my fingers laced together and I made a little prison
and I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me"
| Yellow Flicker Beat
Lorde
The Hunger Games is my most favourite movie franchise ever, so of course The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 is my most anticipated movie this year. When I saw that Lorde was appointed curator of the soundtrack, I was beyond thrilled. The previous two soundtracks have been amazing and her contribution on the previous soundtrack, a dark cover of the joyful-sounding Everybody Wants to Rule the World, blew me away. Thankfully, Yellow Flicker Beat only bolsters my hopes up even more.
Firstly, Lorde cannot be a more appropriate musician to do this soundtrack. Her music and sound is like it was made for The Hunger Games universe. Her dark, brooding tone instantly clicks with the chaotic and anarchic vibe of the premise. This is exemplified with the song, with the build up and the lyrics.
The song starts quiet and gloomy, describing what seems to be about Katniss', the main protagonist, point of view on the conflict, her role and her emotions. Lorde really paints a solid image with her intricate lyrics. Then in the pre-chorus, her layered vocals brings a really ominous tone, which is really mesmerising. And then the chorus comes and cue Lorde's dancing. Well, that's what I did when I hear that insanely catchy beat. Plus, it really captures the chaos the movie portrays. Interestingly, we could also view this song in Lorde's perspective, how she's a fresh newcomer and trying to make a mark in the music industry, which she will most definitely accomplish.
Overall, this is a step up from the previous lead single, Atlas by Coldplay, both in terms of quality and capturing the movie essence. It makes me more excited for the movie and it reassures me of Lorde's talent and place in the industry. The fact that she can do so much, and we've only known her for a year or so, just makes my mouth water for more Lorde. And the fact that she's younger than me... And is way more accomplished, way more talented, way more eloquent way more successful way more intelligent way more creative way more cooler than me... Just makes me sad.
|
previous reviews
archives
...
break the rules - charli xcx - 7.5
my everything - ariana grande - 6.7
v - maroon 5 - 5.0
goddess - banks - 8.8
blame (feat. john newman) - calvin harris - 6.0
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
|
holyg, you didn't mention anything negative or what you dislike about the song, so how come you didn't give a full score? I'm curious 
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 27,856
|
YELLOW FLICKER BEAT
"Yellow Flicker Beat", the lead single off of the upcoming, Lorde-curated Mockingjay (Part 1) Soundtrack is a song which powerfully manages to encapsulate the furore of the Post-Apocalyptic world of Panem. Building upon her riveting cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", Lorde steps her efforts up a notch on this single, produced by none other than acclaimed and Grammy-award-winning producer Paul Epworth. Despite this being one of the first songs released by Lorde without Joel Little, sole producer of her 10 song debut LP, Lorde retains a clearly familiar sound. Drums, synths and her usual minimalistic vocals and harmonies are as present as ever.
However this familiarity does not detract from Paul's clear ability to capture the true feelings of desperation and ferocity during the songs main chorus. Lorde's lyricism takes the song to a soaring high, through her use of vivid imagery, including a variety of stones - and the clever use of the Flicker to parallel with the Mockingjay.
All in all, an impressive and solid display from Lorde, which after a number of listens is still continuing to display hidden depths.
9.5/10
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
|
Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
holyg, you didn't mention anything negative or what you dislike about the song, so how come you didn't give a full score? I'm curious |
I could barely think of anything that's bad about the song, if I did I think I would just be nitpicking. And a full score is too elusive.  I guess my scoring is more of relative.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
|
Quote:
Originally posted by holyground
I could barely think of anything that's bad about the song, if I did I think I would just be nitpicking. And a full score is too elusive. I guess my scoring is more of relative. |
So you will never give a perfect score?
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
|
Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
So you will never give a perfect score?
|
I'm not sure.  It's kinda hard to say. I'm very scared of going extreme scores.
And it's funny cuz like for rates I don't mind giving out a bunch of 10s.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
|
Quote:
Originally posted by holyground
I'm not sure. It's kinda hard to say. I'm very scared of going extreme scores.
And it's funny cuz like for rates I don't mind giving out a bunch of 10s. |
Hm, okay. I'm not really convinced because if there is nothing you can criticise about a song, there is no reason not to give it a full score and it basically says a full score can't be achieved, but in the end you can give whichever score you want
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
|
Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
Hm, okay. I'm not really convinced because if there is nothing you can criticise about a song, there is no reason not to give it a full score and it basically says a full score can't be achieved, but in the end you can give whichever score you want |
Basically, anything above 80 is superb for me (following Metacritic's Universal Acclaim benchmark). And then it comes down to either the downsides of the song, or the extent that it's good. For the latter, there's nothing to criticise imo. Two songs can have no flaws, but one can still be better than the other. Idk if that makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 4/22/2012
Posts: 33,490
|
Quote:
Originally posted by holyground
Basically, anything above 80 is superb for me (following Metacritic's Universal Acclaim benchmark). And then it comes down to either the downsides of the song, or the extent that it's good. For the latter, there's nothing to criticise imo. Two songs can have no flaws, but one can still be better than the other. Idk if that makes sense. |
It does, but then there would be a reason why you prefer one of them and that would in return be something to criticise about the other song 
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 27,248
|
Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
It does, but then there would be a reason why you prefer one of them and that would in return be something to criticise about the other song |
Maybe, but that would require me to compare with another song which is hard. Also a lot of times it's just based on instinct or it's just indescribable, like, the song just simply doesn't blow you away as much as the other one. 
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 39,572
|
Quote:
Originally posted by borntodie
if you're gonna troll her
the mods don't have time for the thread anymore so they had to appoint a user, and apparently they thought alexanderao was the most competent person for the job |
Not liking an album isn't trolling like seriously  and I like the album anyway so  plus I feel weird giving extreme scores because if I have a song a 1/10 and then found another I liked more I'd feel awkward.
If they don't have time maybe instead of a modscore you could get like, the most active reviewers and give them their own category? Idk 
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 4/29/2012
Posts: 15,977
|
Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat
Lorde already lent her voice to the "Catching Fire Soundtrack" with her apocalyptic sounding cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". This time around she does the lead single for the soundtrack with original material.
The song starts with Lorde humming, instantely creating an eerie atmosphere reminiscent of Katniss' whisteling in the forest.The song slowly build up to a truly monumental beat drop in the chorus.It sounds big and opulent matching what's going to happen in the movie. Lyrically Lorde is also once again on her A-Game with the second verse being one of her strongest lyrics to date.The lyrics truly refelct Katniss and the whole situation of the movie which makes it such a perfect soundtrack
What is remarkable is how Lorde manages to mix her signature sound of the drum machine and her unique vocal flow into the song.It matches the movie but it is still completely authentic.
Final say:Lorde manages to uphold the high standard she set for herself with her debut with a collosal sounding song.
9,8/10
Fergie - L.A.Love(La La)
It's been quiet around Fergie music wise (disregarding "A little party" ) but now she is back with original material. Unfortunately the song does not live up to any of her past material.While she rides the DJ Mustard beat well enough in the verses and the pre chorus surely is kinda catchy everything is ruined by one of the most atrocious choruses of the year.As if the name dropping of counries and cities isn't already overdone as hell the "La la la la la" chants are unbelievably annoying and make everything that is decent about the song worthless.
Final Say:Fergie's comeback single is exactly what everybody feared since the chorus snippet leaked. A cluster of annoyance.
2/10
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
|
 | Lorde, the breakthrough artist of 2013, released the lead single from the "Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" soundtrack. I, personally, have mixed feelings about this song. At first, I expected something like the explosive cover "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". I was left a bit disappointed as the final result was something totally different than that. Also, I have to mention that I noticed that Lorde didn't do something that theatrical for the movie, leaving a more pop-ish lead single. The song itself isn't bad, but it also isn't something revolutionary. It has a nice beat, it's catchy, it fits with the movie, but I totally expected something else, something more dark in terms of sounds, with a beat that grows and grows like in Aguilera's "We Remain" from the soundtrack of the second movie from the "Hunger Games" film series. |
Score: 8.0/10
Other reviews
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 2/5/2014
Posts: 29,111
|
Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat
"Yellow Flicker Beat" is the first single from the Soundtrack for Mockingjay Part 1, a soundtrack Lorde herself curated. The song itself is nothing far removed from her hits "Team" and "Royals." "Yellow Flicker Beat" continues Lorde's fascination with gemstones and rare materials from "Royals" with lyrics about her blood "a flood of rubies, precious stones," scars of "silver and gold," and being "cut from marble." She may not have seen a diamond in the flesh before her debut hit, but now she's talking about being synonymous with the expensive goods she celebrated having nothing to do with. This wouldn't be too concerning since the single is part of a soundtrack for a movie and the song should represent the movie, but it really doesn't.
Katniss was never a hero that would equate herself to anything precious. Throughout the series she constantly assumed she would die during the games and constantly survivors guilt and a lack of ego (which contrasts with this song which has plenty of ego). In fact, Katniss is probably one of the most passive heroes in modern times, going with the flow and acting on impulse for he vast majority of the series. She constantly reacts to events around her rather than take control like the song suggests.
As a single to represent the Hunger Games, "Yellow Flicker Beat," is outclassed by Christina Aguilera's "We Remain" which captured the hopeless and defeated but still resolved tone of the characters well; Coldplay's "Atlas," which was spacey and ethereal to reflect the timeless story of one person resolutely fighting for another, and even The Civil Wars and Taylor Swift's "Safe & Sound" which used a sad folky sound (that captured the feeling of District 12) and told the story of one person comforting another after performing some kind of self-sacrifice. They are all songs that work in and out of context of the movie.
As a song, "Yellow Flicker Beat" itself is fine mainly due to the composition. The song starts out a capella before a beat reminiscent of "Team" kicks in. It's the beat of the song does the heavy lifting. Lorde herself doesn't add too much to the song, she mumbles her way through the song and really doesn't add much emotion to her performance, sounding rather detached and icy which is a strange contrast from the determined lyrics. The egocentric lyrics are difficult to relate to and there is little in the vocal performance to help the listener connect. It has interesting production, but that's pretty much it.
Grade: C-
Fergie - L.A. LOVE (La La)
Fergie is back after an 8 year break with the DJ Mustard produced L.A. Love (La La), a song in the running for worst song title of the year (among other worst things): why put la la in parenthesis??? and why is a track called L.A. Love mostly a shout-out to all the cities in the world??? It's possible that Fergie could be saying that she represents L.A. and that may be true especially since everywhere she visits from Switzerland to Sao Paulo to San Diego says "La La La La La" almost as if they're all plugging their ears and saying "la la la la la" so they don't have to hear her and they don't have to anymore! In the time since Fergie's absence, her niche has been filled by artists like Ke$ha, Iggy Azalea, and Nicki Minaj to an extend who all make trashy fun party music that has more substance or is more risky.
Everything about this track is the worst pop music has to offer. The la la la la la hook is grating; the cover (complete with L.A. hand gesture and marijuana leaves to appear current and urban edgy) is a try hard mess; the production, while fine and current, is nothing but make-up to make the dated and cliche subject of the song (either a pot song, or a song repping L.A., take your pick) sound fresh but only works to highlight the fact that the track was played out in the mid 2000s. A complete failure, it's try hard, it's cliche, it's dated, it's so 2000 and late.
Grade: F-
 My Reviews
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
|
Quote:
Originally posted by hello_world
Not liking an album isn't trolling like seriously and I like the album anyway so plus I feel weird giving extreme scores because if I have a song a 1/10 and then found another I liked more I'd feel awkward.
If they don't have time maybe instead of a modscore you could get like, the most active reviewers and give them their own category? Idk |
An alternative to the modscore has been discussed on and off throughout the last few weeks.
A "Top Critics" feature has been most requested, but it will not be added anytime soon.
It's just a bit hectic right now with 4 review periods overlapping for the next week or so.
|
|
|
|
Banned
Member Since: 4/13/2011
Posts: 18,738
|
SINGLE REVIEW
Radio Friendly Banks, Finally.
A Chasing Time Review
After releasing ATM Jam as the first single from the long awaited Broke with Expensive Taste, and then the hex-witch anthem “Heavy Metal & Reflective”, Azealia Banks returns to the scene with what is being hailed as “the Azealia Banks single we’ve always deserved”, Chasing Time.
It is a hip, retro futuristic, hip-pop record with house vocals provided by Azealia Banks herself. Being somewhat of a breakup song, where she talks about how she is “chasing time” after wasting it on someone that simply wasn’t worth hers, it appears to be one of her most personally inspired records yet. The hook, beginning with 'Cause I’m born to dance in the moonlight, I feel like spending my nights alone makes this song a no brainer for electronic dance/night-out on the streets club anthem.
While Chasing Time is void of the usual mind-bending rollercoaster loop lyrics that Azealia usually includes in her work, it is perhaps her first official made-for-radio release. It is my hope that she finds big label backing soon to help her promote and usher Chasing Time to the top of the charts. Who knows, this may be her last chance.
VERDICT
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
|
Yellow Flicker Beat is the lead single off of the Mockingjay soundtrack, which was curated by 17-year-old Lorde. She authored this song from the point of view of Katniss, and although I've never read or watched the Hunger Games series, the imagery in the song was vivid enough for me to get a picture of the situation. The song commences with a haunting humming intro, which is unique but a bit cringeworthy and awkward. Fortunately, it is all uphill from there. Lorde's vocals are unmistakable, the melodies are captivating, and soon an addictive tap-tap-tap fades in to the background. The opening lines segue well into the prechorus, which has a bit of a flat and monotonous melody but fits the mood of the track nonetheless.
The chorus then follows, and it truly makes this song. A beat drop occurs, and it is stellar. The throbbing, pulsating electro-pop beat hooked me immediately and was easy to bop to. The synths in the beat are subtle; much more subtle than some of her past work (*cough* Team and Buzzcut Season *cough*). This beat is more in the style of Glory And Gore, and it is alternative-pop gold. The song continues with a second verse that feels much more comfortable and familiar than the first because of the presence of the hard-hitting beat. By the time the second chorus is wrapped up and the song is reduced to a humming outro, I was thoroughly slayed. A brilliant song in every way.
Reviews:
Drake - 0 to 100 / The Catch Up (4.0)
La Roux - Trouble In Paradise (2.3)
Azealia Banks - Heavy Metal and Reflective (2.0)
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang (5.8)
Hilary Duff - Chasing The Sun (0.5)
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga - Anything Goes (4.9)
Nicki Minaj - Anaconda (2.0)
Beyoncé f/Nicki Minaj - ***Flawless Remix (3.7)
Pixie Lott - Pixie Lott (6.0)
FKA Twigs - LP1 (1.7)
Hilary Duff - All About You (4.1)
Taylor Swift - Shake It Off (7.1)
Charli XCX - Break The Rules (4.6)
Ariana Grande - My Everything (5.2)
Maroon 5 - V (5.4)
Banks - Goddess (8.2)
Calvin Harris f/John Newman - Blame (8.6)
Lorde - Yellow Flicker Beat (8.8)
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
|
Quote:
Originally posted by Bloomers
Haven't heard the Lights album yet but I have it and will listen.
I like what Prometheus said about the two songs.
Does anybody know though how grades translate to points? I use grades, but is a C a 7/10 or somewhere around a 5/10?
|
We use Metacritic scoring for atrlcritic.
A C is 50/100.
|
|
|
|
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 43,331
|
Quote:
Originally posted by alexanderao
| Chasing Time - Azealia Banks
Azealia Banks | N/A | Release Date: September 22, 2014
|  | dddddddddd
64 | Member Score
Generally Favorable Reviews
based on 14 Ratings | ddddd. | dddddd
}-- | Modscore
N/A
based on 0 Mods |
| | dddddddddddddd | Summary: The second single from the independent rapper off of her forthcoming debut album. | Record Label: N/A
Genre(s): Rap |
|
| Member Reviews | | d | .iPositive: ████████████████ 9 | | d | ....iMixed: ██ 1 | | d | Negative: ███████ 4 |
|
| | Mod Reviews | | d | .iPositive: 0 | | d | ....iMixed: 0 | | d | Negative: 0 |
|
|
|
Chasing Time results.
|
|
|
|
|
|
