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Special Event: atrlcritic | Ed Sheeran's new songs after the upgrade
Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 10,989
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bloomers
Hilary Duff – Chasing the Sun
Before listening to Chasing the Sun, I have never knowingly heard a Hilary Duff song and the most I’ve ever paid attention to her was when she guested in an episode of Community. Not that I dislike her, I just was never interested in anything she had to do with. Going in blind I didn’t know what to expect: Power-ballad? Black Metal? Throbbing club anthem? Experimental Electronic Country-Rap? It turns out Chasing the sun is just a simple, bubbly pop song, nothing more and nothing less. There’s a simple drum beat and bright sunny guitars. It’s completely inoffensive and breezy with zero edge, something that would play excellently in a clothing store as background music. Vocally, the song is nothing special but it doesn’t need to be. Hilary does a great job of selling the music and the dreamy feeling of the song by not stepping all over the music. The song is just fun and easy-going, it doesn’t want to be anything else and it shouldn’t need to be. Chasing the Sun works well for what it is.
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Grade: B |
This!
I can't at the hate for the song. 
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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Quote:
Originally posted by Superiore
You guys are so extreme  First the unnecessarily too high votes for Bang Bang, now the unnecessarily too low votes for Chasing The Sun. Mess  |
This
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 8,832
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Chasing the Sun - Hilary Duff
Hilary, like other Disney sensations, was never the kind of artist that I considered myself a fan even though 'Wake Up' always brought me back nice childhood memories. I decided to give this a listen to see how much she decided to step up her game and if she delivered some quality in her work which sadly didn't occur. Nothing in this song stands out with the exception of her lack of vocal power and the cliché folk lyrics; good enough for her fan base to satisfy their long wait but not decent enough to take Hilary away from the "pop girls that passed her peak" category.
D
Bang Bang - Jessie J, Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj
One thing that I always avoid is listening to a Jessie J song, sure the girl has some nice pipes but when you have that good of a voice and you decide to overuse it most of the time with lyrics that seem to be written by a middle school girl who has no clue what good music is about it's doomed to become a catastrophe, only this time she decided to bring an artist who has the same problem with oversinging as her and a rapper. Having Ariana and Jessie J on the same track is like listening to the sound of two furious chanting whales in a karaoke sing off with Nicki being the only sort of decent thing coming out of this tragedy. Is this a hit waiting to happen? I'm not sure yet but when you have three fanbases requesting on the radios and buying it on iTunes it's off to a nice start.
At least the chorus is catchy.
F
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Member Since: 11/18/2010
Posts: 2,213
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HUSTLER'S REVIEWS
HILARY DUFF - "CHASING THE SUN"
Hilary comes back after a huge hiatus with a song which isn't exactly what people were expecting since the first rumours about her comeback being EDM-based. "Chasing The Sun" is a catchy, feel-good acoustic tune which sees Hilary wondering about life choices and living a fun life. Certainly the vocals are okay and she seems happier then ever, yet the formula is kind of dated and it's not the one screaming "smash hit". She may have a little trouble scoring high positions on charts, yet she definetely accomplished what she wanted to do.
7/10
JESSIE J, ARIANA GRANDE & NICKI MINAJ - "BANG BANG"
The song which caused the funniest reactions in 2014 so far within the whole blogosphere is already snatching wigs left and right all around the world. Was it worth the wait, tho? The answer is: yes. It's not quite what you would expect off these three artists, especially in a time where the Max Martin assisted "Problem" is still doing its thing: in fact, the structure is the one of a typical pop song tailored for radios. Even though we're not in front of a masterpiece, the individual performances of the girls are what makes it memorable: Jessie is literally on fire, showing everybody that she's back and here to stay. Nicki delivers one of the best pop verses she has ever recorded, coming at it with her signature machine-gun flow. Surprisingly, Ariana does her thing not overdoing it: if you're expecting killer falsettos and a Carey-style performance, then you may be disappointed. "Bang Bang" might not be instant, but it's definetely a huge grower.
8/10
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Quote:
Originally posted by Superiore
You guys are so extreme First the unnecessarily too high votes for Bang Bang, now the unnecessarily too low votes for Chasing The Sun. Mess |
I don't know. I don't think it's one of the worst songs ever or anything, but I just didn't feel much of anything when listening to it. It's way too unassuming for a Duff return single.
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 37,294
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 | Hilary Duff,one of the most popular Disney singers back in the day, comes back after a 6 years hiatus with her newest single "Chasing The Sun". My opinion is that the single leaves a huge disappointment, especially after that huge hiatus. The song is blind and boring, a "Stars Are Blind" wanna-be and of course, being worse than it. However, the chorus is a bit more catchy with the "I'm chasing the sun" part starting to be stuck in your head after a few listens. I just wanted something more different from Hilary, something more grown up. We don't need some other sort of Disney songs, we need something new, original and that could make us say "I missed this girl". I don't know what was in their mind when they made this song the lead and I'm hoping that she has much better things to deliver with her next single. |
Score: 4.2/10
Other reviews
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Member Since: 1/4/2014
Posts: 3,513
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Azealia Banks - Heavy Metal and Reflective
"Heavy Metal and Reflective" is a feast and not only because it has been almost a year since we got new Azealia Banks' music but also because it's actually pretty damn good. I say this because in all honesty, Azealia could have given me anything at this point. I just needed something. Anything that would have showed me she was back, probably would've pleased me but now 3 days and about 300 plays later, there's no question: AB is back and she didn't knock, she banged!
First and foremost this song delivers. Banks, releasing "Heavy Metal and Reflective" independently under her own name, re-started the hype around her debut album "Broke With Expensive Taste" with this single, which in fact is our first tease at the album since "Yung Rapunxel" and "ATM Jam", if those are still included. But for what this song is aiming at, building hype around her album, it certainly delivers. While it might not be your everyday single or what you hear on the radio these days (which doesn't surprise me because Azealia likes to take bold choices) the song does exactly what it's supposed to do, hyping us for what's to come and after hearing "Heavy Metal and Reflective" for the first time, I was pretty hyped.
The production of "Heavy Metal and Reflective" is superb, the beat is dark, unconventional and completely sucks you in from second one and that's exactly what Azealia Banks likes to do. This is like a mix between "212" and "Yung Rapunxel" as it keeps that dark and experimental vibe of the latter but also revisits the club-potential of the former. Well, at least I can see myself go batsh*t crazy on this while drunk in the club... but maybe that's just me. Of course Banks is still a rapper and while you need the beat for a good record, you need the lines and spits to be a good rapper. Luckily, Azealia is known for not holding back, yet this might be her most monotone song rap-wise. But in Azealia's case that isn't a bad thing, her voice is intriguing and her rap-game doesn't bore for a second plus with lines like "I be P.Y.T. You Billie Jean. You been that ex bitch!" and "I be very cheeky. Bitch I'm better. Bet you wet, bitch." you know she's still one of the best, if not the best!
Although "Heavy Metal and Reflective" might not be for everyone, one thing is certain: Azealia Banks is done being played around with and if we can take anything away from her other endeavors, we know she won't be satisfied with anything less than the very best. So brace yourselves because there's a reborn Azealia ready to take over.
10/10
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 1/21/2012
Posts: 13,593
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Bang Bang - Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki
I'd be lying if I'd say that I am a fan of any of these women. Apart from them curves (and Super Bass) I've never really liked Nicki, at all. Ariana has only been annoying me with her high-pitched songs and 13 year old lolita image lately. Jessie I never really cared much for, but her songs have generally been enjoyable to me and Who You Are still gets me every time.
Now these 3 women collaborated to create Bang Bang. Considering my feelings towards Nicki and Ariana's music I didn't expect much at all. But I ended up being very pleasantly surprised!
Jessie J's recognizable vocals open the song, and she definitely delivers. It's really just a typical Jessie J verse though, but it fits the song really well. I'd say that the song was made primarily with Jessie J in mind. Which makes sense, as it's the first single from her new album.
What surprised me most though is Ariana Grande. Bang Bang shows that if Ariana does not try to get all Mariah on us, she actually delivers some pretty damn good singing. Not that I didn't know she could legitimately sing well, but I hadn't heard even one song from her yet that worked for me.
Then Nicki Minaj's verse started. At this point I was a little confused why I was actually enjoying a song that I by all rights should not be enjoying at all. Even Nicki didn't annoy me, and that's pretty rare. Even though I can barely understand what she's saying, it sounds pretty good. That works, I guess?
The whole song is incredibly catchy and energetic. When the chorus kicks in it just gets you all pumped up. While writing this review I found myself restarting the song because it was already stuck in my head.
Verdict
Bang Bang is a surprisingly great song. How did this collab even work?!
8.5/10
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Member Since: 2/27/2012
Posts: 12,567
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Azealia Banks - "Heavy Metal and Reflective"
Warping each word she spits to her satisfaction, Azealia continues to make her idiosyncratic intonation sound cooler with each release. Every phrase bounces back from the last, as if she's playing a game of ping-pong with herself, constantly trying to outdo her last move. I could imagine the beat accompanying an updated version of an old-school video game, like Tetris. Even though the track is a bit too short to contain that break, Azealia still manages to charm you into believing her titillating affirmations. A sort of a celebration of artistic autonomy, Banks will leave you thirsty for more. And while we may not know when said "more" will arrive, you better believe that Yung Rapunxel will remain indestructible.
7.5/10
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Member Since: 4/7/2009
Posts: 34,961
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Hilary lord jesus
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Banned
Member Since: 6/25/2011
Posts: 37,192
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This is the best thread ever 
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Member Since: 1/1/2013
Posts: 13,978
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I've never been a Hilary Duff fan. That Come Clean song is sorta fine I guess. This new song she released is lifeless and unoriginal. I've heard it all before. Very boring. Vocally she sounds totally disinterested, and the cliches are everywhere. Totally devout of any personality, literally anybody could have sang this. The production, again, feels like something I've heard endless amounts of times, with the light summery feel, and it just doesn't work!
2.9/10
Although I can't stand Azealia Banks as a person, I've always liked some of her music like 212 and Yung Rapunxel. Her new song is a mixed bag. The production isn't anywhere near as interesting as the 2 songs I mentioned, and is pretty much the same throughout the whole song, and it gets a bit repetitive. Her flow isn't anything special. Still, I think lyrically the song is good and overall I did enjoy it. Even if she fades into irrelevancy (which I hope, and think will happen if she continues to act the way she does) at least she served us a few good bops!
6.8/10
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 2,576
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Hilary Duff - Chasing The Sun
Hilary's attempt to comeback in the music industry comes in the form of Chasing The Sun. A very beachy, summer-y song, Hilary had the right makings of a summer hit. This song is somewhat cute, but it has obvious flaws to me. Being only 2 minutes and 35 seconds, it feels too short to me, and it also feels a bit.. unoriginal to me. The lyrics sounds very cliche, and the song is also very repetitive. With each verse only being 6 lines each, the song lacks depth. Overall, it isn't the worst release of the year, but Hilary could of done a lot better.
4/10
Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang
Often compared to the next Lady Marmalade, Bang Bang packs a lot of punch. The song opens with Jessie, and her strong vocals. Ariana adds a nice touch, but the strongest part of the song is Nicki's verse. She really gave the song a unique touch to it, and made it a lot better for me. There is one major issue with this song, however. Throughout the entire song, and especially in the last chorus, it feels as if Jessie and Ariana are battling to see who can belt louder. Jessie is NOTORIOUS for over-singing, but I feel it's too much in this song. I do enjoy the occasional incident of "over-singing", but it's too prominent in this song. I like the song, I just wish Jessie would of toned it down a bit.
7/10
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Member Since: 8/6/2012
Posts: 5,333
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Azealia Banks - 'Heavy Metal and Reflective' When "Heavy Metal and Reflective" was first announced, I must admit that I was feeling a little nervous. It seemed as though it has been so long since we were given fresh material from Banks, and I wondered whether she still had that spark that made her so great on songs such as 'Esta Noche' and '212', just to name a few. And watching her twitter struggles and anti-label rants, I must admit that I was questioning whether there would ever be official music released from her, entirely. So, bring fourth 2014 and Azealia drops her not so highly anticipated track. And needless to say, I was speechless. I put my faith (and money) into Azeaila and was left completely unsatisfied with the results. The song itself is just plain boring, a snooze fest if you will. Coming in at just over 2 minutes and 30 seconds it can be seen as a short track. But honestly, one minute of this repetitive, one-style, monotone-flow induced song was more than enough. Very Boring and Repetitive would be a much more fitting title for this effort. *Doc's format
Reviews:
Sia - '1000 Forms of Fear' (Grade: D- | 1.6/10)
Drake - '0 to 100/ The Catch Up' (Grade: D+ | 3.3/10)
La Roux - 'Trouble in Paradise' (Grade: C- | 4.2/10)
Azealia Banks - 'Heavy Metal and Reflective' (Grade: D | 2.5/10)
Hilary Duff - 'Chasing The Sun' (Grade: F- | 0/10)
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 20,654
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woo Lord It's keeps getting worse for Hilary 
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Banned
Member Since: 6/25/2011
Posts: 37,192
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I wish y'all could hear what I hear in HM&R 
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Member Since: 1/4/2014
Posts: 3,513
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Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj - Bang Bang
"Bang Bang" really came out of the blue, I discovered this was a thing probably a week before the release date. "Random" was probably the first thought that popped into my head but when you think about it, "Bang Bang" might not be so random after all. Both Ariana and Nicki have albums coming up, as well as Jessie but she was in desperate need of a hit first.
Well, this might be just that.
Let me start by saying that I love each of these ladies individually. Ariana and Nicki are amazing artists, both have come a long way and while I'm not Jessie J's biggest fan, I have always had a soft spot for her music. So I felt quite excited for this collab but from the first few seconds I knew this was not for me. I'm sure this will be a decent hit and plenty of people will love this but this kind of over-production is not my cup of tea. But credit were credit is due, the vocals are amazing, all three ladies did an amazing job on their verses and I think the quality even gradually rises. Jessie has an amazing range but Ariana's soulful and dreamy voice fit the song better but then Nicki comes along and steals the spotlight. This type of song is definitely not what I would've imagined Nicki doing but damn, she rocked it. While I admire the three ladies for their efforts, the production and chorus totally kill this song. The last minute, after Nicki's verse, I could already do without.
"Bang Bang" is a nice effort from three nice ladies but this was not what I was hoping for. So this song will definitely not be on repeat the next couple of weeks in my iTunes but I might give it a go every now and then because the ladies still gave it their all. After all the song is just harmless fun and has some good moments so it deserves some recognition.
6.5/10
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Member Since: 8/6/2012
Posts: 5,333
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Hilary Duff - 'Chasing The Sun' "Hilary Duff", one of the founding mothers in children’s television has released a new song entitled "Chasing The Sun". I’m sure like the majority of you here, you were exposed to Duff through the legendary character that is 'Lizzie McGuire'. I refuse to believe that at one point in every childhood, if you were a child during Disney’s most iconic era of course, that you never once held a television control in your hand in lieu of a microphone singing along to "This Is What Dreams Are Made Of" with Ms. McGuire, as though you were right there with her in Rome (well, in this particular scene they were in the Walt Disney Studios, but let us not get caught up on technicalities). What I am trying to get at this that for many of us, she holds a special place in our hearts for this reason.
Unfortunately this song is testament to the fact that once you’re a Disney girl, you’re always a Disney girl and you’re never going to be taken serious as anything other than a Disney girl. Especially if you plan on releasing lacklustre, mundane music. If I said this song is mediocre, or even poor, I would be lying. This song is simply terrible. The term ‘generic’ gets thrown around frequently, especially on social and music forums, and a lot of the time they are labelled with that tag unfairly. This however cannot be argued for "Chasing The Sun". It offers nothing to music, pop or even to Duff’s currently non-existent career. All it does is serve as a stale reminder that Lizzie McGuire is no more. We now have an older, less entertaining and rather dull “Hilary Duff”. *Doc's format
Reviews:
Sia - '1000 Forms of Fear' (Grade: D- | 1.6/10)
Drake - '0 to 100/ The Catch Up' (Grade: D+ | 3.3/10)
La Roux - 'Trouble in Paradise' (Grade: C- | 4.2/10)
Azealia Banks - 'Heavy Metal and Reflective' (Grade: D | 2.5/10)
Hilary Duff - 'Chasing The Sun' (Grade: F- | 0/10)
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Member Since: 12/4/2010
Posts: 37,894
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Kane has not given one positive review yet and I love it. 
Quote:
Originally posted by Jameson Teqkilla
This is the best thread ever |
I knew it would get interesting once the pop girls got involved.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 12,760
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Dead @ my 4 being one of her highest scores.
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