spring singles cleaning

lately, it seems like there has been a huge wave of new singles signaling the new and upcoming albums being released by today's top artists. i decided to sort though the onslaught and offer up my opinions of the songs and how they make me feel about the albums they will eventually belong to. i'm sure you can find all of these on the internet to download if you haven't already heard them and they also are all on the radio. i suppose i should mention that i am sticking to "big" bands and artists that get mainstream airplay and sell shitloads of records. there are too many good indie singles to go into. so here we go

"Be Yourself" by Audioslave
snooze city.

"Incomplete" by Backstreet Boys
why did i even listen to this you ask? well, i try to listen to everything. you never know where something good might be lurking. sometimes you 99% know. but anything could be brilliant. well, not this. i can admit to liking "i want it that way" both back in 1999 and today still. but this may be the worst song out on the radio now. exactly what you'd expect it is, only lamer.

"Don't Phunk With My Heart" by Black Eyed Peas
there were songs here and there on the last album that i thought were pretty good so i thought this could be decent. turns out to have nothing of what i liked in the previous songs. an overglorified chorus that feels like it wants to be an awesome hook, but really isn't. and the raps come up short. this song is a fucking dud.

"Speed of Sound" by Coldplay
this one has already been discussed, but i'll reiterate that i think it is fantastic. yes, the melody sounds like "clocks". fine, i won't argue with you, but if you let that detract from an otherwise great song, that's where we part ways my friend. this album is going to be amazing.

"American Baby" by Dave Matthews Band
i'm actually a fan of the dave matthews band in general, which will surely lose me some cool points amongst some readers. but the fact remains that i was a mid-pubescent when they hit big and at the time they hit the musical spot for me. and even though i can see where the detractors are coming from, i find most of their stuff genuinely fun. also "before these crowded streets" i think is legitimately good, interesting music. but this new single isn't so hot. it feels really pedestrian, even for dmb. it doesn't have any of the energy of the old stuff that i like or the experimentation of the "crowded streets" era. it's what everyone else that already hates the band expects it to be. the album seems like a must miss.

"Best of You" by Foo Fighters
this is terrible. and i like the foo fighters. "learn to fly" anyone? come on. they were never gonna be as good as "everlong" and "monkey wrench" again, but this song just blows. i hate it. it sounds like it belongs in a gillette commercial not my itunes.

"Feel Good, Inc." by Gorillaz
i like it. it's a little repetative and not as immediately catchy as "clint eastwood" but it definitely grows on me. damon's singing parts are much better than any of the rapping and the incessant "ha ha ha's" get old before the song is over. but i'll definitely be checking out the album.

"The Hand That Feeds" by Nine Inch Nails
i hate this song too. granted i was never a big NIN fan, but it seems really boring and plastic. does anybody really get a sense of excitement and rock 'n roll from this song?

"Layla" by Oasis
i find this one a little boring too. luckily, liam gallagher himself has said it was a bad choice for first single and doesn't represent the album. i'm always pumped for new oasis, even though i've been let down more often than not recently. the track shows promise for the album, but only if it's the weakest cut on it.

"B.Y.O.B." by System of a Down
the surprise of the spring. i fucking love this song. can't get enough. it's not my usual taste at all, but i sing along, bob my head, flail around every time i hear it. it's genius. i doubt i'll like the whole album as much, but this is one of my favorite mainstream singles of the year so far.

"Beverly Hills" by Weezer
this song is alright. i know a lot of people hate it. i don't really know anybody that loves it. it really is neither here nor there. i expected more from weezer. if you want to read a good review of the whole cd check out keegan's blog. i'm happy to say that there are much better songs on the cd than this. it feels like the one original song a really lame weezer cover band plays at the end of their set.

"Blue Orchid" by The White Stripes
now this song is one of the few that exceeds expectations. the first time i heard it, it didn't seem like the white stripes. but it also kind of felt exactly like the white stripes. and that's why it's brilliant. a full step forward for the band and a perfect tune to rock out to in the car. how old are you now anyway?


did i miss any?