In traditional stars out of 5.
Darren Hayes – Popular
As you might just have noticed I am incredibly excited about Darren’s return due to being a fan of the supersized nature, but even I, having never disliked a single Darren/Savage Garden track, could never have imagined that the song and video would be this good. Both have so many brilliant parts to them so I notice something new every time I listen or watch it. The song is electro-pop with a capital POP and as the title suggests it’s about what it takes to be popular in the music industry. The video is Darren going around London forcing people in places such as a bus, street, supermarket and train station to listen to the song on a very ace ghetto blaster. My favourite bit is during the “My friends are all celebrities” section of the song he is (in the video) posing with the waxworks at Madame Tussauds. It is fun to think that I have been to all the places in the video – I was on the set! I could have been on that bus or in that supermarket…
*****
Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved
It’s a bumper fun pack of videos this week with 2 of my top 3 favourite acts premiering at once! SWBL had a lot to live up to after the utter brilliance of both the song and video of This Love but the 5 have done themselves proud. Lead singer Adam shows even more flesh this time and gets to cavort with tow pretty ladies – a mother and daughter! The other members of the band aren’t shown much (as usual) but the glimpses of Ryan prove him to look very good in sunglasses. The song itself is one of their slower, sweeter tracks with lovely lyrics and is in fact the song that made me buy Songs About Jane so I’m hoping it will make many other people do the same.
*****
Busted – 3am
As you know I’m not exactly the no.1 fan of Busted’s music but I do think they are nice boys and I don’t mind them being popular, as they are about the only band even resembling proper pop music left that kids actually like. This song is quite good as it’s a more authentic American rock sound, only suffering from the fact that Busted are singing it. The video is mostly a performance video from their recent arena tour, interspersed with backstage clips and some dizzying specials effects such as multiple spinning Charlies. Either that or he thinks the only way to be the top posh boy in pop is to have a twin.
***