Soulja Boy Tell 'Em - 'Kiss Me Through The Phone'
If this turns out to be a big hit - and the signs are that it might - I'm going to be a little disappointed, and here's why. When 'Soulja Boy' the song shot up the charts 18 months ago, partly off the back of jaw-dropping remix by Travis Barker (let's have another look at him for that, shall we? Yes.), you could have put money on Soulja being just another hip hop one hit wonder. He had a silly dance routine that went viral on the web - very hard to replicate - he didn't so much rap about things as say his own name over and over again with the occasional "OH!" for rhythmic variation, and...well that's it really.
You need more reasons? Oh well...
(. What kind of reception is he gonna get in that forest?)
Anyway, then he released 'Yahhh!', which did not come with a silly dance routine, or amazing Travis Barker remix, and, crucially, was a song shouting at people who have the nerve to bother Soulja Boy as he goes about his daily business. The idea was that he couldn't walk from one end of the Netto car park (or local equivalent) to another without getting stopped by fans or ambitious rappers, all of whom after a piece of his action. His response? To yell "YAAHHH!" and presumably they would then explode or something.
It was rubbish, but the kind of rubbish that rewards repeated listening, just so you can enjoy the rampant ego at work. I loved it to such ridiculous degree that it still gets put on iPod playlists, nearly a year later. But it wasn't a hit, because Soulja Boy was so clearly a one-hit wonder (and, as I say...it's rubbish), and now he's back with a sloppy love song with real words in it that isn't endlessly egotistical and it's probably going keep doing quite well for itself and I just think...where's the justice?
I mean, sure, 'Kiss Me Through The Phone' is a Akon-tastic slow jam with the chorus lyrics cribbed from 'Issues' by the Saturdays, and a bunch of ridiculous verses which don't sound like he means a single word because he's too busy trying to make it all rhyme. But is it stupid? Is it delusional? Does it rest on a ridiculous premise, in which Soulja Boy claims to be a LOT more famous than he actually is?
No, no and no. And frankly, if we're going to encourage our one-hitters to keep going, we need them to be a lot more crackers than this. A lot less eager to fit in with what everyone else is doing. And if you don't like that, I've only got one thing to say...
YAAHHH TRICK YAAAAH!
Download: Out now
CD Released: June 16th
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
"I personally think they need to put this into some other childish, party, cute genre but we are stuck with it being in Rap."
"What's his next single? Hug me through the toaster?"
Comment number 1.
At 20th May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:2 stars :O..it shud be at least 4 stars! i love this song! and it's been out for agess hw come you've jus reviewed it?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 20th May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:Pophangover says: "What's his next single? Hug me through the toaster?"
that comment wasant relevent grow up!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 20th May 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Hi Nosh,
The CD isn't out until June 12th, but the download has been out a while, hence the review now.
Lots of love
Fraser
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 20th May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:oh ok kwl xx
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 20th May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:Fraser, what kind of music do you listen to? x
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 20th May 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Well, apart from everything on the blog - which takes care of all my big shiny pop needs - at the moment I'm really liking Art Brut, Florence & the Machine, the Maccabees and the Horrors.
How about you?
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 20th May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:Was that sarcasm? Lol..umm I like anything that sounds good =] x
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 20th May 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:No, no sarcasm intended.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 20th May 2009, CurtainJerker wrote:Hopefully this won't sound pernickety, but you can't like EVERYTHING on the blog, otherwise we wouldn't have one- and two-star ratings, right?
BTW, I'm sure tons of people must have said this, but seriously - I'm stunned at that Maccabees song, and just how blatantly it rips off The Arcade Fire.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)
Comment number 10.
At 20th May 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:If it's pernickety you're after, then read on, my friend. ;-)
I did not say I liked everything on the blog. The question I was asked referred to the music I listen to. Some of it is against my will, but I still do it. I should get a medal, really.
As for the Maccabees/Arcade Fire thing... I sort of hear what you're saying, but I don't really like the Arcade Fire and I do really like the Maccabees.
Don't get mad, I know why I SHOULD like the Arcade Fire, but, having tried and tried and tried, I find they leave me cold.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)
Comment number 11.
At 20th May 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Oh dear, fail on not like Arcade Fire :(
I agree with this review btw, its pants.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 11)
Comment number 12.
At 20th May 2009, spirit wrote:What I don't understand is that you have said that for this blog you listen to a lot of songs against your will... and that you need a medal for this !
I really hope this is tongue in cheek.
There are alot of us out here that love music, and would love to be paid to listen to new songs and give inspiring , objective reviews to spread the joy of new music to eager listeners and readers !
For myself this would almost be considered a "dream job " and I would be so enthusiastic and excited about it, I would not feel like I was working at all.. it would be fantastic.. knowing that the people who read my words felt as passionately about music as I did, and encouraging others to share their likes and dislikes and enabling constructive and friendly debate.
All my varying adventures in music in my life I absolutely enjoy.
I think you have a wonderful job, and provide an excellent service to all of us intelligent, avid bloggers.
For every Eoghan Quigg .... there's The Maccabees, ,Empire of the Sun, Dizzee Rascal, The Veronicas , Basement Jaxx, The Horrors, Radiohead, Kings of Leon, Florence and the Machine, Glasvegas ,Interpol, Black Eyed Peas.
etc. etc.
Keep smiling.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 12)
Comment number 13.
At 21st May 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:I wasn't remotely complaining about my job, trust me. It's amazing.
That bit about the medal was, as you guessed, entirely tongue in cheek.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 13)
Comment number 14.
At 22nd May 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:i agree with CurtainJerker :) x
Complain about this comment (Comment number 14)