Are we in control of life or is life in control of us? La Roux covers the Rolling Stones' territory with a deliciously '80s take on their hit "Under My Thumb." Two Canadian rappers, Drake and k-os, hop on one track and blow people's minds, while Trey Songz steps away from the liquor-fueled party anthems for twisted relationship drama. Sorry, sounds like life is in control. But at least you can enjoy the ride.
La Roux - Under My Thumb
What's good: La Roux is keeping the flame alive for new wave '80s babies! The good news is for those unfamiliar with the Rolling Stones original, this song will sound like a completely new track from the synth-loving British band. Elly Jackson's vocals are processed and distant while snapworthy drums lead the march onward and forward. The production on the track is densely layered with little detailed sounds snuck in and layers of vocals piled on like mattresses from the "Princess and the Pea." Plus, Elly gets to sing about a woman without having to explain if she's a lesbian or not. This song sounds like it should be playing somewhere in a bar in Miami on '80s night, but it feels really right.
What's bad: The song is SO '80s that if you don't like that (amazing) decade of music, you're left out in the cold. But if that's the case, you probably don't like La Roux anyway. One downside is that the song isn't as immediately accessible as "Bulletproof." It might take a few listens to fall under the spell of "Under My Thumb." And even then, the retro sound might send you running to play a game of PacMan rather than hitting repeat.
K-os featuring Drake - Faith
What's good: K-os is one of Canada's best kept secrets, and on this track, he's teams up with one Canada's best success stories, Drake. The soulful track presents Drake in a new light. He sounds subdued but still self-congratulatory. "You should give us credit, n**gas killing people we could out be doing that instead, but we not," Drake rhymes. Well, thank you for not being a thug, Drizzy! His flow sounds hungry on this track, and it's a little more sped up than usual. And look ma, no punchlines! K-os plays the singer and rapper role, which is usually Drake's gig. His chorus is light and his verse is poetic, in a way that Digable Planets stuff used to be. Art wins!
What's bad: This is way too short! Yes, it's from k-os' "Anchorman" mixtape, but still, both rappers only spit one verse and then rely on the hook to carry the roughly three-minute track. And even though this is a thinker's track for people who have an attention span that can go lower than 130 bpm, it's easy to see some dismissing the song as being "boring."
Trey Songz - Can't Be Friends
What's good: Finally, a song from Trey Songz that doesn't push sex and alcohol down our throats. Well, there's a little sex, but this is more about sex within the context of a relationship and less about pornographic claims to fame. The song finds Trey reviewing a friendship turned relationship gone bad. He's reeling from their break-up and he retraces the evolution of their relationship. But the pain proves too great, so he ends up regretting the whole messy thing. Trey's voice soars above a delicate instrumental that swells when necessary and falls to the background when appropriate. This one is for the "grown and sexy," the youngin's can have "Bottoms Up."
What's bad: Ballads are hard to win with, even when they're well-written and smartly-executed. And while Trey sounds strong and convincing on the track, it's hardly a breakthrough of any sort. There's also the matter of Trey's goat vibrato. Sometimes it gets the best of him, making you wonder if there's an earthquake in his trachea. Get it under control, Trigga.
