holybatmon
01/14/10, 04:22 AM
The Veronicas - Hook Me Up
Record Label: Sire
Release Date: November 3rd, 2007 (AUS)
The Veronica's are hawt.
Right, now that that's out the way, we can give the album a listen! Hailing from down-under, The Veronicas (Lisa and Jess Origliasso), despite being big deal in Aussie country, have only just hit the shelves here in the UK. And with the recent release here of their 2007 sophmore effort Hook Me Up and re-release 4Ever gaining fair rotation on radio and "music" TV, what better time to indulge in some guilty-pleasure pop?
Make no mistake- The Veronicas are about as punk as John Lydon's whoring of Country Life, but (credit where credit is due) are a pop act who actually write their own material (and interestingly, have been involved in the penning of hits by both TATU and Cascada). after a quick Google (image) search I checked them out.
So, throwing away my dwindling sense of masculinity, what makes Hook Me Up any different from the hordes of other female fronted pop acts? Simply put: the melodies. This album is bursting with them. All puns intended, this is an extremely vocally-focused album, with hooks aplenty. From opener and lead single "Untouched" and it's slightly-ridiculous-but-sticky staccato verses, to the dancy, synthy trills of "Hook Me Up", these are the kind of choruses you find yourself humming to yourself involuntarily in the shower. Lisa and Jess's voices absolutely soar. The diversity on show here, from a vocal standpoint, ensures that whilst the verse-chorus-verse format is, of course, nothing to cream your progressive pants over, the songs somehow still seem to hold ups and downs. From emotive ballad "Revenge Is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were)" to satirical Hollywood dig-in "Popular", these girls have an energy in their vocals that keeps things upbeat and lends the songs a sense of intensity. Even when they slow it down ("This Love"), the choruses still kick things up a notch.
Song wise, we have the pure electro pop of "Take Me On The Floor" to the darker, almost grungy tones of guitar based "rocker" "All I Have". But there's one song that stands out in particular: "I Can't Stay Away". As one of the darker tracks on the album, containing one of the best choruses I've heard in a while, this is the highlight, cementing this album as one I can quite happily keep in rotation alongside more "intellectual" bands.
Alas, nothing is perfect. Closing on somewhat of a bum note, "In Another Life", with it's cheesy lyrics, is simply too, dare I say, girly. But throughout the album there's a sense of sincerity that you just don't hear from the likes of Ke$ha, strong songwriting that doesn't focus on "getting crunk in the club".
Of course, this isn't going to appeal to many of you. This is absolutepunk.net, not seventeenmag.com. But I have bought two albums recently; one was Every Time I Die's New Junk Aesthetic (fantastic). The other was this. And so for what it is, a pop record with slightly more "credibility" and "rock" appeal, you could do far worse.
Kelly Clarkson, TATU, general pop music, mmmtwinsmmm
Record Label: Sire
Release Date: November 3rd, 2007 (AUS)
The Veronica's are hawt.
Right, now that that's out the way, we can give the album a listen! Hailing from down-under, The Veronicas (Lisa and Jess Origliasso), despite being big deal in Aussie country, have only just hit the shelves here in the UK. And with the recent release here of their 2007 sophmore effort Hook Me Up and re-release 4Ever gaining fair rotation on radio and "music" TV, what better time to indulge in some guilty-pleasure pop?
Make no mistake- The Veronicas are about as punk as John Lydon's whoring of Country Life, but (credit where credit is due) are a pop act who actually write their own material (and interestingly, have been involved in the penning of hits by both TATU and Cascada). after a quick Google (image) search I checked them out.
So, throwing away my dwindling sense of masculinity, what makes Hook Me Up any different from the hordes of other female fronted pop acts? Simply put: the melodies. This album is bursting with them. All puns intended, this is an extremely vocally-focused album, with hooks aplenty. From opener and lead single "Untouched" and it's slightly-ridiculous-but-sticky staccato verses, to the dancy, synthy trills of "Hook Me Up", these are the kind of choruses you find yourself humming to yourself involuntarily in the shower. Lisa and Jess's voices absolutely soar. The diversity on show here, from a vocal standpoint, ensures that whilst the verse-chorus-verse format is, of course, nothing to cream your progressive pants over, the songs somehow still seem to hold ups and downs. From emotive ballad "Revenge Is Sweeter (Than You Ever Were)" to satirical Hollywood dig-in "Popular", these girls have an energy in their vocals that keeps things upbeat and lends the songs a sense of intensity. Even when they slow it down ("This Love"), the choruses still kick things up a notch.
Song wise, we have the pure electro pop of "Take Me On The Floor" to the darker, almost grungy tones of guitar based "rocker" "All I Have". But there's one song that stands out in particular: "I Can't Stay Away". As one of the darker tracks on the album, containing one of the best choruses I've heard in a while, this is the highlight, cementing this album as one I can quite happily keep in rotation alongside more "intellectual" bands.
Alas, nothing is perfect. Closing on somewhat of a bum note, "In Another Life", with it's cheesy lyrics, is simply too, dare I say, girly. But throughout the album there's a sense of sincerity that you just don't hear from the likes of Ke$ha, strong songwriting that doesn't focus on "getting crunk in the club".
Of course, this isn't going to appeal to many of you. This is absolutepunk.net, not seventeenmag.com. But I have bought two albums recently; one was Every Time I Die's New Junk Aesthetic (fantastic). The other was this. And so for what it is, a pop record with slightly more "credibility" and "rock" appeal, you could do far worse.
Kelly Clarkson, TATU, general pop music, mmmtwinsmmm