Tag: Jesper Jenset

Jesper Jenset – Never Coming Back

“I think I’ve caught some kind of mediocre-itis, Tim”

Tim: This is this guy’s second song; I won’t remind you what you said last time, as I don’t want to unduly influence you; put simply, it’s more of the same.

Tom: You’re right: it’s more of the same. At least it doesn’t sound like Train this time.

I think I’ve caught some kind of mediocre-itis, Tim. But all the songs we’ve been talking about lately have left almost no impression on me. They’re just… more of the same. Wait, is that what you meant?

Tim: Well, typically when you describes music as “more of the same”, you generally mean stylistically, that they’d play well next to each other. Here, though, they’re ACTUALLY IDENTICAL well not quite but still, check out the chorus of Superhero and then compare it with this one, and then tell me it doesn’t get you bouncing in your chair in exactly the same way.

Tom: It really doesn’t. Superhero charmed me, even despite its tweeness; I knew that if I kept listening to it, it’d get stuck in my head. This doesn’t have that same style to it: why do you think it’s identical?

Tim: It’s the chorus, mainly: the lead in there is the same with the “and we sang…” and “if not I’m…”, the post-chorus is there in exactly the same chanting fashion. Just too many similarities for me not to notice it.

Tom: Hmm. Well, yes, but I don’t think they’re that close in style. And perhaps I’m being a bit too dark: I’ll grant you the middle eight, and the run into the final chorus, is pretty good — but if the best I can say for the song is that “the bit that sounds different is okay”, then it doesn’t speak well for the song.

Tim: I almost feel cheated, and in fact I definitely would if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s just SO FREAKING CATCHY, and that my overriding thought is that I HATE THAT I LIKE THIS UTTERLY TWEE NONSENSE. DAMMIT.

Tom: Just develop a harsh, cynical armour that means you have a ludicrously high standard for pop songs.

Tim: Yeah, but that doesn’t sound as much fun.

Jesper Jenset – Superhero

“Oh, good grief, that’s an irritating rock-side-to-side song.”

Tim: Throughout the first verse of this, I felt it might take a horrible twee, chirpy, Hey Soul Sister line throughout.

Tom: That’s what it reminded me of! Yep, it sounds like it’s going to be a by-the-numbers Train song.

Tim: Fortunately, it doesn’t.

Tom: Oh, good grief, that’s not a foot-tapping song, that’s an irritating rock-side-to-side song. It’s still bloody twee.

Tim: Well, not at much as I first thought, at least. Yes, he’s a bit annoying with his irritating “yeah, I’m a great guy” smirk every time he looks at the camera, and the lyrics could do with a slight improvement – just for starters, who the hell chooses, for a hypothetical relationship, a sweet spot as being underneath a carpark?

Tom: I really hope that’s the kind of lyric that’s based on a real life event, rather than just his own brain.

Tim: So do I, because if it’s the latter than he could choose to imagine any place in the world, and he goes with “Look, love, down here – I know it’s got the whole sewer vibe going on, but there aren’t too many turds floating around right now.”

Tom: Classy, Tim. Classy.

Tim: Hey, it’s his words, not mine. BUT. Because yes, there’s a BUT, and it’s a big BUT, and you can probably guess what it’ll be. That’s an amazing chorus – bounce in your chair, hands clapping above your head, joining in with all the oh-oh-oh-ing in – and that on its own is entirely enough to redeem it.

Tom: And that’s where I disagree: it’s just too twee. It’s definitely catchy, it’s designed to hit every “this is nice” note. If I listen to this song more than a couple of times I’d probably end up quietly singing that chorus to myself — and then I’d realise, and hate it, and myself.

Tim: I had it going round in my head last night when I was trying to sleep. For a good hour or so. Fairly sure I know how you feel.