Tag: Naughty Boy

Naughty Boy x Mike Posner – Live Before I Die

“I don’t think there’s been a better story than Mike Posner.”

Tom: Over the years we’ve been writing this, Tim, I don’t think there’s been a better story than Mike Posner. When we first talked about him — on “Cooler Than Me” nearly nine years ago — I summed him up with three words: “what a dick“. In 2011, I called him “Chinstrap McPoser“.

Then he disappeared for a while, and came back with “I Took A Pill In Ibiza“, which we missed — but which certainly put him in a different light.

Tim: And we never did discover whether Avicii thought he was cool, did we?

Tom: And now: well.

Tim: Oh, wow.

Tom: The story’s as important as the music, there. Don’t get me wrong, the music’s also good: but the story’s better.

Tim: Yes, yes it is.

Naughty Boy feat. Joe Jonas – One Chance to Dance

Tim: Last week of the year, shall we have a game of Tracks We’ve Missed? This one’s from the beginning of November, one I’ve only just heard but kind of wish I’d heard sooner. Because it’s quite good.

Tom: Huh. I’m surprised I’ve missed that. Oddly, though, I think the introduction and first verse are the strongest part. I haven’t got tired of that overly-repetitive sample yet, and the vocals really stand out.

Oddly, I liked this less on second listen — but it did get a second listen, so it’s a cut above your normal pop track.

Tim: After all, you’ve got Naughty Boy’s production skills, Joe Jonas’s vocal skills, and a song with a very decent beat that’s all about dancing, ostensibly at least.

Tom: Well, yes, technically it is…

Tim: There may be some deeper meaning in there about something or other, but on top of everything, and going by the video, this is a song about Person A wanting to get with Person B by vaguely impressing them, and choosing the medium of dance. And as anyone who’s seen me dancing will know, that’s a medium I can very much get behind. Lovely.

Naughty Boy feat. Kyla & Popcaan – Should’ve Been Me

“There is a good melody line in there, I’m just not sure it’s enough.”

Tim: It caught my attention with the brass, it held my attention with the chorus. Take a listen.

Tom: That is a good chorus, isn’t it?

Tim: It is indeed – unlike almost all of Naughty Boy’s back catalogue, this one kept me listening, and pressing play again once it had ended. The two highlights are the ones I’ve already mentioned – chorus line and brass – which takes care of everything except the two verses, which are acceptable enough to make this an enjoyable listen for me.

Tom: The verses really aren’t great, though — and that chorus is, I suspect, more of a grower than is for the best. There is a good melody line in there, I’m just not sure it’s enough.

Tim: Then here we’ll disagree, as I’ll give a thumbs up for the music. The video, on the other hand, is a separate entity, as it doesn’t remotely go with the song.

Tom: A full-on sponsor-logoed music video. Well, I guess that was always going to happen.

Tim: Well it’s actually kind of a charity one, albeit one of the weirder charities out there, the Uganda Skateboard Union. Keeps kids busy by getting them skateboarding, presumably as an alternative to crime and stuff, and spreads awareness about HIV and sanitation while it’s at it. Unusual methods, but fair play to them if it works, I guess.