Lily Allen – Hard Out Here

Following her launch back into the music scene with the aid of a certain Christmas advertisement, Lily Allen has dropped her debut single from her forthcoming album ‘Hard Out Here’, co-written and produced by Greg Kurstin.

Off-beat verses hint at the ska-grooves of vintage Lily Allen, before heading for a four-on-the-floor build towards the huge drop of the electro-pop chorus. The chorus hook has a playful descending melody, extremely catchy, singable and booty-shaking danceable. Allen’s pleasing vocals delve into her soft upper range for the bridge, which perhaps make the delivery of the line ‘”forget your balls and grow a pair of tits” that much funnier.

And that’s what really sets this song apart, the wit, the sarcasm, the satire. The lyrics are Lily Allen at her best. Ripping the piss out of the music industry line by line. The feisty girl-power pop song has finally made a return and it can’t come soon enough.

Superlove – Charli XCX

Since penning summer smash ‘I Love It’, Charli XCX has been the most in-demand co-writer around, boasting songwriting credits with Britney, Rita Ora, Sky Ferreira and Marina Diamandis. This week however, she previews ‘Superlove’ the first single from her much anticipated solo album.

For the album she has teamed up with the likes of William Orbit, Greg Kurstin and Dimitri Tikovoi. The production hones that distinctive Charli XCX sound, in ‘Superlove’ we hear upbeat jangling guitars  combine with glowing electric sonics.

‘Superlove’ sees a step away from her previous LP which had flavours of punkier, darker verses, and is very much in the same vein as the brighter, dancier ‘I Love It’ . Verse melodies are hooky, uplifting. and lyrically brilliant. The pre-chorus has a very cool chromatic descending melody, combined with some excellent use of acronyms (we love a good R.I.P/S.O.S spelt out in a pop song).

In comparison to the verse, the chorus is OH SO FAST. We can’t figure out if it runs away a little too quickly, we are left wanting more, perhaps a bit of space between lines to process it all. But Charli XCX somehow pulls it off, spitting out the rapid-fire lyrics rhythmically with panache and attitude.

Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball

Before we get started, we’re not even touching on the whole video scandal. Let’s just focus on the song (this is a songwriting blog after all). Interestingly on an album titled BANGERZ, the song that stands out is a bonafide ballad. Writing and production for ‘Wrecking Ball’ was headed up by Dr Luke, Cirkut and a team of super-songwriters Sacha Skarbek, Stephan Moccio, and Maureen Anne McDonald.

Hooky from the get-go, the verse melodies bounce up and down playfully. The bridge introduces a beautiful descending melody that dramatically winds down to a complete halt, setting up the chorus to sound even bigger (as if it wasn’t humungous enough already).

Production, as is always best with a ballad, is kept tastefully minimal. Ebbing keyboards gently surround the anguished vocals, subtly doubling the melody in the bridge. No drums until the chorus, all very restrained, and that is what allows the song to shine.

But what really sets ‘Wrecking Ball’ apart is the lyrical content. I mean WHAT a metaphor. So simple, but so perfect at putting the idea across that love can smash you into a million pieces.  Totally one of those wish-I-thought-of-it moments.