Album- Whatever
Artist- Hot Chelle
Rae
Hot Chelle Rae really came into the mainstream with their
hit 2011 single Tonight Tonight, and has really ridden that wave of success and
delighted audiences with the exuberant personality. The groups second studio
album Whatever should see them capitalise really well on the success of their
singles, but is this actually a record where the title maybe sums up your
feelings about the album?
Track 1- I Like It
Like That (featuring New Boyz)
Opening track I Like It Like That is a simple pop rock and
pop rap tune that has a preppy just living life sensibility that will appeal to
a younger fan base. The song finds the group singing/rapping about what they
are going to do and how they like to do things in certain fun and quite summery
ways. The message is delivered in a feisty way but ultimately is just typical,
clichéd content that only young music fans will find appealing. Lead singer
Ryan Follese gives us a light and high octane performance that is enough to
make you feel like partying, but isn’t enough to make this feel like a proper
party anthem, whilst the New Boyz guest raps are bland and feel like a waste of
time. The snappy guitar and electro rhythms give the song a groove that is
infectious in a way, but ultimately adds to the songs lack of originality.
2.5/5
Track 2- Tonight
Tonight
Becoming the group’s biggest hit to date, Tonight Tonight is
an upbeat pop and pop rock tune that is a bit cheesy but ultimately just really
enjoyable. The song finds the group throwing away the troubles of the week and
just living life up by partying on the rooftop. The throwaway your troubles
message is helped by the catchy ‘la la la’ hook and exuberant vocal performance
that is given, with the song also having a slight quirky sensibility in certain
sections of the lyrics and becoming even catchier because of this (i.e. the
Zach Galifinakis bit). The preppy guitar riffs and funky drum beats give the
song a light groove that is designed to have you bouncing around, and so whilst
a bit silly, it is ridiculously infectious and was a deserved summer hit at the
time of its release.
3.5/5
Track 3- Honestly
A lighter in sound musical offering than the previous songs,
Honestly is another upbeat number from the group where they are seemingly
speaking to us very honestly. The song is a bit of a goodbye song as the band
lyrically speaks of not caring about the feelings of an ex and just partying
and living life, as this girl is just wrong. The repetition of the title is
annoying and the lyrics are lacking a bit, but the frivolous tone of the track
is infectious and is helped by the simple, light tone of Follese’s vocal performance,
as he comes across just like a guy who doesn’t care. The vibrant guitar
strumming and quirky pop beats give the song a nice rhythm that is just light
and fun enough to dance around to, making this a further solid pop effort from
the group.
3.5/5
Track 4- Keep You
with Me
The light pop sound is still kept strong, but now the
emotions that the group convey are thoroughly changed, as this time the group
sing of this relationship which can’t end, basically telling this girl that
I’ve got to keep you with me. The strong chorus and more emotionally powerful
tone of the track makes up for the use of pop clichés, and although Follese may
not be the best vocalist, his vocal performance here has a slightly rough
texture and feels passionate enough to make this a strong listen. The heavy
bass and simple guitar riffs creates a light pop sheen that acts as a dramatic
but also contrasting sound emotionally, giving us a lively but different sort
of pop tune from the group.
3.5/5
Track 5- Radio
(featuring Bei Maejor)
Radio is like the young cousin of Tonight Tonight in terms
of its pop driven sound that also sounds quite similar to Want U Back by Cher
Lloyd. The song finds lead singer Follese singing of how he is going to use his
radio to express his feelings of love for this girl and how he misses her. It
is a sweet concept with a cute rap from Bei Maejor, but the chorus lacks a
truly great hook and feels like something that the group produced in 30
seconds, whilst the lack of an original pop sound means that the heavy bass and
punchy synths extremely lack the impact that they should have. Folesse’s voice
also just feels silly and bland here, creating a tune that will mostly just
appeal to young listeners under the age of 13.
2/5
Track 6- Whatever
Title track Whatever is another tune that is full of pop
clichés right from the beginning and creates the idea that Hot Chelle Rae are a
group that don’t really have that many musical ideas. The song is about just
shaking off your troubles and acting like you don’t care, just have fun. The
message is wrapped in a strong pop chorus but the verses are poor in terms of
the use of clichéd rhymes, whilst Follese’s rap sing style just feels a bit too
childish for this song to appeal to a wider music market. The slightly heavier
synths and musical intro and outro gives the production value a slightly better
quality, but ultimately this is more electro pop rock designed for the kids.
2.5/5
Track 7- Forever
Unstoppable
Beginning with an echoing vocal intro from Follese, Forever
Unstoppable is less of a juvenile pop offering from the group and more of a
fun, live life, youthful pop tune with a much better musical composition. The
song is about this relationship where Follesse and his girl can just run away
and live off their love, running away from the bad qualities of life and just
living together as if they were unstoppable. The chorus is catchy and
optimistic, whilst Follesse gives us a vocal that is vibrant and fun but also
has an air of delicacy and sincerity about it that makes this a powerful listen.
The punchy electric guitar riffs and glittering synths creates a throw yours
hands in the air, euphoric energy to the track that makes this one of the finer
moments of the record.
3.5/5
Track 8- Why Don’t
You Love Me (featuring Demi Lovato)
A duet with American singer songwriter and teen star Demi
Lovato, Why Don’t You Love Me is a touching ballad from the group where Follese
and Lovato act as two people who are in this relationship where the guy wants
to know why this girl doesn’t love him, as he cares so much about her, whilst
the girl just can’t express that she is scared, as she has been heartbroken
before. The songs twofold narrative edge makes the lyrics more potent, whilst
the simple questioning tone of the chorus makes the song very catchy. Lovato’s
and Follesse’s voices nicely complement each other, with both singers giving a
powerful performance full of emotion, whilst the shimmering production value
with the guitars and drums creates a strong pop rock sound that perfectly
captures the songs lyrical intensity. It is at this point the group show a
different side and go beyond childish, one tone pop.
4/5
Track 9- Downtown
Girl
With the opening ‘what’s up girl shout out’, Downtown Girl
seems determined to emphasise that the group are now taking you back to a clichéd,
up tempo pop state. This time the group are telling us all about how this girl
is this fancy type of girl from downtown who isn’t going to have her way in
their affections. The idea of a downtown girl isn’t anything new, although the
song is slightly better in the way that it almost pokes fun at the girly,
Hollywood stereotype. Follese’s vocals
are light and fun if a bit shouty, whilst the production is preppy and upbeat
with vibrant synth notes and fast paced guitar riffs, but ultimately Downtown
Girl takes us back to a place of poor clichés and poor messages that won’t see
the group gain a larger fan base.
3/5
Track 10- Beautiful
Freaks
With a kind of mix of a circus and cheerleading feel to the
electronic base of this song, Beautiful Freak is another fun loving but clichéd
song that is all about the guys telling people that if they think they are
freaks they should just revel in it, whilst also bringing some romantic
elements to the track. The message just feels lyrically annoying and uses so
many romantic comedy images it is annoying, whilst Follese’s voice lacks a
charismatic appeal that would make the song sound truthful and fun. The quirky
breakdown of the bridge is fun but otherwise the production value of the track
is boring synthpop that only kid’s radio will play.
2/5
Track 11- The Only
One
Final track The Only One almost shows a cool, more
acoustically driven lane that would be great for the group to go down to, but
the clichéd sentiments start to creep in and the band lyrically just prove that
they are maybe destined to be forever that band just designed to make music for
kids. The song focuses on Follese singing to this girl about how she is the
only one who can make him see himself and life the way he should, with the
message being sweet but lacking any originality. Whilst the vocals are strong
and passionate some of the vocal layering highlights the weakness of Follese’s
voice, whilst the pop rock production that surrounds the vocal is such a
typical sound for this kind of track it wouldn’t be surprising if some other
band of the past claimed that the group had ripped them off.
2/5
Final Review
Hot Chelle Rae are a fun pop band that can produce some
joyful songs to dance around to, but after a short while that shtick just
doesn’t work enough for this album to be any good. The production value is kind
of dated and all too often melds to the point where tracks sound to similar, and
whilst the exuberance of Follese is commendable, his vocals aren’t that great
and he isn’t enough of a frontman to carry this band. Furthermore, the songs
are really weighed down by clichéd lyrical statements that are awful to be
heard, leaving us with much to be desired from the record. Aside from the
lovely Demi Lovato collaboration, this is ultimately an album that parents just
have to buy to shut kids up.
2/10
Best Track- Why Don’t
You Love Me (featuring Demi Lovato)
Worst Track-
Beautiful Freaks
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