Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Cascada- Original Me Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- Original Me

Artist- Cascada

German Eurodance group Casada have been one of the leaders of the dance music pack in the 21st century, producing such worldwide hits as ‘Evacuate the Dancefloor’ and ‘Everytime We Touch’. Yet after the release of the former single the bands career seems to have taken a dip, with Original Me becoming their first record not to reach the UK top ten. Most recently the band has competed in the Eurovision Song contest, seemingly a sign that they are not the bestselling group they once were. The question is, why have the groups status in the music industry changed so much? Is it because of a change in sound, or is it simply because like a lot of artists people have just gotten bored of them?

Track 1- San Francisco

Controversially noted for its similarities with the 2010 Katy Perry single ‘California Gurls’, San Francisco is a summery electro pop and dance pop tune that presents a simpler commercial sound than the groups previous, more club driven material. The song lyrically finds the group paying tribute to the city of San Francisco, asking us to wake them up in San Francisco. The lyrics are too clichéd with the use of a ‘1 2 3’ shout out in the pre chorus and references to dj’s and city lights. However the chorus has a simple tone that makes the song a bit catchier, whilst the groups vocalist Natalie Horler gives us a light and fun vocal performance that makes us feel like she does truly enjoy San Francisco, although the use of Auto Tune in places is annoying. The songs moderate tempo and grinding synth beats further creates this light energy to the track, and so although this isn’t a really original tune, the song is just nice and fun and something you can bob along to.

3.5/5

Track 2- Au Revoir

Sharing a similar sound and energy to the work of Britney Spears in her 2008Circus album era, this track was the records second single and finds Horler lyrically telling this guy to go away as she is unimpressed with him thinking that he is bigger than life. The brush off lyrical content is feisty and catchy, but the lyrical content suffers because of the vocal performance. This is because Horler’s voice is heavily Auto Tuned in places and just comes across as a lifeless brush off rather than a girl being feisty. The electro pop sound utilises a heavy bassline and some smooth synthesisers to give the track a great dance feel, and so this is a fun track that would just be better without the Auto Tune.

3.5/5

Track 3- Unspoken (featuring Carlprit)

Rapper Carlprit teams up with the dance trio again (after his uncredited appearance on the hit song Evacuate the Dancefloor) for this sweet pop song that turns the tempo down a level and finds the two artists giving us a pure love song. Lyrically the track focuses on the mutual attraction between two lovers who work so well together it is like they are synchronised. Horler provides a pure and light vocal to the chorus that makes the song catchy, whilst Carlprit provides some cool raps for the verses that feel as a loved up as the chorus and which also have a charismatic quality. The heavy bass and nice piano melody of the production just gives the song this pure sound that elevates the lyrical content and makes the whole song feel more truthful, and so although this is quite a different song for the group, it very much works.

3.5/5

Track 4- Pyromania

Released as the records first single, Pyromania is an up tempo electro pop tune with elements of euro pop, and finds the band lyrically playing with words. The song finds Horler singing of love as being this obsession with fire, with the singer giving us a smooth vocal performance that has a slightly sensual edge and which becomes a bit feistier and catchier in the chorus. The use of the male vocal for the ‘pyro pyro’ hook is a little weird but is also catchy. The production of the track features simple club beats and light synthesisers that create a typical pop sound, and so whilst the song is catchy, it lacks this sense of originality that the band have produced before.

3.5/5 

Track 5- Enemy

A slinky euro disco song, this track finds a fragile Horler lyrically telling this person that she is not the enemy, as the relationship is seemingly at a standstill. The track lyrically lacks the impact of the previous songs, with much of the concert just coming across as too prominently clichéd, love based lyrics. Horler brings nice vocal to the track that feels delicate, and also shows off some of the power of her vocals more than the other songs, making the song more impactful. The way that the song is more stripped back in the verses and then becomes more forceful with the steady electro bass in the chorus is good. Yet whilst the song works in different ways, the track feels unoriginal and is lacking a certain something to keep your attention.

2.5/5

Track 6- Independence Day (featuring Carlprit)

Carlprit makes a second and final guest appearance on the record for this track that is lyrically all about a relationship that is coming under fire. The song feels like the two artists wanted to make a track that was the exact opposite of their last collaboration, and so whilst this track shouldn’t work, it does. The rapper once again provides some strong raps for the verses, but this time the charisma is nicely replace by aggression, whilst Horler once again provides a nice vocal in the chorus, but this time she a bit more powerful and has this essence of fragility in what she is singing. The production of the track is simple pop with incorporations of rock through the heavy guitar rhythms and forceful bass, and so this is a simple pop song that finds the group going nicely into a different direction.

3.5/5

Track 7- Stalker

Stalker in a way feels connected to their previous track, but things are still very different and more electro pop based. The song lyrically focuses on the idea of this intense infatuation with a person, and so you want to be around them all the time. The track could have been a bit more interesting but the chorus just feels bland, and would have been better if it felt like it had this darker and twisted energy that made the song live up to it’s title. The vocals are also once again marred by the use of Auto Tune, and whilst the production infuses some fizzing synthesisers and drum machine nicely, the track just comes across as a dance driven number that fails to get you moving in the way it should.

2/5 

Track 8- Night Nurse

Night Nurse was the fourth single from the record and is a simple electro pop song, but incorporates some euro dance elements, and so is the song most reminiscent of their previous work. Lyrically the track finds Horler singing to this guy about how she will be his remedy, focusing on the idea of being feverish on the dance floor. The song features Horler giving us a smooth vocal performance that feels sensual, with the Auto Tune male vocal moments giving the song a twisted and cool element, although the use of Auto Tune on Horler’s voice comes across as annoying. The songs steady electro bass and punchy dance beats create a vibrant club sound for the track that would sound good in terms of dance remixes, and so this is a strong offering from the group that kind of reminds us of their roots.

3.5/5

Track 9- Sinner on the Dancefloor

As the title would suggest, this is an up tempo dance song that lyrically describes a love affair on the dance floor. The songs fast paced lyrical content is vibrant and catchy, with the sinner on the dance floor hook having that instantly memorable quality that is very appealing. Horler provides a fun and light vocal performance that has a nice flirtatious edge, although once again some moments of her vocals are made annoying by the use of Auto Tune. The production features sharp dance rhythms created by the use of a drum machine, as well as thick eurodance synthesisers, and so this is just a fun pop tune that does live up to its title.

3.5/5 

Track 10- Original Me

Title track Original Me is an electro pop song which lyrically focuses on the idea of conformity and modern standards of beauty as Horler tells this man that she will be what he wants, but he won’t meet the original her. The song has a simple but interesting lyrical quality that is catchy, and the vocals feel light and flirtatious and so elevate the songs message, although Auto Tune makes things worse once again. The bleeping synths of the production give the track this 1980’s inspired sound, and this is just a vibrant title track that has an infectious energy about it.

3.5/5

Track 11- Hungover

Ending the album is a simple pop ballad from the group that contains urban elements. Here we find Horler singing about how this boy has made her feel very heartbroken, like an eternal hungover, but unless she breaks away from this person the pain will never stop. The song has a simple lyrical quality that is clichéd in places but which for the most part is catchy. The simple piano melody, strings and steady drum bass just create a typical pop sound that allows the words to leave their mark on the listener, and the vocal performance is light but fragile and once again is a moment where we get to see some of Horler’s vocal power. The use of the electric guitar in the final chorus is a great finish to the song, and so although this is a bit of a typical pop ballad, it is a nice end to the record that shows that this group are capable of different musical things.

3.5/5

Final Review

It is simple when listening to this album to see why some fans of the group might have moved away from them, as the group have definitely shown a change in sound. Yet whilst their sound may be different, I am a little surprised the group aren’t doing as well as they used to. This is because although the sound is different, it still nicely shows a progression for the band and still keeps the dance energy that is really part of their persona. The album does lack originality, and some songs are annoyingly marred by the use of vocal tune, but this record should have had a little more success than it really did.

7/10

Best Track- San Francisco

Worst Track- Stalker

 

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