Megaton Reviews: Music

Fall Out Boy- American Beauty/American Psycho Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 23:20:00 +0000

American Beauty/American Psycho is the sixth studio album by American rock band Fall Out Boy. The eleven track album was first preceded by the top 20 hit “Centuries”. While “Centuries” managed to become a moderately successful US radio song, it failed to differentiate their sound from their previous album’s (Save Rock and Roll) 4 singles, along with their other previous works. However, the title track of this album immediately gives us something we have never heard from the band, with a much more pop-rock sound than many of their other studio albums. From there, the track “The Kids Aren’t Alright” gives us a ballad, which is something not often heard from the group. However, the next track, and the album’s second single, “Uma Thurman”, sounds just different enough (due to a sample of the hit show The Munster’s theme used prominently throughout the song’s three and a half minute duration) from the first single off the album to be sent to radio, which already has success around the board already. Yet, the entire middle section of this album falls into a complete blur, with five of the eleven tracks sounding like an uncreative mesh of everything the band has crafted in the past.

Ironically, the only track that is able to get the band out of this slum is a cut off of the soundtrack of the animated hit movie Big Hero 6, “Immortals”. With only one track remaining after a recycled soundtrack song, you would expect this album to end off with a bang, right? Well, if you could feel the overwhelming amount of sarcasm in the previous sentence, you would be able to predict that the album instead decides to end off with “Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel in NYC)”, a track that cannot decide what it wants to be, and instead sounds like an analogy for the entire album: everything they always do.

Overall, while this album delivers a few solid rock tracks, that is it. It gives you nothing out of the box, nothing that is out of the band’s usual spectrum. It instead provides you with an over pacified album that fails to deliver any career defining hits. While fans of the band and the general public alike will most likely have this album on repeat for weeks to come, it seems unlikely that American Beauty/American Psycho will ever be a standout in the group’s always growing discography.

Nicki Minaj- The Pinkprint- Full Album Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 23:52:00 +0000

On the 15 of December, rapper Nicki Minaj released her highly anticipated The Pinkprint, worldwide. With Nicki’s first two albums containing almost polar opposite sounds to them (from hip-hop to dance pop), the rapper managed to convey a wide array of different sounds and feelings on this cohesive body of work. Minaj also managed to show a hugely different side of herself, with just the album opener, “All Things Go”, pertaining to the rapper’s damaged connections with different members of her family that she has been attempting to rekindle since she hit fame. The album is full of high profile features such as former “Bang Bang” collaborator Ariana Grande. Also included on the album is another former collaborator, this time on the famous “Flawless Remix”, Beyoncé. The two stars came together to create a track that did everything but scream smash hit. Other tracks such as “Only” feature label mates such as Drake and Lil Wayne.

The first single off the album, “Pills N’ Potions”, features a more pop sound with a hook sung by Minaj herself. While it only managed to find a niche audience and failed to provide the exposure a lead single is meant to provide, the second single, “Anaconda”, featured a viral video that skyrocketed the track to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. This became that artist’s biggest single to date, beating out her previous high point, “Super Bass”, which fought its way up to number three in the year of 2011. Follow up singles “Only” (urban single) and “Bed of Lies” (pop single) have already garnered critical acclaim, joining each and every single’s positive reviews from critics worldwide.

Overall, this definitely is one of my favorite albums of 2014. The cohesive 22 track work displays all sides of Nicki, sides revealed in ways never before on this heartfelt work. From Chris Brown to Skylar Grey, from hard rap to soulful ballads to straight up pop jams, you would be hard pressed to not find something you can enjoy on this diverse, solid album that manages to span all genres, serving all of her fans in one body of work. I would recommend any hip-hop enthusiast to pick up the album today!

Nicki Minaj ft. Skylar Grey- Bed of Lies Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 20:33:00 +0000

On Saturday, the 15th of November, Nicki Minaj released her highly anticipated 3rd single (Dual release with urban track Only) Bed of Lies, featuring Skylar Grey, to digital retailers worldwide. How does this track, recently promoted at MTV's EMA awards, stack up to previously released singles off The Pinkprint? Find out after the jump.

Bed of Lies is a piano led track, with Skylar Grey nailing the vocals of the chorus and bridge down easily. The singer manages to bring a sweet and sensitive sound to the track, which allows us to easily jump into Minaj's first verse. The two rap verses featured in this track are more thoughtful in content rather than what was featured in previous singles, such as Only and Anaconda. This, along with Skylar's vocals, make the track very reminiscent to Pills N' Potions, the first single released from this era. However, with an overall more mature sound to it, Bed of Lies turns out to be similar to a grown up, big sister like sequel to Pills N' Potions, lyrically and vocally.

All parts of the song lyrically excell, with the track being centered around someone (widely believed to be Minaj's old partner Safaree Samuels, whom she had a ten year relationship with) who has broken the rapper's heart, with the lyrics surrounding their turbulent relationship.

Overall, this incredible track is already being widely considered as the best single released off of The Pinkprint thus far, and could end up finding itself being a top ten hit. Tell me what you think of the track in the comments below, and I'll see you in the next review!

Iggy Azalea- Iggy SZN Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 16:53:00 +0000

With Iggy Azalea readying up for the re-up of her debut studio album, The New Classic, the package's lead single, Beg for It, was just released to digital retailers. The song is shockingly reminiscent of Fancy (In fact, Charli XCX was planned to be the feature on the track, before being changed to singer MØ in order to quell the striking similarities to Fancy), and is pretty much a boring mixture of everything we've heard from Azalea before. However, another track, Iggy SZN, was also released to Iggy's official YouTube channel. How does this track stack up to her previous works? Find out below.

The song features Azalea rocking a laid back, clap heavy instrumental track, with Iggy's flow being laid down slick and quick. The song is really able to traverse genres, having the potential to able to be played on urban radio and dance stations alike. It also manages to capture the hearts of white girls 'round the world, with 'YASSSSSSSS' being uttered more than once throughout this solid track's 3 minute, 20 second duration.

Overall, this is a solid track that has much more single potential than the already released Beg For It. However, due to the amount of featured tracks on the re-release, it's unlikely that will be occurring any time soon. Yet, this seems to have already started becoming a fan favorite.

What did you think of this new track? Post in the comments below, and I'll see you next time.

Jessie J- Ain't Been Done/Masterpiece Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 03:25:00 +0000

British singer-songwriter Jessie J is preparing to make waves with her third studio album, Sweet Talker, hitting stores worldwide on the 13th of October. Two new tracks off the album, Ain't Been Done and Masterpiece, were both made available this week as a bonus for pre-ordering the highly anticipated album from digital retailers. How do these songs stack up to already released tracks from the album? Find out after the jump.

Ain't Been Done is an urban heavy track, with a banging, bass led instrumental track that that rages on as Jessie's speedy verses effortlessly breeze on the track. While the track doesn't even quite clock in at three minutes, Jessie delivers high notes, the huge vocals she's known for, and lines so quick they're reminiscent of a rap song, really giving this hip-hop track the fire it needs to completely excel, and made it a standout of the tracks we've heard before.

Masterpiece is also led by a bass heavy instrumental track, and still features many lines delivered in a rapid fire fashion, yet still features a more laid back chorus, however, the verses are fire, and pick the song up from the slum that it encounters when the chorus rolls in. Overall, Masterpiece is a solid track that delivers on the verses, but falls short on the chorus, and is something while, not a rehash, nothing new from Jessie.

Overall, these are two tracks that remind me why I love Jessie, and have been on repeat all day. What do you think of the new tracks? Check out the album on iTunes by clicking the button below, and as always, I'll see you in the next review!

Karmin- No Flex Zone (Remix) Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:57:00 +0000

On Friday, the 26th, self proclaimed Hip-Pop duo Karmin released a remix to the hit song "No Flex Zone", along with rapper Watsky, in their first collaboration. How does the trio fare on the track with an already large base of remixes to compete with? Find out after the jump.

The rap heavy track features a solid, haunting instrumental side of things, paired with flawless verses from Amy and Watsky, Trading verse for verse, line for line, the two both manage to pull their own weight as they battle it out throughout the three minute track. With Amy taking the lead on the short chorus, singing takes the back-burner on this remix, giving the two a chance to flex (ha) their rap vocals throughout the majority of the song.

The song features slick, clean production, allowing for the vocals and instruments to work wonders together on this quick paced track that delivers what it promised. With a stunning visual to go along with this near perfect remix, I really suggest any hip-hop fan to check the song out on iTunes below.

What did you think of the new remix? Post in the comments below, and I'll see you next time!

Ariana Grande- My Everything Track By Track Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 02:38:00 +0000

Hey everyone! Following Sunday's VMA performance, Ariana Grande has released her new sophomore album, My Everything, to retailers nationwide. How does this set stack up to her previous effort, Yours Truly? Find out below.

Intro: This short little introduction track prepares us for the sophomore album of the soulful songstress in a beautiful way that just leaves you wanting more.

Problem: Read My Full Problem Review Here!

One Last Time- One Last Time is a mid-tempo track led with a danceable EDM instrumental track. The song shows off Grande's vocals, with them occupying the spotlight of the track. However, the track always feels as if it's building up to something that it just never quite reaches and is very underwhelming.

Why Try- Why Try is a mid-tempo track that has a marching drum led beat. The beat works wonders with Ariana's laid back vocals. However, while the track is good, it's almost underwhelming, and the song slowly starts to drag just a bit before it reaches the end of its 3 and 1/2 minute duration.

Break Free- Read my Full Break Free Review Here!

Best Mistake- Best Mistake is my personal favorite off the album. Similar to Just a Little Bit of Your Heart, the piano led instrumental pairs with Ariana's hauntingly beautiful vocals in a way I've never heard before, and is simply stunning. While I feel like Big Sean would have been better suited on a different track off the album, his verse fits in well enough to complete this near perfect track.

Be My Baby- Be My Baby is one of the more upbeat tracks off the set, with a bass heavy, drum led instrumental track. Grande's fast paced verses transition smoothly into the stellar chorus. This danceable track leads us right into Break Your Heart Right Back.

Break Your Heart Right Back- Break your heart is a catchy, bass heavy track, telling the true story of a former flame of Grande's cheating on her with another guy. The track samples "I'm Coming Out" in a smart way that adds that much more to this fun, dancey R&B track. Childish Gambino is also featured on the track with a cleverly placed verse that add a lot of diversity to this solid song.

Love Me Harder- Love Me Harder is an uptempo track featuring The Weekend. The song is fun, catchy, and Ariana & The Weekend have fantastic chemistry. This track will stay stuck in your head for hours, and I currently have it on repeat.

Just a Little Bit of Your Heart- This Beautiful ballad centers around a heartbroken Ariana asking for Just a little bit of her love's heart. The song is composed stunningly, and succeeds in every way. Lyrically and musically haunting, this is definitely a standout track.

Hands on Me- Another standout off the album, Ariana has officially shed her Nickelodeon image, proving this with sultry lyrics including the line- "Trembling, when you touch Rush is racing body baking Picture me and you making Making sweet love Baby give it to me" (Metro Lyrics) Featuring A$AP Ferg, this urban, fun, quick paced track has the chance to become a smash hit.

My Everything- To close out the album we have a stunning ballad co-written by Ariana Grande herself. This soulful, piano-led title track doesn't even clock in at 3 minutes, and is over right as it begins, leaving me wanting more from it.

Overall, this is well, a pretty good album that's honestly, just as good as her debut "Yours Truly". Releasing a second album in less than a year really doesn't give yourself any time to grow, and not much growth is displayed on this new album. While I do like it, a sophomore album's main goal is to be better than its predecessor, which didn't happen here.

Nicki Minaj- Anaconda Review + Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 03:11:00 +0000

I've been obsessed with this song since its release, sorry about not posting earlier. Let's hop right in to the review of Nicki Minaj's Anaconda.

Anaconda, the followup to the under-performing Pills N Potions, shows off a completely different side of the self proclaimed Rap Queen. The song features a tastefully executed sample of the number one single, "Baby Got Back", giving the track a perfect beat for Minaj's laid back rap verses. While the energy fluctuates through out the song's four minute run, the twerk anthem always manages to keep it danceable, and had me goin' in within the first listen.

The track features laid back verses, uptempo, rapid fire pre-choruses, and a "Look at her butt" led chorus. There's not much to describe this song with, other than with the word "fun". The track is a party anthem that is already all over the radio, and should be dominating for weeks to come.

Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj- Bang Bang Review + Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 17:27:00 +0000

Late on the night of July 28th, the new collaborative effort between 3 of the biggest names in music, Bang Bang was release to iTunes worldwide. Were the huge amounts of hype circulating this release really worth the finished product? Find out after the jump.

Bang Bang is an upbeat urban pop banger, with the first word I would use to describe it as is loud. The entirety of the 3 and a half minute track sounds like a party, with powerhouse, impeccable vocals, coupled with a clap led unending instrumental track that works perfectly with all three artists' unique style.

The 3 leads all bring something different to the song with each of their verses, making for an interesting track that doesn't dull throughout its run. Ariana and Jessie's vocals compliment each other perfectly in the chorus, and each manages to shine in their own verse. Nicki's rapid fire flow allows her verse to hit all the high marks, as the 3 all join in the chorus to deliver a staple in every party playlist.

Overall, this is an amazing song. The 3 vocalists all bring something different to the table in this new collaborative track that soars above and beyond all their fanbases' expectations. The track is already shooting up (ha) iTunes charts worldwide, and is shaping up to be a global smash for weeks.

What do you all think of Bang Bang? Was it what you were expecting? Share in the comments below, and I'll see you next time!

Ariana Grande Ft. Zedd- Break Free - Review + Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 03:15:00 +0000

Get More: Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande videos

I wrote this on July 2nd and it never published, oops... here it is anyways...

On July 2nd, Ariana Grande unveiled her newest single, Break Free, on a one day revival episode of TRL, entitled Total Ariana Live, to hordes of screaming fans (including me) in and outside of MTV studios, and across America. So, how does the new Zedd assisted single stack up to her smash hit Problem? Find out below!

The single is definitely more pop than most Ariana singles, ditching her R&B/Pop vocal style, mainly due to the upbeat, dance-able instrumental track contributed by DJ Zedd, maker of other hits including the smash "Clarity". The bass heavy instrumental leads the track through most of the song, and really contributes to the song, which could soon be a hit in clubs and radio stations through out the country alike.

While the track doesn't do much of a job at showing off Ariana's incredible vocal range and power, previous singles defined her as one of the voices of our generation. This fun, upbeat single is something different for Grande, and could very well serve her her 1st Billboard Hot 100 #1.

What did you all think of the track? Post your opinions below, and I'll see you in the next review!

Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull- Booty Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 00:51:00 +0000

In the month of June, Jennifer Lopez's eighth studio album, A.K.A, was released to retailers worldwide. While most of the album is a mesh of urban and pop tracks that don't differentiate themselves from one another very well, one track that standouts from the others is entitled, Booty. Yeah. Anywho, as Pitbull assisted tracks are constantly becoming JLo singles, I figure that this is most likely the next single off the album, thus, check out a review of the track down below.

Booty starts out with a heavy, bass led instrumental track right off the bat, with a small intro from Pitbull. Following quickly after, we hop into Jlo's first verse. She fires through her verse line by line, sultrily singing over the heavy urban, drum assisted beat, before we hop right into the chorus, which, isn't Jlo or Pitbull, rather just a voice singing well. about da booty. The chorus is fun and easy to sing along with, as I find myself doing quite often.

Following another verse from our lead artist, we then quickly move to Pitbull's verse. His quick paced verse goes on for about 30-45 seconds and honestly, sounds pretty much the same as every Pitbull song. After that, the song is mainly instrumentals over-laced with Jlo every few seconds, before the track comes to a close.

While the song is fun, catchy, and definitely a club and radio staple alike, it really isn't a stretch for either artist, as is the case with most of A.K.A., which could be a contribution to the album's poor commercial impact. However, this track is definitely on repeat for me, and I see this becoming a radio hit very soon.

What do you think of this track, or all of A.K.A.? Post in the comments below, and I'll see you next time!

DOUBLE REVIEW- Miranda Lambert's Platinum & Lucy Hale's Road Between

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 03:23:00 +0000

Due to the recent releases of two country music star's albums, Platinum from Miranda Lambert and Road Between from Lucy Hale, I've decided to review the title tracks of both records in Megaton Reviews's second Double Review. Let's start off with Platinum.

Platinum is a bit of a more upbeat, almost Pop country song, with a singleable chorus. The guitar led instruments track works well with Lambert's fun, light vocals through out the song. The song may not exactly stay stuck in your head exactly, but I did find myself singing the chorus every once and awhile through out the day.

On to Hale's Road Between. This song is definitely pure country, and does a nice job of showing off the new artist's vocals. The vocals are definitely the standout of this track, however the instrumental track does flow nicely through the range Hale's vocals displayed in this track.

Overall, these were two great tracks, with my favorite leading towards Road Between. However, neither track quite represents the rest of their respective albums, with both tracks representing the other's more, as Road Between features more pop-country tracks, and vice versa, as Road Between features vocals similar to Platinum's mainly pure country vocals. However, both tracks are great individual title tracks, and I definitely recommend any country fan to check out both albums in full, as both are two very cohesive, quality projects that are worth their price.

What did you think of both tracks? The full albums? Post in the comments below, and I'll see you in the next review!

Nicki Minaj- Pills N Potions Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Wed, 21 May 2014 18:59:00 +0000

After a number of promo single including Boss Ass Bitch and Lookin' Ass being released over the past few months, the official lead single of rapper Nicki Minaj's highly anticipated third LP The Pink Print was released on Wednesday the 21st. How does the song compare to the numerous amount of promo tracks that preceded it? Find out after the jump!

The song starts off with a hard, haunting drum beat, coupled with a piano to round out the instrumental side. Minaj then starts in on the track, softly singing in a manner we've yet to hear from her, that honestly, sounds beautiful, before jumping into the hook, which features more R&B centered vocals. We then jump into the first verse, which features laid back heavy rap vocals from Nicki. The speed of the rap picks up slowly throughout the verse right up until the end, before we jump right back into the pre-hook the song began with. We continue this pattern once more, before the song comes to an end.

The song, while not exactly new rap-wise, is something we really haven't heard from Minaj. The powerful ballad centered hook is surprising coming from her, but her voice works it beautifully. The song also triumphs lyrically, as the song is centered around someone who has obviously betrayed her, but she won't hold grudges. The lyrics are laid out perfectly, and the track really tells a story.

Overall, this is not what I was expecting from the female emcee. With the plethora of heavy rap promo tracks we've received in the past few months, a rap/ballad hybrid was not what I was expecting. However, the track is formulated excellently, and the instrumental track works seamlessly with the vocals. I could easily see this being played on the radio, however, it is different enough from most radio songs today that it could stand out amongst the many pop tracks we hear today. This, in my opinion could be one of her biggest crossover hits today.

Ariana Grande- Problem Review+Download

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 22:58:00 +0000

My Review tbh: fwemkvlfojgvkmler mfgoirejlkmg vgerkjgkrn wmeoirlkwmdoildnwomiefjmwe foiwefmw efoiwjfmiowefwregwrerewre qwrqwrqewewewqdxgrwgregerggg

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Honestly, that's really all that needs to be said about the song, but if you haven't bought it for some reason, I'll enlighten you a bit on why you're living your life wrong.

The first thing that really grabs you about the song is its heavily horn lead instrumental track. The horns really add a richer, vibrant sound to the instrumentals, which couple with Ariana's powerhouse vocals perfectly. The verses deliver the songstress's powerful notes she's been known to display in her previous album, while the chorus (which features a stellar beat drop) feature more laid back, dream-like vocals, displaying her large range she manages to easily switch through without missing a beat.

After getting a similar verse to the first and the chorus again, we get a guest verse from Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. The fast paced verse features a non-breaking, slick flow, similar to older works from Azalea, including her break out hit in the US, Fancy.

Overall, the song has a perfect instrumental track, a large amount of diversity from Ariana's verses, and a perfect verse from Iggy that keeps the flow going, and makes sure the song doesn't get monotonous. I've had this song on repeat since release, and considering the fact that this has been the only song to dismount Happy from its #1 position on iTunes, it seems as if the radio will as well.

What did you all think of the song? Post your comments below, and I'll see you next time! Make sure to download the track on iTunes below!

Iggy Azalea- The New Classic Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 23:40:00 +0000

On the 21st of April, Iggy Azalea released her debut album "The New Classic" in the US. A follow up from her hit singles such as Work and Fancy, the album hit the #1 spot on iTunes in less than 24 hours. Did the album live up to all the hype it was surrounded by? Find out below.

In all 4 singles from the album, Iggy's had a sick, unending flow that could make heads spin. However, on the album's opening, Walk the Line, the speed is put on the back burner for most of the song, with the chorus being almost rap/sung. A strange song for Iggy, and an even stranger song for the opening of her album, we then move into Don't Need Y'all, which features quick paced verses, but again, a slow chorus. While still an interesting track coming from Iggy, it fits her better than the opening "Walk". However, the song quickly grows monotonous, and drags on a bit before we move into the next track, 100. This song features a more upbeat, drum heavy instrumental track, which couple with Iggy's fast paced rap vocals perfectly. However, these rap verses once again trump the actual, boring chorus, that's honestly completely unnecessary for the track.

Change Your Life, the third single from the record is featured next, and so far is the most hard rap centered cut off the album. In my opinion, "Change" was an excellent, radio ready single choice that originally turned me into a fan. "Change" is followed then by Fancy, Iggy's break out hit in the US. Check out my full Fancy review here. Fancy is quickly followed by New Bitch, which features a bit more laid back rap vocals and a perfect, upbeat instrumental. The track is, out of all tracks so far, the most single ready (besides already released singles), which is saying a lot. New Bitch is followed by Work, the debut single from Azalea and the lead single off The New Classic. Work features impeccable, high speed raps, a dance-able instrumental, and a chorus that has made me literally sing the entire thing every time I mention the word work. No matter who I'm talking to. It's like, a serious problem. Workworkworkwork.

After Workworkwork, the album starts to pick up more with Impossible is Nothing, which features more of a flow from Azalea. However, the next track Goddess, features a drum led, almost African feeling beat, which couples with Iggy's harder hip-hop oriented rap vocals perfectly. The next track Black Widow, also features a hard beat, sick vocals, and an electro-esque hip-hop beat, along with a singable chorus that's stuck in my head even as I'm writing this review.

From Work and onward, the album really starts to pick up, and reflects on previous singles from the album in a more accurate light than the previous half of the record.

I had a lot of hope, and expectations for this album to live up to before it was released. However, when I heard the first half of the record, I was worried I was going to be disappointed. However, the fun yet hardcore rap centered latter half of the album (along with the singles) met, and exceeded my expectations, and overall, I'd recommend this album to any general hip-hop fans.

What did you think of the album? Did it meet your expectations? Post your thoughts in the comments below, and I'll see you next time!

Rating:

Karmin- Pulses Album Review+Download

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 23:41:00 +0000

On Tuesday, March 25th, Karmin released their first full length studio album in the United States. Will the album pale to or leave their debut EP, Hello, in the dust? Find out below.

Pulses has an overall mood and feel similar to their EP Hello, featuring many uptempo, dance centered tracks, but takes the energy to a new, higher level. And as opposed to the album's lead single Acapella, many of the tracks feature a more mature feeling to them, absent in many of the tracks featured on Hello. Even the most party centered tracks, namely Night Like This, features a much more grown up aura than tracks such as Brokenhearted and Too Many Fish, both featured on Hello.

Pulses is able to differentiate itself from its predecessor in many ways, with many differences being visible between the two works. All tracks on Pulses also feature new, unique, hip-hop esque instrumental tracks, that pair perfectly with the duo's pop vocal verses, or Amy's rap verses, an element absent in Hello. Speaking of, Amy's rapping also features a more mature sound to it, shedding its pop-rap exterior for a more hip-hop based rap vocal sound. Another difference between both works is the other half of Karmin, Nick. In Hello, Nick was only noticeably present in one song, and sang backup vocals for most of the other tracks. However, in Pulses, while still far from being the lead singer, Nick is actually audible in more of the album than not, actually garnering his own verses or lines in many of the album's thirteen tracks.

One thing about the album that baffles me about the album are the single choices. While Acapella overall was a fun, dance-able lead single, it failed to actually give us a real taste of the album. Rather, Acapella is musically different from most tracks on the album. The second single, I Want it All, is an even more confusing choice. While as a stand alone track the song is a fun pop anthem (although it fails to differentiate itself from the large pop landscape today), it is overall the weakest track off the album, and any song, even one of the ballads, would have been a better single choice than this.

Stream the entire album for free here

As the name suggest, the album certainly has its uptempo and downtempo tracks. However, the uptempos certainly outweigh the downtempos, with the album clocking in with 2 ballads. both are powerful relationship related tracks, that actually give the duo a chance to show off their vocals.

Overall, this is an album that's different from most pop/hip-hop albums today, something we don't hear everyday. In their previous works, Karmin has had a sound that to some, was just unbearable to listen to. While I never had that problem, from what I've heard it was her rapping that was the problem. With the more mature rapping style Amy has adopted with this album, it seems that the problem has been at least lessened a great deal. This could be a beneficial move for them that could garner them a new group of fans in the long run.

Overall, this diverse album full of pop, hip-hop, and downtempo tracks has a wide range of musical variety that can appeal to the public if promoted correctly by their label, Epic. The album features a new, maturer side of the duo, but also retains the same Karmin I fell in love with from the beginning. Make sure to tell me what you think about the album in the comments, and make sure to download Pulses below!

Iggy Azalea- Fancy Ft. Charli XCX Review+Download

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 15:54:00 +0000

Hey everyone, on the week of March 13th, Iggy Azalea's new track, Fancy, debuted on The Billboard Hot 100. How does the track compare to Azalea's breakout 2013 hit, Work? Find out after the jump.

The track starts out with a slick, minimalistic electro-style beat, before Azalea quickly joins in with her laid back, fast paced rap, laying down the entire first verse.

Quickly after the first rap verse, Charli XCX, the English singer-songwriter behind the hook of the international hit song I Love It (Icona Pop) lays down the hook, which features solid vocals from Charli. However, while the vocals are good, and make for catchy chorus, they don't really stand out or differentiate from I Love It, and just sound like any of her other works. However, not looking at any of her other tracks, Charli worked out a solid, catchy hook.

The song continues like this for the remained of its duration, with Iggy and Charli trading off, verse for verse, with the energy not dropping though out the entire single. Together, the two have put together a solid party-pop/hip-hop track sure to be on the rotation of every party playlist.

Overall, I've really enjoyed this track, and I've already heard it on the radio quite a few times. I'd say, this might be the hit Iggy's needed to break into mainstream radioplay in the USA.

What'd you think of this song? Make sure to post in the comments below, and I'll see you all in the next review. As always, feel free to download the single below!!

Miley Cyrus- Bangerz Tour: Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 23:50:00 +0000

On Thursday the 27th, Miley took her critically... (well I can't exactly say acclaimed) ...reviewed.. Bangerz tour to Phoenix. Is the show worth stopping by? Find out below! Or, watch some of the footage and find out yourself :)

The tour features Icona Pop and (depending on the stop) Sky Ferreira as opening acts. Sky Ferreira took the stage first, surprisingly, right at 7:00, so for a change I wasn't left waiting an hour for the opening act at a concert. While Ferreira's set featured solid vocals (even if she was drowned out by the bass for most of it) and an overall strong entertainment value, she had absolutely no stage presence, confining herself to a 5 inch box she walked around in her entire set. However, as quickly as it began, her set ended and we moved on to Icona Pop.

Check out all the tour footage on my channel here.

While Sky's set left me wanting more, feeling a bit empty handed, it was the exact opposite in the case of Icona Pop's. The Swedish duo knew how to handle a crowd, and throughout their entire set interacted with fans and danced to the music, all the while remaining on point with their vocals.

The duo sustained their high energy throughout their entire set, and actually got most of the arena attendees out of their seats, getting the entire stadium's energy ready for Miley, who literally flew out of her own tongue as her entrance. Like, if that's not dedication.

Cyrus started the show off strong with SMS (Bangerz) feat. Britney Spears. Miley handled with song effortlessly, belting out Britney's verse with more intensity than the actual studio version. The show didn't slow down there, as we progressed into 4x4 featuring Nelly. Cyrus then proclaimed that this will be a high energy show, and that none of us will be sitting down tonight (you know, minus the 8 or 9 f--cks she mixed in with the speech).

However, this promise rang true, as there wasn't one second where I wasn't screaming, dancing, or bowing to the queen throughout the entire show. Even through ballads like the incomparable Adore You, the energy never dropped, and neither did anyone in the crowd.

The show, while not as prevalent as I expected, was filled with theatrics, but not clothes! Ha! See what I did? Did ya? Said theatrics included Miley singing FU to a gigantic... creature.. just look at the video below..., a circle of rainbow bears dancing around her, and a gigantic bed filled with... literally like everything and everyone involved with the show. So, regular Thursday night for me. Anyhow, these theatrics were few and far, and didn't distract from the main aspect of the show, Cyrus' perfect vocals.

The concert also included a small acoustic set, including covers from country hits such as Jolene, a song made for Miley's country twanged vocals. Miley also interacted with her fans through out the show, giving something personally different to each fan to take away, as opposed to Beyonce, who said the same, rehearsed speech to each and every stop (you don't understand how hard that was to say). She even wore all the presents thrown at her from the audience, including a shirt that said "Miley sit on my face" (Why I didn't make that I don't know). She even danced through all of Adore You with a high-schooler who asked her to prom last month.

Overall, the show was quality, fun, and really, just a good time. Even both of the opening acts had their own solid sets, and I would take the chance to go back again in a second. While merch may set you back a bit ($40 dollars for a shirt), a souvenir that you went to a concert as great as this, is worth it.

Nicki Minaj- Lookin Ass Ni--a Review+Downloads

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 00:09:00 +0000

Hey everyone, after almost two months due to lack of new music, I'm back with a new review, this time featuring one of the Hottest MCs in the Game, Nicki Minaj.

After reining in the New Year freestyling over PTAF's Boss Ass Bitch (at the same time garnering them a record deal), she continued her stream of guest features on Young Thug's Danny Glover, proclaiming that she has a mixtape and an album in the works for 2014. It seems as if these works are going to see the light of day quicker than we thought, as the new track Lookin' Ass Ni--a, expected to be a single off her 2014 album, The Pink Print, also appearing on Young Money's Rise of an Empire, was released Wednesday, the 12th. This adds another song to her current stream of new tracks, all strengthening the fact that The Queen's back, and she's "back on the prowl", in her own words. So, is this new track worth all the hype that it's been released to? Find out below.

Warning, video is definitely NSFW.

The song actually starts off pretty well... ok, with the first 40 seconds being predominantly focused on the word ni--a being repeated over, and over, and over again, within the first verse of the song. While this would be ok, the fact that the song doesn't even clock in at 3 minutes makes it take away from the song to a degree. However, after that we move into the second verse, featuring hard, rapid fire lines delivered by Minaj, coupled with an equally hard, bass led instrumental track. The energy doesn't drop off until the end of the verse, but we quickly jump back into the second verse, featuring the same intensity as the previous verse, at some points containing the most intense parts of the song. However, shortly after that and an about 30 second instrumental outro, the song ends.

While the song's good, its short duration is upsetting. However, given the other tracks and verses we've been given in the past few months, we have been getting a consistent stream of solid new tracks, with this being no exception. The instrumental and vocal tracks blend well together, making overall a hard rap track that is reminiscent of her early works, something her fans are sure to love.

Feel free to download the track below on iTunes or Amazon, and I'll see you all in my next review!

Beyonce - Blow Download + Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 02:23:00 +0000

Hey everyone, some of you might be a bit suprised, considering the fact that a new Beyonce album came out and I didn't review it, that's because I physically COULD NOT DO IT. The only reason I survived the 19 heart attacks I had the hour it was released was because of my will to listen to it. With that being said, I pulled myself together enough to review the first pop single off the album, Blow.

Blow, as does every song off of Beyonce, oozes sex from the beginning:

Keep me coming, keep me going, keep me coming, keep me going

Keep me humming, keep me moaning, keep me humming, keep me moaning

Don't stop loving 'til the morning, don't stop loving 'til the morning

Don't stop screaming, freaking, blowing

And that's only the pre-chorus! Every line is sung incredibly sensually, backed by pianos, bass, and any instrument you can think of, which together, strongly channel the 80's. The vocals and instruments all work together great, always channeling the same emotion from the listener.

However, about a little after midway through the track, everything switches up, with Beyonce letting her power come out a bit more (still not too much, however) along with the beat switching up, adding more elctro beats, along with more bass. The song then goes into Beyonce just kinda moaning all over the place, which somehow still works (since it's Beyonce) before we get the pre-chorus and chorus once more, before the song ends.

Overall, this is one of my favorites off the album, and probably my favorite pop song, take a listen above, and tell me what you think! See you all soon!

Karmin- I Want it All: Review + Download

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 03:43:00 +0000

Amy! You forgot your pants :o

Hey everyone! On Tuesday, Karmin released their long awaited second single from their debut studio album, Pulses, I Want it All. Will this manage to garner the success that their top 20 hit "Brokenhearted" achieved? Find out after the jump!

There are two very noticeable differences from this song from their previous singles, the first being that we actually get some (emphasis on the some) singing from the other half of Karmin, Nick. While it isn't much, it adds some diversity to the uptempo song.

The other difference is that this track features no rapping from front runner Amy. All other original songs from the duo have featured at least one verse of rapping, a component missing from I Want it All, and, I'm not sure how this will affect the song's airplay standings, as Amy's rapping skills are panned by some, and acclaimed by others, the omitting of rapping in this single could increase, or decrease its airplay.

The uptempo pop record has a large 80s feel to it,that shines mostly in the instrumental track, that works wonders on the flawless vocal track. All aspects of the song work very well together, and this song works well in showcasing Heidemann's vocals in a light we haven't heard them in previous singles. Take a listen above, and tell me what you think of the new single! Download links lead to Karmin's page on iTunes and Amazon, as the single hasn't been released to digital retailers yet, the links will be updated when it is!

Lady Gaga- Artpop Download + Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 22:21:00 +0000

Oh Gaga, who's my little disaster?

Hey everyone, if you didn't know, I hate Lady Gaga! However, even though it was the most generic pop song ever, Applause, for some reason, caught my attention. So, I figured I'd go all the way, and review Artpop in its entirety. Check out my review down below.

The album starts out with Aura. which needs to calm the f**k down. The song is a blissful disaster. The uptempo mess of a song starts out the album in the way we'd expect from Gaga, leaving everyone having know idea what's going on, except knowing that we like it.

We then move on to the electropop Venus, a fun, different song, featuring all over the place vocals and instruments, which somehow work well together. Venus is followed by G.U.Y, which is overall just more toned down Venus, however, it is unique enough that I wouldn't call it filler.

Next, we have Sexxx Dreams. I don't know. Go listen to it, figure it out yourself. After that little disaster, we have Jewels N' Drugs which features a powerful, bass heavy beat, and some great verses from the likes of T.I.,Too $hort & Twista. The mid-tempo vocals by Gaga are flawless, and every part about this song works together perfectly, all the while screaming single.

Manicure takes the album in a different direction, almost drifting into rock, considering Gaga's powerful vocals on this track. This song is basically, pretty good. Nothing super great about it, but it's good. Manicure is followed by Do What U Want, not sure if I want to dance with and/or punch Gaga in the face when I hear this song. All I know is that it provokes some feelings.

After Do What U Want, we have Swine. Coming in at 6 and a half minutes, uh, it's good. The electro-esque instruments don't exactly mesh with Gaga's vocals, but overall the song pulls itself together enough to not sound... terrible. Donatella, the incredibly bass heavy, laid back song shines, showcasing Gaga's effortless vocals. After Donatella, we are greeted by Fashion! features generic vocals, generic beats, generic everything, leaving me with the first song that I really couldn't find anything to enjoy on.

The next track, Mary Jane Holland is ok, (not as stale as Fashion!) but once again, nothing to applaud (Get it, hahahahaha, no? ok.). We are then greeted by Dope, the lone ballad on Artpop. The heartfelt song, features stunning production, and is definitely one of the stand-outs. Finally we have Gypsy, the incredibly fun electro-pop song features incredible beats, and an even better vocal track. The album then ends off with the lead single, Applause.

Overall, I LOVED this album. I came into this not liking Gaga at all, but this album definitely turned that around, and I look forward to hearing many of these tracks on the radio.

Britney Spears - Perfume Download + Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 00:27:00 +0000

Even before it's release, Perfume was being labeled as career changing, and was stated to have flawless vocals by critics around the world. How true are these statements? Find out after the jump.

Perfume has a stunning, piano/bass led mid-tempo instrumental track that could work wonders on any song. Most of the songs we've heard from Britney lately, even back from the Femme Fatale era, are all massively overproduced, with Britney's actual singing being hard to find in the layers of overproduced beats. However, this song, is the total opposite. The mid-tempo ballad features stunning, audible vocals from Spears, something we haven't heard from her in a long time.

However, there was a tremendous amount of build up to this song, as it was stated to be career changing for Britney. In my opinion, while it is a great, original, and meaningful song, it is in no way career changing, and considering the fact that the song has only been able to reach the #13 position on iTunes*, most of the world seems to agree with me.

Well, that's it for my review! What do you guys think of the new single? Tell me below in the comments, and I'll see you guys in the next review!

*at the time of this article's posting

Katy Perry- Prism: Download + Track By Track Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 01:51:00 +0000

Hey everyone, on Friday, Katy Perry's 4th studio album, Prism was released. With already established hits such as Roar, this album has a lot to live up to. Will it be able to meet expectations? Find out below in this track by track review.

Roar- Check out my full Roar review here.

Legendary Lovers- Legendary Lovers is a mid-tempo ballad, but she also raps. Cuz she's Katy Perry. She can do what she wants. Honestly, the vocals are great, the instrumentals are great, and overall this is just a hard track to describe. Check it out for yourself here.

Birthday- Birthday starts out with a bouncy instrumental track, with Katy's vocals being not quite laid back, but definitely not powerhouse either. However, overall the song is fun, and will do well on the pop charts. However, this is nothing new or different from Perry, just another pop track.

Walking on Air- Check out my full Walking on Air review here.

Unconditionally- Unconditionally starts out heavy with an instrumental track oozing bass, followed by Katy joining in quickly. Unconditionally is similar to Teenage Dream, with a more mature feel to it. However, while it is similar to Teenage Dream, this power ballad is still very unique, and Katy's powerhouse vocals are near flawless on this track.

Dark Horse- Check out my full Dark Horse review here.

This is How We Do- This is how we do features a smooth, hip hop-esque beat and a laid back vocal track. While the lyrics are incredibly stupid, I love the song! The song is fun, unique, urban, and just well... good! This hip-hop/pop track is definitely one of my favorites off the album.

International Smile- International smile is a fun, upbeat song. The instrumental track is nice, heavily led by guitars, it's something different from the generic pop landscape. The vocal track isn't bad either, while the breezy lyrics sung by Katy are good, they're not great, and overall it is a good song, but isn't really different from anything we've heard before.

Ghost- Ghost is honestly ok. There's nothing too great about it, nothing too bad. The mid tempo ballad couples Katy's voice with a bass led instrumental track, that's honestly just pretty bland. Overall, this song is just filler to me.

Love Me- On this down tempo track Katy takes her time, and really shows off her vocal prowess. The song has a lot of different sides, sometimes featuring a instrumental track with only a piano with Katy just singing softly, other times it picks up, adding more instruments, with Katy picking up the power. This song definitely showcases her vocal versatility, and is a stand out of the album.

This Moment- Once again, a ballad. And while it's good as a stand alone song, it sounds like the rest of the album. There's nothing new or different about it, it's just another track.

Double Rainbow- Please refer to This Moment Review.

By the Grace of God- By the Grace of God is once again, a ballad. However, this song is much deeper, has better, bass led instrumentals, has great vocals, and is actually able to distinguish itself from all the other ballads.

Bonus Tracks:

Spiritual- Spiritual is a mid-tempo song, featuring a smooth, heavy bass instrumental track. Katy's vocals are quick. smooth, and don't miss a beat. The song isn't the best, but we finally found another good song off the album.

It Takes Two- It Takes Two is another boring, mid tempo track. Wow. So different.

Choose Your Battles- Yup. Same thing. Another Ballad.

Wow! I'm going to be flat out honest, that album sucked. Out of sixteen tracks, there were about seven that I actually liked, the rest, were barely worth being filler. I expected a lot out of this album, as Katy is one of my favorite artists, but now it's clear I expected much too much. Honestly, Prism isn't even in the same league as Teenage Dream.

Well, that's it for my review, what do you guys think, do you have a different opinion? Make sure to share it in the comments below, and I'll see you guys in the next review!

Katy Perry- Walking on Air: Download the new Single Here + Review

noreply@blogger.com (Megaton Reviews) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Hey everyone! Today I'm here to review Katy Perry's new single, Walking on Air. I was gonna review Miley Cyrus's new album. But then I remembered I have a soul. So without further adieu, check out a review of the new single down below!

Walking on Air is drastically different from Dark Horse, as it features more of a club/house vibe, with the synth led instrumental track taking the lead on this song. The vocals themselves are fun, fluttery, and overall well delivered. The vocals and instrumentals go very well together, and overall this track definitely gives me a throwback mid 90's feel. While this song clocks in at about four minutes, overall there isn't much variety to the song, with the first two minutes being the only part you really need to hear before the track gets overall redundant.

Overall, I like this song, but that's about it. I like it. I don't love it. And in my opinion, it doesn't hold a candle to its predecessor, Dark Horse. As always, if you liked it make sure to check out the download links below, and I'll see you in my next review!