Flo Rida - Wild Ones (feat. Sia)

Wild Ones is the latest release from Miami-based rapper Flo Rida. This one seems to have been knocking around the UK Top 40 for a long while now and, with one listen to it, it is not exactly tricky to see why. WWE wrestling fans will be familiar with Flo Rida for his recent performance at Wrestlemania 28, as well as the songs of his that were heavily used for promotion leading up to the event. Others, perhaps sadly, will remember/know of him simply because of the diabolical reworking he did of the Dead Or Alive classic, You Spin Me Round back in 2009. For those of us who have forgiven him for this Jeffrey Dahmer-equaling monstrosity, his latest works, Good Feeling and now this, are well worth the time of day.

The track kicks off with the chorus. This can sometimes be a risky move in a song. Fortunately however, the chorus to this song happens to be tremendous, and immediately lets the listener know that this tune is well worth their attention. Featuring the vocals of Aussie vocalist, Sia, the chorus is instantly memorable, catchy, heartfelt and, perhaps even beautiful. This initial chorus in thirty seconds long, and in all honesty, the song itself could have ended there and it would still have had the Youtube generation flocking to their computer screens to search for, and then listen to it again.

In reality though, the song (of course) continues beyond this point. The verses then kick in and, in terms of vocals, exclusively feature Flo Rida himself. The beat turns into a more dancey (if that's even a word?) kind of beat, yet still follow the same chord progression as the chorus. For fans of rap, Flo Rida's vocal work during the verses is tremendous and highly enjoyable. However, even non-fans of rap will continue listening, safe in the knowledge that that brilliant, melodic chorus is just around the corner once again. Essentially, whether you like, or even appreciate the busting of rhymes (as I believe it's called in the hood), this song will have something for you and keep you listening until the very end.

Overall then, this song has terrific crossover appeal and will inevitably be enjoyed by most music fans. It is tempting to laud immense praise upon it for being far better than Flo Rida's 2009 effort, Right Round. However, since even the Jonestown mass suicide of 1977 was better than that particular offering, that is not saying much! In all seriousness though, Flo Rida; well played sir.

Worth a listen? Most certainly.

Verdict: 9/10

Katy Perry - Part Of Me

Part Of Me is the latest single from US pop sensation Katy Perry. Most of us cannot help but have a soft spot for this California songstress. Whether it be as a result of the music itself or the fact that she's not exactly an aesthetically displeasing creature, it would only be a terminally embittered specimen with a heart of stone who would have nothing positive to say about her at all. As well as being beautiful, her songs Teenage Dream, Hot 'n' Cold and Firework have rightfully become smash hits in recent times. Best of all, she writes her own stuff. Overall, what is there not to like about her?

Her latest single is, predictably enough an energetic, hook-filled stormer. To note the lyrics, one cannot help but feel as though this is the modern version of I Will Survive. Although Perry herself strenuously denies that this song is a reaction to the failure of her marriage to Russell Brand, this is still a fantastic breakup anthem. Newly-single women across the globe will listen to this track and go, "Hell yeah, I'm with you sister!". With lyrics such as "You can keep the diamond ring, I never liked them anyway, in fact, you can keep everything except for me", nobody could accuse this song of being devoid of meaning or intent.

As for the tune itself, it may not be as catchy as the aforementioned Teenage Dream, but it certainly makes up for it in terms of its energy and its sentiment. Part Of Me is vintage Perry. It is fast, fun, "sit up and listen" pop for the 21st century. This latest offering seems to be irrefutable proof that, at this point in time, the I Kissed A Girl superstar can do no wrong.

Overall though, this song is a tricky one to sum up. When listening to it, one cannot help but feel that it is not quite as good as Teenage Dream or Firework. However, it is only moments after the song ends that the listener realises that the song is now stuck in their heads and they are sub-consciously humming it to themselves. With few exceptions, any song that can achieve this is an undisputed winner.

Worth a listen? Oh yes!

Verdict: 8/10

Calvin Harris - Let's Go (feat. Ne-Yo)

If there's one thing we can always count on Calvin Harris for then it is an instantly recognisable dance track. The 28 year-old from Dumfries, who once interrupted Jedward during a "live" X factor performance (though, sadly, not with the malicious intent that many of us would have hoped for) has come on leaps and bounds in recent times. He has scored massive hits with Dance Wiv Me, The Girls, and Feel So Close to name a few. His latest offering, Let's Go (feat. Ne-Yo) just about lives up to the now very high expectations.

Unlike many of Harris' previous releases, Let's Go is unlikely to hold much in the way of crossover appeal. This is an out and out dance track with a pounding beat, techno to spare and so suited to the nightclub that it almost creates its own strobe lighting. As a dance number, this is a great effort. Fans of the genre will be bouncing up and down to this all night long. Ne-Yo's vocals compliment the beat nicely and the chorus is distinct, yet not overstated. It has to be said though that non-dance fans will find little enjoyment here. Nobody will hate this song as such, but many are likely to find it fairly forgettable and nothing particularly special.

All in all, your enjoyment of this tune will rather depend on your taste in music, and indeed what kind of person you become when in a nightclub. If you are the type of individual who likes to dance, neck Tequila shots and snog endless strangers of the opposite sex then this is for you. However, if you're the sort who buys a drink, stands around awkwardly and then skulks off to the smoking area whilst desperately trying not to draw attention to yourself then it's probably best to find something else to listen to.

Worth a listen? Very much so, but as far as Mr Harris' collaborations with rappers go, this is a weaker offering than his 2008 effort with Dizzee Rascal.

Verdict: 7/10

Rihanna - Where Have Your Been

As a writer, it is very difficult to find anything to say about Rihanna that hasn’t been said already. Whether you love her or hate her, nearly everybody has an opinion on her. For better or for worse, it is often not the music itself that attracts attention to her, and controversy tends to follow her around like an overly-enthusiastic car salesman. Perhaps this is just part of the parcel when you happen to be one of the biggest pop stars in the world. So what of her latest offering, Where Have You Been?

Well to kick off, nobody can speak of a new Rihanna single without mentioning the video. Comparatively, this one is pretty dry. Don’t get me wrong, she still wears so few clothes in it that any responsible mother would warn her that she’d catch her death if she didn’t wrap up more warmly. However, that aside, it’s fairly uncontroversial. There are no whips or chains and at no point is she tied up, beaten or even abused. Instead, the video starts with her crawling out of a swamp like a hippo on an intense mission (a very aesthetically pleasing hippo at that though). From there, proceedings pretty much degenerate into a perplexing tribal dance routine and a few minutes later the song is over. As videos go it is not bad, but with a Rihanna video you can’t help but want for something that will enrage grumpy Daily Mail readers within the content, and this is sadly lacking here.

As for the song itself it is another of Rihanna’s dance numbers. It is listenable enough but doesn’t really contain any noteworthy hooks or “sit up and listen” moments. It is also quite difficult to make out a clear-cut chorus in this number too, which for a pop song tends to be something of a cardinal sin. In this case, the song doesn’t suffer much from the absence of a big chorus, but one would have been nice nevertheless.

Overall this song is not one of Rihanna’s best. ‘Where Have You Been?’ never threatens the prior brilliance of Disturbia or Russian Roulette, but in my view is certainly a better effort than the ultimately unbearable Umbrella. It is one of those songs that the casual listener is unlikely to remember, but not one that anyone will be banging their head against a brick wall to try and forget.

Worth a listen? I’d say yes, but don’t expect it to blow you away.

Verdict: 6.5/10