Esser - 'Headlock'
2009 is definitely shaping up to be the year of the pop eccentric. Proper pop too, not just weirdos with uncompromising agendas who claim to have once nearly enjoyed a Girls Aloud song. I'm talking about Frankmusik, La Roux, Calvin Harris, Little Boots, Patrick Wolf, potential pop stars all, despite lacking anything that Louis Walsh would recognise as star quality. That's no insult to any of these performers, by the way, silly old Louis just likes things to be done a certain way.
And that's where the eccentric part comes in. It's important, if you want people to remember who you are, to stand out from the crowd a little bit. For La Roux, it was singing a passionate song in a voice sharp enough to cut cheese, Patrick Wolf makes pop videos that aren't suitable for humans to watch, and Esser sells his songs as T-shirts, rather than boring old CDs.
(. Spiffy quiff!)
Luckily for popkind, the T-shirt idea has run its course, and we're now back to more conventional formats. Which is good because this is a song which deserves to be heard, and not worn.
You want reasons? I got reasons!
It's got a brilliant homemade disco hook, it's got a ramshackle drum machine that sounds like it might just wander out of time at any moment (it doesn't, but that's the lingering impression, which is automatically a good thing), it's got less-than-perfect diction ("aww you got me inna headlock, nuffing inna werld's gonna help me naaaw") and bits of London slang ("you got me in a right state", "like a knackered stallion"), and, best of all, it sounds like happy.
I could tell you more, point out that this is all his own work, direct viewers to the bit of the video where he does this sort of weird ballet move, arching his back so he looks like a backwards letter C, and maybe even wonder aloud if the white sock is making a comeback in fashion circles (and not just as a way of keeping your tracky bottoms away from the pavement), but all you really need to know is that this a very good song from a man who would probably not make much headway in any other year.
So, right place, right time, right song. C'mon record-buying public, don't let him down...
Download: Out now
CD Released: April 27th
91Èȱ¬ Music page
Comment number 1.
At 26th Apr 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:"Ive got a problem, its called living".
This pretty much sums up this song. Awful. I like the production and the video on this, both are very good. However, you cannot dress up a song like this. Listen to the lyrics, they are awful. The corus does nothing to lift it (monotonous much?).
Soz, not a fan!
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Comment number 2.
At 26th Apr 2009, spirit wrote:I'm intrigued by your naming of Calvin Harris as a potential pop star ??? !
He has already had 2 NUMBER ONE singles, with nearly half a million sales between them , another top ten single "THE GIRLS ", and a hit album under his belt, as well as producing famous names........ what next ?................... Green Day to be best new breakthrough act of 2009 ! lol
Seriously though this song doesn't do it for me but I can see a few people liking it... he looks great... don't think it will be a big sales hit... sorry..... I think he has potential though....
Now I am excited about FRANKMUSIK, PATRICK WOLF and LITTLE BOOTS though. !........ LITTLE BOOTS will be a big commercial and chart success... she has great quality of songs....
Her album HANDS is out on May 25th !
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