3OH!3 feat. Katy Perry 'Starstrukk'
If there's two things you might deduce from looking at my past reviews, it's that a) although I like to think I have a fairly diverse music taste, if I'm reviewing an emo/electro tune I'll probably end up liking it and b) I always manage to make the opening paragraph about me.
Well, ENOUGH'S ENOUGH! NO MORE! Things around here are going to change and I will not pander to this format I have created for myself any longer, I tell you!
*Looks at what I have written for the opening paragraph*
Ahhh, crap! Okay, it may be too late for b), but it's certainly not to late to change a)... is it?
(. One word: unnecessary)
With the success of their last single, 'Don't Trust Me' and the very fact that Katy Perry features on this song, expectations are understandably high. But does this song live up to them? Errr... probably not, unless you like your songs to be REALLY QUITE ANNOYING.
You see, 'Don't Trust Me' was a cheeky electro/pop song - it had a catchy chorus, it was fun and it sort of stuck out on the radio. 'Starstrukk', on the other hand, does none of those things. It's a rowdy laddy song with a hard edge that has very little likable about it (other than Miss Perry's little face in the video of course).
First up there's those incessant wolf-whistles. It's not big, it's just bad and means the song owes more to a construction site than Benny Benassi's 'Satisfaction'. Then there's the lyrics: "I think I should know how to make love to something innocent without leaving my fingerprints out". Like, seriously, what does that even mean? I dread to think.
It's quite forgettable too, and for a fairly average length song, it sure feels like it goes on a lot longer. HOWEVER! It's not all bad news, K-Per's involvement brings an element of glamour to the song, more so than the Katy-less original, and her low vocal tone makes her an interesting, distinctive choice of artist to collaborate with.
Basically, a song like this was never going to sit quietly in the background and for that I kinda respect it, ya know? It's not afraid to be loud and obnoxious. It's not afraid to make a statement. And it's certainly not afraid of the big bad wolf whistles.
None of this means I like it any more than I did at the start though.
Download: Out now
CD Released: December 14th
91Èȱ¬ Music page
(Vicki Lutas)
Comment number 1.
At 18th Dec 2009, spirit wrote:I have to dis - agree with this review .
This is a naughty , catchy , little pop song , that is gonna appeal to a lot of people .
The chorus hook is strong ,it has Katy's profile and I can see it being a top ten hit.
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Comment number 2.
At 20th Dec 2009, spirit wrote:WOO ! WOO !
Straight in at number 5 !
Wolf whistles have never sounded quite so foxy !
Katy's 3rd top ten hit , the last being Hot and cold !
Congratulations for your first 3oh!3....
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Comment number 3.
At 28th Dec 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Miss Perry looks stunning in the video for this.
Im not convinced by the song though!
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Comment number 4.
At 31st Dec 2009, Daniel wrote:I really like this song.
I mean, I'm not sure what they're singing about or if I can decipher any metaphor in the lyrics but y'know... it's catchy and loud and it holds my attention...
4 Stars!
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Comment number 5.
At 31st Dec 2009, harrythedog10 wrote:I not sure if I dislike the song or 3oh!3, it's probably a bit of both but I think I dislike 3oh!3 more.
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Comment number 6.
At 1st Jan 2009, Bygcat wrote:I love this song! It's really catchy! Wolf whistling is awesome and sexy, and so are 3oh!3 and Katy Perry. When is the CD out and what is it called?
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Comment number 7.
At 3rd Jan 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:The album is called WANT and was released in the US in July 2008. I don't know whether it will be released on this side of the Atlantic though.
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Comment number 8.
At 3rd Jan 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:Oh wait, the album was released in December over here! :)
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Comment number 9.
At 3rd Jan 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:28th December 2009 to be specific!
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Comment number 10.
At 3rd Jan 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Heard this song on the radio today and it's just not the same without the video. The bloke on the right on it has a charisma that seems to let him get away with singing this song .. when you can see it. On the radio it sounded reasonably awful.
I still sang along though.
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Comment number 11.
At 4th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:"Wolf whistling is awesome and sexy"
Really? REALLY?
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Comment number 12.
At 11th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:WOW !
Up to number 3 ! Peak position and Katy's second biggest hit after her number 1, I KISSED A GIRL .
HOT N COLD peaked at number 4 .
Congratulations on your engagement KP !
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Comment number 13.
At 11th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:Yeah. She's marrying Golden Wonder.
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Comment number 14.
At 11th Jan 2010, Keith Fusco wrote:Great song, IMO.
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Comment number 15.
At 31st Mar 2010, spirit wrote:Some said , that you can't remember the chorus of this song , and there is little likeable about it , I thought it was an interesting, in yer face catchy pop gem with a fantastic tongue in cheek video .
What now is quite astounding , is that this song has now officially sold over 400,000 copies in the U.K , and it's still in the chart .
What with the top 5 success of the Timbaland duet , and the rising profile via the media of the Russell effect , Katy Perry's star is shining mega bright right now !!!
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Comment number 16.
At 1st Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:And to add to that above statement by Spirit, Katy's new album will be released this Summer. She has described it as a Summer rock record and will borrow lots of elements from 1990s rock. I have been listening to No Doubt a lot lately and wondering why people aren't making music like this at the moment so I am eagerly awaiting Miss Perry's new album.
Katy has also said that one of her best friends will probably appear on the record with her and probably some West Coast rappers.
As far as West Coast rappers are concerned, I hope Snoop appears and not will.i.am.. As for her best friends, could it be Rihanna or Ke$ha?
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Comment number 17.
At 1st Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Ke$ha would be an amazing best friend. I want her at my parties. I've said this to friends and some people thing she's a massive fraud. However, Im not gonna be cynical. I recon she's a good laugh.
Katy Perry... apart from being beautiful is actually alright music wise. Not breaking any boundaries (some might argue apart from the girl kissing getting to number 1.. but who remembers T.A.T.U, with the amazing and still listenable-to 'All the things she said'?).. but it's good stuff. 'Waking up in Vegas' really grew on me (why wasn't it in The Hangover?). So while I won't exactly rush out to buy the album, I'm sure it will have some solid singles.
Ive dicussed No Doubts amazingness many times on the blog .. I posted about their up and coming album a couple of times I think. Exicted!
This track? Catchy as hell, good club tune .. not exactly a classic.
Curious as to why they are re-releasing their alful first single though ..
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Comment number 18.
At 1st Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:@10 .. I appear to have Ricky Martined a little early there. Still true though.
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Comment number 19.
At 1st Apr 2010, spirit wrote:Randy , Katy Perry told me once at a party , that her best friend was an 18 year old , music loving guy, from a little place called Leitrim .
Do you know him ?
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Comment number 20.
At 1st Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:Oh Spirit, if that were true I would just be overly delighted. I seen Katy Perry accidentally live at Oxegen last year and after seeing her I went from someone who thought her songs were alright to being madly in love with her. She was a lot of fun...just like Ke$ha who I'll marry if Katy stays with that idiot Russell Brand.
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Comment number 21.
At 1st Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Cool so I get Marina?
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Comment number 22.
At 1st Apr 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:Don't think so Liam, but I hear that Susan Boyle's out on the market.
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Comment number 23.
At 1st Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:Marina is gorgeous but I'd reckon I'd have a hard time understanding that Welsh accent so you're welcome to her Liam.
I'll have Ke$ha, Katy and Gabriella Cilmi (who's next single is Hearts Don't Lie btw). And Gabby is on the cover of FHM and boy is she smoking!
Smoking hot that is! Not actually smoking...which would be bad for her sexy lungs.
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Comment number 24.
At 1st Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Natasha had a #3 album and a top 10 Hot 100 hit with her second/third album (Europe/American release, but they were different records with only 6 songs the same). I didn't think she'd done that well out there.
I'm well down with the Welsh accent. So I'm happy.
Gabriella is beautiful.
But she's not Leto..
Just kidding.
Often a topic of debate. Florence. Would you?
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Comment number 25.
At 1st Apr 2010, spirit wrote:With the sound of harps in the background !
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Comment number 26.
At 1st Apr 2010, spirit wrote:Marina is absolutely gorgeous in reality , with the shiniest hair .
Florence is gorgeous , with legs that go on forever , but then again , as with Elly from La Roux and Nicola Roberts , I am in awe of gorgeous redheads .
*Swoon *
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Comment number 27.
At 1st Apr 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:Wait a minute, so the topic of Florence - Would or Wouldn't You has more, as I believe Spirit said, positive , informative , articulate tones than what I said about the two members of Black Eyed Peas who I once again have forgotten the names of.
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Comment number 28.
At 1st Apr 2010, spirit wrote:I am certainly being positive , informative and articulate .
Florence IS gorgeous .
:)
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Comment number 29.
At 1st Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:@27 .. it was sparking up debate rather than using mildly racist terms and wishing death upon people...
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Comment number 30.
At 1st Apr 2010, spirit wrote:As I said , on another post , Florence's album has just sold over 1 million copies in the UK .
Well done Miss Welch and the Machine .
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Comment number 31.
At 1st Apr 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:@ 29
Sorry to dig up an old story but how was what I said midly racist! I didn't mention either of their races; I said one had a mohawk and was short and I said the other one, in my opinion, looked a bit like a monkey!
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Comment number 32.
At 1st Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:I know you probably didn't mean to be racist, Harry, but calling someone a monkey (especially someone who isn't white) is deemed racist.
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Comment number 33.
At 1st Apr 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:Well I'm sorry if I came across that way.
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Comment number 34.
At 1st Apr 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:Harry, it's because Taboo's not white. There's huge sensitivity about monkey or ape comparisons in relation to non-white people, because in the past racists have contended that black people were less evolved than white people, and therefore inferior. It's one of those deals where, even though race might be the furthest thing from your mind, the stigma of the past makes it a no-go area.
Whether that's a positive state of affairs is another matter, but it's something that you need to be aware of - no matter if you just say it naively and unaware of the connotations, some people will take an extremely negative meaning from it.
Having said that, I'm guessing that you're not racist and simply were unaware of the connotation of what you said, since you've never said anything before to make me think you're prejudiced. On the BEP thread, I only saw what you wrote at comment 41 (your previous one was deleted), but on the basis of that, I certainly wouldn't accuse you of using "racist terms" of any sort. As long as there wasn't anything else in the deleted post, I think Liam's out of line for making that kind of accusation. I would simply advise you to be aware of the sensitivity I've mentioned, and be aware of how that sort of comment might be interpreted by some.
BTW, the accusation of "mild racism" is rendered even more inappropriate by the fact that Taboo is in fact of Mexican and Native American heritage, and not black (the ethnic group for whom ape comparisons are a big issue) at all.
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Comment number 35.
At 1st Apr 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:To be honest the difference in Taboo's skin tone to Fergie or other 'white' people is so slight that most of the time I don't even notice that he is of a difference ethnicity.
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Comment number 36.
At 1st Apr 2010, kingshleppy wrote:I don't think you were being racist harry (although you were treading on a fine line between being naive and being insensitive), I just feel that you articulated your feelings towards the B.E.P in an extremely negative and inappropriate way. As I have already said on Rock That Body's thread, it's supposed to be about the music.
Again, best to move on and not keep dragging it up, so let's do just that, shall we??
I also LOVE this song. I know I LOVE a lot of songs, but I just can't help it with this one, from the start where you can feel the song bubbling, about to begin, the immense punch you get when it kicks in if you have the volume up high, and Katy Perry's bit is much better than the old version's bridge-thingy.
And yes, she was quite awesome at Oxegen last year, along with Florence, even if she was 45 mins late to the stage!
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Comment number 37.
At 2nd Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:I'd like to point out that I wasn't "making that kind of accusation" I was pointing out that it was a "midly racist" term. Which it is. That is a fact which you state yourself Curtains. I know it wasn't used intentionally to be racist, hence I didn't come out accusing Harry to be a Nick Griffin disciple etc etc.
I was retorting to the fact that Harry is inferring that our debate is rubbish. When in fact he had just made some completely rubbish point about the looks of the members of the BEPs. This referring to @ 27. I was actually defending my point. So I am totally within line Curtains. Harry is questioning weather our debate falls withing Spirit's criteria for a good post. I pointed out it was better.
I feel bad for arguing like this with two people I have come to know and love, via the medium of this blog and music, but I'm not gonna just sit and be quiet! I believe I deserve a chance to defend myself and my "accusations".
Anyway, I'm not holding any grudges. Hope nobody else will.
Back to the music?
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Comment number 38.
At 2nd Apr 2010, kingshleppy wrote:Indeed.
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Comment number 39.
At 2nd Apr 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:In a moment.
No grudges held obviously Liam. We're fellow members of the McAlpine harem, and brothers-in-arms agaist invading fanbuses! You've taken the opportunity to explain your view, and so will I (briefly).
I didn't and don't agree that Harry used a mildly racist term. He unwittingly used a insult which others have used with racist intentions in the past. There's a big difference, and it's not just semantics - it matters when people are throwing words like "racist" around, because that's a serious business, and it is an accusation. That kind of mud sticks - and it was the case when F-Mac came close to implying that Randy was being homophobic a while back. I stuck my nose it then too, cos I felt that similarly out of line. I'd do it again if I thought
Anyway, I'm glad it's clear and no-one thinks anyone else is a racist. I don't think a debate on whether or not we would with Florence is especially articulate, positive or informative - but then again, I don't need comments here to be any of those things. I'm just happy if they're funny ;o) But no WAY would I tap Florence.
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Comment number 40.
At 2nd Apr 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:Ahem - *I'd do it again if I thought it was warranted.
Sorry - I think I skipped to the end because I was in a rush to explain that I want no part of Welch.
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Comment number 41.
At 2nd Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:I'll leave the debate at that :p
Me and friends came to the conclusion that somebody with the insane talent that Florence has is probably going to get it.
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Comment number 42.
At 6th Apr 2010, lemon-soda wrote:Are you all crazy? This song is amazing and so are 3oh!3. why is everyone going on about katy perry! it aint even her song nor is she a great singer. I mean come on give 3oh!3 the credit they wrote the song! i have been a massive fan of 3oh!3 since 2007 so it annoys me when they dont get any credit for there awesome songs! and btw the so called "katy-less" original is far better as you actually get to hear Nat Motte's bit in the song! so in conclusion starstrukk original and this one are amazing songs so get over it already!
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Comment number 43.
At 6th Apr 2010, OddOne wrote:Hey lemon-soda, no-one can knock you if that's your opinion, but lets other people have their okayy?
Welcome to the... forum-thing we got going on anyhoo.
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Comment number 44.
At 6th Apr 2010, spirit wrote:Well as a pop song , to me, Strarstrukk is a 4 or 5 star song , and has now sold over 400,000 copies in the UK , so was a hit of epic proportions .
I am not sure if Lemon Soda is referring to the review above , where the song is described as forgettable and has little to like about it , so I am sure many people who like it , may find this a strange thing to say , given the songs wide commercial success and it's huge success at radio and t.v .
Still swings and roundabouts eh ?
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Comment number 45.
At 7th Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:It's 3 stars, when I'm not in a iritable mood. 4 when I'm drunk.
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Comment number 46.
At 7th Apr 2010, spirit wrote:Oooh get you !
I never guessed you were sometimes moody . . .
:) :0
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Comment number 47.
At 8th Apr 2010, kingshleppy wrote:It gets 5 when I'm drunk...
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