Welcome to “Cut Through the Noise,” an entertainment column from the St. Louis Park Echo covering new music releases. Every week, a different Echo staffer takes on the role of writer, reviewing recent single releases from various artists.
“Sunset Blvd” – Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco ★★★★★
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco released their new single, “Sunset Blvd,” a week before their upcoming album release,“I Said I Loved You First.” I was very excited to listen to this song, and it did not disappoint. It was a very catchy song with the perfect tempo that made it really easy to sing along to. The song’s length was also perfect, not too long or too short, making it a great listen. Along with that, the lyrics were very captivating, like when Selena Gomez sings, “Making you famous, everyone’s watching, bare skin, concrete, they’re calling the police.” She sings it in a way that makes it easy to sing along with. Many of the lyrics in the song are very repetitive, but in this song it works out because you can memorize the entire song. Another thing that I loved about this song was how many different ways of singing were in it. There were certain parts where Selena Gomez would whisper some lyrics or there would be lyrics that were chanted and repeated. The song also got louder with a faster tempo in some parts that made the song seem more exciting and would work to get whoever was listening to it hyped up. I would recommend this song to anyone who is looking for something to sing along to, and I would rate it five stars because I honestly, thoroughly enjoyed this song!
“The Giver” – Chappell Roan ★★★☆☆
You may know Chappell Roan from some of her popular songs, like “Pink Pony Club” or “HOT TO GO,” and she recently released a song called “The Giver” on March 14. This song was not really what I expected based on listening to other songs by Chappell Roan. While it did have a faster tempo, the background music reminded me more of country music, which was not what I would put with the beat of the song. It also felt like it continued with the same beat for the entire song, which made it hard to fully listen to. Although there were some downsides to this song, I still think that it is something I would listen to again because Chapell Roan’s voice sounds really good in the song and you can tell she has a passion for singing. The instruments in the background music consisted of guitar, drums and flute. I think that these instruments were not the best choice for the song because they almost drowned out the lyrics and the actual singing. I also think that all the instruments making a beat may have been a little too chaotic. The actual singing in the song, though, sounds good and carries emotion and passion. There were certain pauses in the song with solely the instrumental music, and I disliked that because the best part of the song was the singing, so it got boring without it. Overall, I would rate this song three stars because the singing was amazing, but it was one of the only amazing factors. I would recommend this song to anyone who is looking into songs that are different from your typical music and continue with the same tempo.
“I’m Movin’ On” – Rascal Flatts & Kelly Clarkson ★★★★★
“I’m Movin’ On” is a song full of passion and emotion. Released on March 14, sung by Kelly Clarkson and Rascal Flatts, this is a really great song that is wonderful to listen to. The voices of Clarkson and Flatts work so well together when they harmonize, and the collaboration really goes to show the artist’s strengths in singing. The lyrics are sung so clearly and with so much intense emotion. The tempo of this song was perfect because it did not move too slowly, but, at the same time, you were able to really focus on the lyrics as they were sung. Their lyrics resonate deeply, capturing the bittersweet feelings of moving forward while also cherishing memories. The song carries a steady rhythm with guitar andh a blend of pop and country elements. “I’m Movin’ On” carries a sense of determination and self-empowerment. Rascal Flatts voice adds depth to the harmonies, which makes it even more enjoyable to listen to. Overall, this song was a song that I truly enjoyed listening to and I think that it was wonderfully written and sung. I would recommend this song to anyone but especially people who like songs that are sung with a lot of passion and have a deeper meaning hidden in the lyrics.
