Kylie live in Paris 2005 – Some rights reserved by Flickr user “law_keven”
This is a review I’m looking forward to writing because I think that Kylie Minogue is one of the greatest singers on earth. She has such a long music history and is therefore very experienced in the music business. After the cancer disease she has now fully recovered and is going on a spectacular tour in Europe in ‘08. As for now, I want to rate her music on the current album “X”. And next year I will also add a commentary about her concert in Zurich to which I’m looking forward very much.
So let’s begin. As usual, I’ll use a maximum of 5 stars with some nuances of 1/2 to make it clearer.
2 Hearts This charts topper is very good. I think, as all songs by Kylie are sensual in a way, I’ll leave that word away 
. So what else is to mention? This song is truly passionate, honest and without “twirls” but a good and strong beat. The background singers create the base in way, otherwise the song would be quite boring… ***** for a fresh power song.
Like A Drug “Like A Drug” is a good dance song animating people to get on the dancefloor. As the title mentions it, the song is a bit of a “fortune cookie” and therefore it may get by with music only for a short time to move the hips even more. The beats are rhytmic and you can really imagine someone dancing when you listen to it. Although the beats are cool, the song can’t convince me in terms of music. I think it’s too simple and also quite boring. So have a *** 1/2 rating for a good rhythm song, which can’t convince me as a whole.
In My Arms This is my personal favourite song on the album. At the beginning, the music is like lurking on the main part of the song with its high harpsichord sounds. Although the song isn’t that strong as for example “Like A Drug” it is all the same better because it is exciting and euphoric and “in one breath”. For such a good dancing song I give ***** stars.
Speakerphone The echo element in that song has a great importance in lyrics and beat. On one side, you can hear the alternating voices of Kylie and another one that sounds like a computer voice. The other voice finishes the lyrics to make them complete. On the other side, the beat is a sound similar to waves that return to you repeatedly. The song could be compared to a snake (rattles in the background and the high voice of Kylie). This one is another fave and I give it **** 1/2.
Sensitized Well, actually I think this song is quite disturbing. There’s a good melody but there’s a voice shouting out loud, which repeats all the time so after listening too long to the song it can get quite annoying. I mean, maybe the senses should be kept awake with that sound element but I personally don’t like it that much. For a more experimental song by Kylie I award *** for the courage to create something new.
Hearts Beat Rock I really like it when the sound qualities of a person’s voice come out. So I do in that song. The song is led by a sexy voice, which is, compared to the music, quite low but nevertheless firm. The music is very high-quality as usual, so no complaining about that. I’m amazed of how new sound elements are introduced, something I’ve never heard before and this is also what makes good musicians and composers. ***** for amazing composers and good singers.
No More Rain I think this song is not one that you like at first because it is quite flat. It took a while for me to discover it and now I like it even more although it is not my fave yet. I especially like the sound carpet, which is shortly transformed to a wonderful dream (representing the sun coming out from behind the dark clouds or a rainbow?). Therefore some xylophone sounds are used to create sound “colors”. In a way, these make me think of a huge rainbow in all its colors. ***** again for a fantastic sound experience.
The One This song is not good as it is too monotonous and repeats always the same lyrics and melodies. Compared to the other songs on the album I have to say it: This one is actually really bad. It is boring and the music drowns the already characterless sung part by Kylie. So I give it weak ** stars.
All I See I don’t know why but in a way this song reminds me of another R&B song although the music is certainly different. Here, the vocals are even more important than in other songs. But the overall picture is quite good. The song is a bit unusual for Kylie but nevertheless exciting. **** for an unusual song.
Stars This one is another dance song. Very good beat and good melody. The song really reaches for the stars because it is not boring and can be used to make a whole dancing crowd excited. Although I don’t know much old music from the 80’s or so, I think that there are old elements in the song to create the typical disco feeling (you can correct me there =). **** 1/2 for an almost perfect song.
Wow I know that the song “Wow” has had great success in some countries before the release of “X” but personally I cannot commend it much. I guess that for a certain period like the 90’s it would have had even more success and would have been lauded better but I don’t like those retro songs that much. Particularly when they’re boring as this one is. *** for another song to fill out the gaps between the songs.
Nu-di-ty I believe I don’t have to say much about this song. It is just sexy, exciting, amazing, provoking but after all very hot. ***** for almost the best song of the album.
Cosmic As an ending song this one fits good into the lacking frame of the album. It in a way adds a bit what got lost for the album as a whole, namely the connection between all the different songs and the leitmotif that should guide us somehow through the album. **** for a good and necessary ending
Overall impression: Some very fresh, new songs were introduced but there were also some dusty songs, which don’t fit into an anyhow lacking leitmotif. This album is certainly to be recommended despite those mentioned “mood killers”.
Get more information about Kylie on her site: http://www.kylie.com
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