Album review.
Likes: Too Many Fish
Overall: Poorly written and a carbon copy of Katy Perry/Nicki Minaj
So awhile back, Karmin (consisting of Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan) was an unsigned duo on Youtube who did acoustic rock/pop and a bevy of contemporary covers, who I profiled last year for a talent spotlight. They gained national attention with their cover of Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” as Heidemann effortlessly spit Busta Rhymes’ speeding featured verse. Afterward, the pair shared the stage with The Roots and was offered a record deal. I wasn’t excited about the contract because I knew that the label executives would likely encourage them to do an entire album of “Look at Me Now;” I was right. The short 7-track debut EP is a culmination of what’s hot this instant. A Katy Perry/Nicki Minaj pop-rap smoothie with a drop of techno, “Hello” is weakly written and underutilizes Karmin’s ability. Amy has a strong, soulful, smooth voice that’s barely showcased, as she raps and only sings choruses on majority of the tracks. Noonan’s vocals are pleasant and heard more often, but he fails to shine as a musician because most of the songs are produced by others. The lyrics are agonizingly uncomplicated and basic, which is an insult to the fact Heidemann and Noonan are songwriters. The songs are catchy, and the production is slightly interesting, blending hip-hop flavor with piano and acoustic guitars, but I can’t get over the poor writing and how blatantly formulaic the material is. If this is “Hello,” I’m saying “goodbye.”
Likes: Too Many Fish
Overall: Poorly written and a carbon copy of Katy Perry/Nicki Minaj
So awhile back, Karmin (consisting of Amy Heidemann and Nick Noonan) was an unsigned duo on Youtube who did acoustic rock/pop and a bevy of contemporary covers, who I profiled last year for a talent spotlight. They gained national attention with their cover of Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” as Heidemann effortlessly spit Busta Rhymes’ speeding featured verse. Afterward, the pair shared the stage with The Roots and was offered a record deal. I wasn’t excited about the contract because I knew that the label executives would likely encourage them to do an entire album of “Look at Me Now;” I was right. The short 7-track debut EP is a culmination of what’s hot this instant. A Katy Perry/Nicki Minaj pop-rap smoothie with a drop of techno, “Hello” is weakly written and underutilizes Karmin’s ability. Amy has a strong, soulful, smooth voice that’s barely showcased, as she raps and only sings choruses on majority of the tracks. Noonan’s vocals are pleasant and heard more often, but he fails to shine as a musician because most of the songs are produced by others. The lyrics are agonizingly uncomplicated and basic, which is an insult to the fact Heidemann and Noonan are songwriters. The songs are catchy, and the production is slightly interesting, blending hip-hop flavor with piano and acoustic guitars, but I can’t get over the poor writing and how blatantly formulaic the material is. If this is “Hello,” I’m saying “goodbye.”
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