The latest in news from the cultural universe
Just For Culture
  • Home
  • Art & Literature
  • Music
  • Day & Nightlife
  • Film & TV
  • About Us & Contact

Album Review: Calvin Harris - Motion

7/11/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
The latest album from Calvin Harris is bound to sell well. Of course it is. The guy churns out number one hits quicker than Renee Zellwegger changes faces.  

When you put Motion under the microscope though, it’s a slightly disappointing effort from the Scottish superstar – especially considering the fact that he’s now charging one million pounds per appearance on the decks.

Now, it is a bit unfair to say that Calvin Harris is sticking to the generic template that currently overwhelms EDM in his latest work. He did have a large part in establishing that initial model after all.

Perhaps it’s better to say, then, that he doesn’t seem to have progressed since he released 18 Months – his smash hit of a previous album – and became one of, if not thee, most popular DJ in the world.

And that’s where the problem with Motion seems to lie. Considering the fact that Calvin could release four minutes of ambient noise and still hit the top of the charts, it’s slightly disappointing not to see him experiment with distinctive sounds.

Many of the songs on the record use Calvin’s influence to attract big name vocalists, put a standard electronic rhythm behind them, and then offer very little more.


"Considering the fact that Calvin could release four minutes of ambient noise and still hit the top of the charts, it’s slightly disappointing not to see him experiment with more distinctive sounds."
Picture
John Newman feature ‘Blame’, the latest single from the album, is generic and monotonous. The vocals seem subdued and the backbeat is right out of a progressive house checklist.

Big Sean feature ‘Open Wide’ throws some rapping over the pounding electro beat originally released as ‘Cuba’ to overwhelm the listener, while Ellie Goudling and Gwen Stefani enter for catchy numbers that will clock up radio play but are easily forgettable.

Not all of these features are poor of course. Alongside powerhouse Alesso and Hurts feature ‘Under Control and previous hit ‘Summer’, ‘Love Now’, featuring All About She, is one the best songs on the album.

All about She brings a pleasantly different vibe to the Harris template. Vocals lead over a light, welcoming beat before some violin work dives in to take it further, providing a welcome break from a tracklist which is at times relentless.

HAIM feature ‘Pray To God’ is another that turned out well, and will likely be at the top of the charts in the not so distant future. It’s not exactly groundbreaking, but it is catchy as hell and has a bit more of a distinctive electro edge than some of the other efforts.

Hurts jumps back in with ‘Ecstasy’ to slow the album down with a mellow and impactful song which Harris would’ve done well to replicate elsewhere, but other than the previously underlined, the setlist struggles to impress.

Mindless trance beats turn to dull drops that will be masked with confetti and champagne on the live stage. ‘It Was You’, ‘Overdrive’ and ‘Dollar Signs’ prove particularly guilty of this point, and overall you’re left wondering if Calvin’s passion for progression has been left in the past.

At the start of his career, in I Created Disco and Ready For The Weekend, there was a variety of styles found throughout Calvin’s eclectic work, but it feels like half the songs were produced on autopilot when it comes to Motion.

Another album from Calvin Harris that will bring plenty of success, money and chart hits for the artist, but possibly his first that will not bring much critical acclaim.


                                                                                                         Stuart Kenny

0 Comments

    Music

    Bringing you the latest music news, features and opinions from the JFC mind

    Archives

    May 2021
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    2013
    2014
    2015
    Abandon Ship
    Aberdeen
    Album
    Alex Metric
    Alternative
    Austin Carlile
    Band
    Becky Hill
    Beyonce
    Biffy
    Biffy Clyro
    Blackened Sky
    Blog
    Bono
    Broken Social Scene
    Calvin Harris
    Camden
    Charlie Simpson
    Chart
    Chris Martin
    CHVRCHES
    Clyro
    Coldplay
    Dance
    Dangermouse
    D&B
    Deadmau5
    Decade
    Drum And Bass
    Dublin
    EDM
    Ella Eyre
    Exclusive
    Festival
    Full Crate
    Gecko
    Genre
    Ghost Stories
    Giorgio Moroder
    Girl Friend
    Glasgow
    God Level
    Gorgon City
    Gwyneth Paltrow
    Handguns
    Heart To Heart
    Hit The Lights
    House
    Hudson Mohawke
    If I Go
    Indie
    Infinity Land
    Innovative
    Interview
    In The Lonely Hour
    Ireland
    ITunes
    Jesse Glynne
    Jess Glynne
    JproD
    Jurassic 5
    Kanye-west
    Kilmainham
    Kings
    King-tuts
    King-tuts020c7650de
    Knife Party
    Latest
    Liquid Room
    Little Matador
    Little Mix
    Live
    Live Review
    Living Without You
    London
    McBusted
    Mentirosa
    Metric
    MK
    Monarchy
    Money On My Mind
    Motion
    Music
    Myspace
    Neck Deep
    New
    New Music
    News
    New Wave
    Of Mice & Men
    Oliver $
    Oliver Heldens
    Online
    Only Revelations
    OPM
    Opposites
    Overdrive
    Paloma Faith
    Paul Epworth
    PAWS
    Pendulum
    Pop
    Pop Punk
    Pop-Punk
    Punk-Rock
    Puzzle
    Rating
    Reasons
    Remi
    Remix
    Review
    Ric Ocasek
    Rivers Cuomo
    Rob Swire
    Rock
    Royal Hospital
    Rudimental
    Ryan Tedder
    Sam Smith
    Scotland
    Scottish
    Simon Neil
    Single
    Singles
    Slam Dunk
    Sleep Deprived
    Social Network
    Songs Of Innocence
    Soul
    Synthpop
    Technology
    The 1975
    The Pierces
    The Story So Far
    The Xcerts
    Tour
    Twin Atlantic
    U2
    Video
    Wah Wah Hut
    We Are The In Crowd
    Website
    Weezer
    Xcerts
    Yeezus
    Youth Culture Forever

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.