Shontelle - 'T-Shirt'
Post categories: Reviews
| 17:55 UK time, Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Well, this is going to be tricky: in light of recent events, it would seem prudent to avoid talking about Chris Brown where possible, but then I go and pick a song for review that sounds uncannily similar to 'With You'. Seriously: have a listen, and then try to tell me that you didn't have an urge to sing "and there's hearts all over the world tonight" after the first two lines. I know I did.
Of course, that sense of similarity isn't an automatic black mark against the song, mind - half of the art of pop music is using the familiar to your advantage. Just ask Simon Cowell. The problem would be if the song hadn't capitalised on the initial interest by developing into a compelling tune in its own right - which is, thankfully, something that was averted here.
(Here's the )
There's something rather sweet and gentle about the track - Shontelle's vocals are soft and plaintive, which suit the mood of the song perfectly, and while the lyrics are a bit hackneyed, with the references to Jimmy Choos and the brand name product placement of a t-shirt brand which, quite unlike the t-shirt in the song, is ill-fitting and uncomfortable, there's something incredibly likeable about the whole thing. There's a universality to it, too - I think most of us have been in a situation like the one in the song where thoughts of a lover who's gone get in the way of your attempts to get on with your life.
All in all, it's a heartfelt track where all the elements combine together to make a rather lovely whole - and besides, how could I possibly give a bad review to an artist whose album is called 'Shontelligence'?
Download: Out now
CD Released: February 23rd
(Steve Perkins)
Comment number 1.
At 17th Feb 2009, RedDevilsGal wrote:ahh i never noticed the With You similarity, now everytime i listen to it i start singin that line!
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)