MPHO - 'Box 'n' Locks'
I'm sure I must have said this before but, in the words of the White Stripes, it bears repeating: you have to be really careful with samples, because they can turn out to be a double-edged sword with no handle. If you're lucky, people will hear the sample, recognise it, remember how they love the original, and then grow to love the new track as a result. If you're not, people will hear the sample, recognise it, remember how they love the original, and then go "what the flip is this, please?"
Unfortunately, for all that this is a song about people taking daring steps with the music they make, and keeping well clear of what you're expected to do, I had the latter experience with this song.
I was in my car and I switched on the radio just as it was starting, and whooped in joy because from the familiar guitar lick I thought they were playing 'Echo Beach' (originally by Martha and the Muffins, more recently covered by Gabriella Cilmi for use as the theme tune to the ill-fated ITV1 soap), only to discover quickly that it was just a sample
(. Time is hard in neon prison.)
The main problem here is that a sample is all well and good when you use it as a hook into a melody of your own, but the familiar riff is pretty much the entire melody - it hasn't been woven into a new tune, it's just got different lyrics being sung over the top, aside from a very short breakdown in the middle eight.
The new lyrics are absolutely fine - indeed, the new chorus is catchier than the old one - but I can't help but come away from the whole thing feeling pretty short-changed. MPHO's been making a lot of waves, and rightly so, but if I'm to believe in her as the next big thing I'd like a bit more to go on, really.
It just feels like copying out three pages of someone else's history homework and then just writing your own conclusion at the end of it. And if I was being REALLY snippy, I might point out that it's in the first place...
Download: Out now
CD Released: July 20th
(Steve Perkins)
"She has enormous global crossover pop potential"
Comment number 1.
At 14th Jul 2009, Daniel wrote:Two stars sounds about right.
The song seems a bit drab, lyrically it's quite nice and I'm kinda reminded of Estelle, but for a debut (I guess) single, I think it could have been better.
Fingers crossed the next single'll be better!
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Comment number 2.
At 14th Jul 2009, hipsterRolling wrote:Hmmm, I think you're wrong. Suppose it's subjective but I got hooked when it was on Scott Mills every day it and I'm also a fan of the original.
More importantly, Martha of Martha and the Muffins also loves it and surely she's better placed than any of us to comment?
RHx
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Comment number 3.
At 14th Jul 2009, spirit wrote:She sings about a "Friday night in Leeds ".
Curtains, maybe you could shine some light on this topic ?
I have only enjoyed Thursday nights in Leeds ! Seriously.
My prediction for this song is that Jax is gonna come on and tell us how much he preferred the original ! lol
Personally , I like it and love dancing to it.
Admittedly it took me about four plays to get past that it wasn't Echo Beach.
It sounds great in a club.
"From nine to five , I have to spend my time at work
My job is very boring , I'm an office clerk.... " etc
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Comment number 4.
At 15th Jul 2009, Oliviaaa987 wrote:That's what happens to me whenever Melanie Fiona's Give It To Me Right comes on the radio; I think it's Time Of The Season, and then get very disappointed when I realise it isn't. Making me dislike the song outright, just for not being Time Of The Season.
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Comment number 5.
At 15th Jul 2009, CurtainJerker wrote:Don't ask me, Spirito Di Punto. I've only been to Leeds a couple of times. And the last time was about five years ago, when I found myself in a cheese club with a revolving dancefloor called Baja or Bondi Beach or something.
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Comment number 6.
At 15th Jul 2009, spirit wrote:Sorry Curtsy , I read your Little Boots comment on the Fairytale link , where you mention the music scene in Leeds , so I mistakenly thought you lived near there .
It could be your little sister....
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Comment number 7.
At 15th Jul 2009, thranjax wrote:I preferred the original. Infinitely.
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Comment number 8.
At 15th Jul 2009, thranjax wrote:I mean what is the point, really what is the POINT???
If I download a karaoke version of (for instance) Senses Working Overtime, and sing lyrics about feeding my cat over the top, I could release it as "Cat Feeder (Atrocious Dub Mix)" and call my act, oh I don't know, BangTaxi or something equally pointless - what would be the difference between that and this?
The lyrics don't fit, and they certainly aren't very good, it sounds like the vocal and music belong in different mixes (because they DO) and I basically am too angry to continue.
So yes Spirit your prediction is correct. Bang On. Or BangTaxi on, as you may as well get used to saying.
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Comment number 9.
At 15th Jul 2009, thranjax wrote:And please, any useless "songwriters" out there with no ability, please for the love of God don't take my idea about Senses Working Overtime literally. In fact forget you read it. Wipe it from your feeble mind now. Return to your computer and go back to Googling for out of copyright riffs while wondering in what new and fascinating order to put the snares and hi hats in your intricate stripped down rhythm track. Maybe think about a time signature over than 4/4 ... what? 4/4, it means... oh never mind. Anyway, erase it from your mind and replace it with a fascinating scheme to rework Su Pollard's Come to Me (I am Woman) as a R'n'B monstrosity sung by some new starlet you have yet to choose from a random perusal of YouTube.
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Comment number 10.
At 17th Jul 2009, spirit wrote:Right , got the Sue Pollard backing track ready !
Press play !
Here goes........
And I CAN SEE , HEAR , SMELL , TOUCH , TASTE
Because I've got 1-2-3-4-5.......
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Comment number 11.
At 17th Jul 2009, thranjax wrote:Oh Dear Spirit. Now I have to kill you :)
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Comment number 12.
At 19th Jul 2009, wmitchell1 wrote:love it, i loved martha and the muffins echo beach, but this is great, she sounds a bit like 'clare grogan' in places, tipp it for number one
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Comment number 13.
At 27th Jul 2009, Daniel wrote:I heard Edith Bowman's replay of MPHO in the Live Lounge today.
Wow!!!!
She covered Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.
This girl can sing. It was amazing
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Comment number 14.
At 28th Jul 2009, spirit wrote:Hello wmitchell at comment 12.
" tip it for number 1 "
I hate to break the sad news to you , I hope you are sitting down , because " Box n Locks " has not even made the top 40 !
The amazin thing is , it has been hyped within an inch of it's life as well .
So there u are Bangtaxi , marketing and hype does not always guarantee you an almighty hit.
Are you feelin better now Sir ?
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Comment number 15.
At 28th Jul 2009, thranjax wrote:Bangtaxi is justified. And Ancient (obviously).
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Comment number 16.
At 29th Jul 2009, kookie25 wrote:I saw MPHO support Beverley Knight at the itunes festival and she has some better songs than this! not sure why they lead with single raelly, think she just needs some time to find her sound. The photographers were all there at the front though so i think she's getting some attention.
in regards to the Kate Bush cover - she performed this at the show and it was pretty amazing.
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