Free Tunes
Sure the download is free on iTunes, but is Sam Sparro worth the trouble?
On the iTunes bio for singer Sam Sparro they call his single "Black & Gold" a, "Daft Punk-meets-Jamie Lidell bit of hiccupping electro madness." Whoa iTunes, hold your horses. Let's not go overboard with the descriptors. Yes, Sam Sparro uses some electronic elements in "Black & Gold", just like Daft Punk uses in their work. Is Sparro comparable to Daft Punk? Not at all. And yes, Sparro has that same soulful quality in his voice like Jamie Lidell, but is he as catchy? Not so much.
Sam Sparro is an Australian singer that has been kicking around the music industry since his youth. His father is actually a very prominent television composer, writing the theme songs for "Star Trek" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy", and Sparro has worked with his father on vocal recording since he was a child. His blood is in the entertainment industry, but is he able to cut it?
Sparro's single for this week's free download "Black & Gold" is nothing special. Overseas, Sparro's song has hit the top of the charts, going as far as securing the number two spot on the UK charts. It's definitely a booty-shaker, with a solid bass beat over a couple of synth tracks. It's a throwback to the 80s with its distortion and context. Sparro's voice does have an alluring quality to it, but it's not enough to hold attention for the entire song. The song never varies in beat even subtly, something electronic masters Daft Punk construct with ease. This being the first single off of his first album, entitled Sam Sparro, perhaps it's not the strongest that he can be. For now, we can vogue along to "Black & Gold" and put it on the shelf for the next dance party. Who cares if it's free? Avoid it.
Posted by Amy Dittmeier on Jun 26, 2008 @ 7:15 am
