McFly - 'Lies'
Oh brilliant, *NSYNC are back! Or is it the Backstreet Boys? It's one of the two. There's definitely something of the 'Backstreet's Back' to the chorus, but the rest of the song is pure pre-Trousersnake Timberlake. Apart from the bass solo, which has been pinched from the Who.
This is what we in the reviewing trade call 'range' on the part of McFly, and does them credit. Whether this super-pop production - with the emphasis on the word 'production' - it is in any way helpful to the age-old debate about whether they qualify as 'real music' or not is another matter, and a really boring one, so we'll not go there, OK?
OK, so, apart from showing that Tom and co could probably write any kind of song about any kind of thing whatsoever and make a decent fist of it, what does their latest song tell us about the state of affairs in the McFly career? Well, it's a BIG song. It would be a BIG song even without the extra brass and massive pop production, but it's positively monumental now.
This proves that, despite all the gossip about them being dropped by their record label and having to set up on their own because their appeal is dwindling, they clearly don't have to cut corners just yet. Why, it's almost as if the gossip is a load of old poop and the band are keen to prove this very thing.
This could always be an elaborate double-bluff, of course, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
This 'more is more' approach can also be seen in the video. Never mind getting the band to mime their latest hit on a rainy street, this is a mini-feature film, half-based on the '80s Mel Gibson film Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. I mention this only because a video like this probably cost several times the budget used in recording the song. Maybe even as much as a deal with the Daily Mail to give your new album away for free.
So, 'Lies' either represents a last, desperate roll of the dice, in which most of the band's finances are staked on a gigantic, career-saving production which just cannot be ignored, or an opportunity to waste a tiny fraction of the band's money mountain in a way their former record company bosses would not have allowed.
Personally, I hope it's the latter. If only because someone seems to be going "ha-HAA" just like Will Smith at around the 4 minute, 10 seconds mark. You can't get away with that unless you're feeling VERY confident indeed...
Download: Out now
CD Released: September 15th
www.mcflyofficial.com
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comment number 1.
At 8th Sep 2008, SwitchVicki wrote:Backstreet Boys... or BOYZ by Bon??
Skip to the chorus (about 45 seconds in) and ignore the slightly disturbing video.
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Comment number 2.
At 8th Sep 2008, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:THAT'S what this song is missing! A rubbish rap section!
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Comment number 3.
At 8th Sep 2008, Conhinha wrote:Interesting hair.
What are the Busted boys doing these days.......?
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Comment number 4.
At 8th Sep 2008, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Well, it's about half-four, I'm guessing Matt is having a cuppa and James is watching Horrid Henry.
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Comment number 5.
At 9th Sep 2008, Kim-ley wrote:I like this song a lot. It's slightly insane, but really really catchy. The first couple of times I listened to it, I did not get the boyband parts, but maybe that's why I like it so much?! Upon further review...yes i can hear it now, especially in the harmonic parts in the chorus.
The video, however, I still don't quite understand. I get the Mad Max thing, but really, they're so much more clever than to be ripping off a movie.
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Comment number 6.
At 10th Sep 2008, saralovel wrote:I don't think that McFly were trying to save their careers, as they have had plenty of hits, and get loads of press. I'm betting that they just wanted to make a cool video, which their old label probably would have refused to pay for.
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