Before we begin, it's probably best that you understand that I am a Dr. Luke fanboy. I have always liked the music he produces (even when I'm unaware it's him), and I will always continue to dote on him until he makes a flop, wherein I'll do the cool thing and pretend I never liked him (that's what Beyonce fans did, right?) Anyway, Dr. Luke produced a lot of music for this show and it is very obvious. The music is all very well written and could easily stand alone as a legitimate single, where as other made-for-television music like Spectacular and, god forbid, High School Musical all sound very staged and poorly produced. Anyway -- On to the music!
01. Make It Shine
The opening song for the soundtrack is obviously the opening theme for the show. The theme song, while not the best in the series, really gets you into the feel of the show. It demonstrates her vocal talent and boasts the main theme of the show. It's all about becoming famous while still being humble about it. This is the song most people are acquainted with, being played before every episode, and the lyrics are very catchy. I find myself singing along until -- whoa there is a second verse? When did this happen? Oh well. The song is a middle of the road pop song, not ground breaking, but still very enjoyable. The song is yet another in the long line of the uplifting "you can do it!" songs out on the radio (Let me refer you to Firework, We R Who We R, and Born This way.")
02. Freak the Freak Out
My favorite single from the show, featured in the episode of the same name. The song is a very powerful pop song with a fast paced message of being crazy in love. Originally intended to be the season finale (don't quote me on this) the song is a blow out. Victoria can belt out some strong notes, and this song makes it very clear the show is based around her singing talent. Once again produced by Dr Luke, the back track has a lot going on, but it all works for the power and controlled chaos fo the song. Oddly, I find that the term "freak the freak out" is a little too close to "freak the fuxx out", which I end up saying more often than not. Either way, it is the strongest track on the album. It was one of the songs selected to be a single for the show, and for obvious reasons, it was the best fairing one of them all (minus the opening theme, of course.)
03. Best Friend's Brother
Then we have the creepy stalker song. I have yet to see the episode this one is taken from, so I don't really know the lead up, but the lyrics are very off-putting as she talks about inventing reasons to be around her best friend's brother. She even comes up with a code word for it: BFB. Yeah. The song is the weakest of the singles, but it is still very catchy. The verses are very monotanous, but as soon as the chorus comes up with her "YEEEAH YE-EE-AH!"'s, I get sucked into the song. Trust me, you don't want to hear me do karaoke to it. This is the song I find myself not wanting to like, but it gets stuck in my head, and I have to sing along. I mean, I guess there were has to be a worse topic to write a song about, right?
04. Beggin' on Your Knees
Man, Victoria Justice is bipolar, isn't she. Apparently now she's broken up with her best friend's brother, and hates his guts because he treated her like crap. Ok, I know that this song actually came out before BFB, but it's still kind of a funny way of placing songs. The song is another very solid track, talking about taking revenge on a guy who destroyed her emotionally. Girls can be vindictive, sometimes. I like this song a lot. As a matter of fact, it was the first single I purchased from the show, but I have one complaint. She says "centipede" very strangely. It's not wrong, per say, but she puts a very awkward emphasis on the final syllable in order to make it rhyme with "me". I know it's nit picking, but it just sounds so wrong.
05. All I Want Is Everything
Up until I bought the soundtrack, I hadn't heard this track. I am about a half season behind the episodes, so I wasn't aware it existed. They really need to put Victorious on Netlfix! Anyway, the song has some very nice violin peaces in it, and a lot of fast paced lyrics with pop culture references spliced in. I feel like the song was a bit forced, probably why it wasn't one of their more promoted songs, but it's not exactly bad. It just doesn't feel like a real song. The verses feel more rushed than a Jem and the Holograms song, and her singing gets a little sloppy. Think of this song as a middle-of-the-album Britney track. Its not as polished and shiny as her singles, but its not horrible.
06. You're the Reason
I love this song. The pace is slower and it has a lot of percussion placed in at just the perfect song. This song is probably my favorite track on the whole album, as well as what I've seen from the show. The song is actually about her sister, no matter how much it sounds like your typical love song. I guess that's why I like the song so much. It's not about her getting a new boyfriend, its about her sister who's always there for her... sort of. The song is a bit slower and music heavy, but unlike the other non-single songs on the album, it is just as fun and polished. I searched wide and far for a full version of this song, but all I could find was the TV version, so I'm very glad to finally have it, and legally, too, to boot!
07. Give It Up
The very power pop oriented song is a duet between Elizabeth Gillies and Ariana Grande, who play two of Victoria's classmates in the show. It's lifted from the same episode as "Freak the Freak Out" where they sing this song in a karaoke bar (unprepared, at that. Hard to believe, eh?). The song FINALLY showcases these two girl's vocal talents. Despite both of them being involved in theater, they can both sing very, very well. The song is very reminiscent of Destiny's Child, complete with your Beyonce vocal "Ooh" through every octave humanly possible. The song is about two girls (presumably, since two are singing) that are dumping a guy who isn't worth a thing. It was nice to hear some of the other's get the spotlight for a moment.
08. I Want You Back
It's a cover of the classic Jackson Five song of the same name. This is from the recently premiered episode "Locked Up". I really never liked the original song, and I really don't care much for this version. It's just not my style, so I'll continue with the review now.
09. Song 2 You
This song is a duet between Leon Thomas and Victoria Justice. The song is much slower than the rest of the album. It has a distinct 90's pop feel to it. Premiering in the episode "The Diddly-Bops" it finally showcases Leon's talent -- a talent we haven't seen since his one episode of iCarly. This boy can sing. While I love his voice, I just don't feel like the show fits in with the feel of the show. It feels dated, like it was written years ago for The Backstreet Boys, and then brought back up for the show years later.
10. Tell Me That You Love Me
Another Victoria-Leon duet. This song is much more current feeling. The song is a sweet love song about blossoming teen romance. The singing is spot on, but mostly dominated by Victoria. Her voice kind of swallows Leon's during the chorus, and the verses are all hers. Despite this, the song works very well. It showcases Victoria's lower vocal range, making her feel more dynamic compared to the upbeat, high pitched songs showcased in the show.
11. Finally Falling
This was the first big song from the show. I knew all the lyrics to this song, and that was before I saw the episode. They played this on more commercial breaks than any song I've seen before! Despite this, it is a very catchy song about truly loving someone against all the odds. The only beef I really have with this version of the song is that they took out Avan Jogia. I know he only had two lines at the beginning of the song, but it still was there, originally. I am very curious as to why they took him out of the song. As a matter of fact, he isn't on the album -at all-. Even the dork with the puppet got a song. So why did they ignore the leading male role? Who knows. I love the song, with or without him.
13. Broken Glass
This is the song I was just talking about! Yeah. So Matt Bennett, the guy who plays the nerd with the ventriliquist dummy gets his own song on the album. It was featured in an episode (though not fully) and is pretty amusing. I know he can't sing, but the lyrics are what count. The shear randomness of putting on pants, going to France, and breaking glass for no reason. He apparently has some kind of vendetta for glass. Oh and there is the harmonica solo, which he so promptly announces is such. I can't help but love this song. It reminds me a lot of Moxy Fruvous "King of Spain". It's not something you'd go around bumping in your car to, though.
So there you have it. I really do love this album, campieness and all. What is that you say? I missed a song. Let me check.... Nope. All there. 12? Oh that song. I REFUSE to review that abomination. It is the laziest attempt to get money on the face of the earth. A fuzion of the Victorious and iCarly themes could have been so cool. But instead, you have Victoria Justice trying to sing while Miranda Cosgrove moans a lot. Uhg. I'm finished, I swear.
"you have Victoria Justice trying to sing while Miranda Cosgrove moans a lot"
ReplyDeleteI think I read a fanfic like that once.
I hope Spotify has this album, I need to listen to it ASAP. Great review as always, of course ♥