Singles Roundup: Miley Cyrus, Kamelot, As December Falls, & Paramore (x3)

In this week's new singles, we're going to start off with something you probably never would expect from me.

Miley Cyrus - Flowers

I've always known in the back of my head Miley has a great voice, even if I don't really like any of the music she's made. At least for one song, that has changed. Taking more than a little from a Bruno Mars song, Miley does enough to make it her own, and it actually works a lot better for me than the inspiration. She sounds fantastic, with the roughness of her voice sounding like a punk-meets-pop eff-you to the subject, and the production gives her ample space to shine. It's a lovely melody, a great vocal, and production that has just enough bounce to be both up and downbeat at the same time. I'm not holding out that her entire album will follow in these footsteps, but for one song she's everything I could hope for.

Kamelot - One More Flag In The Ground

I've never gotten the appeal of Kamelot, other than them having great vocalists. Their power metal is as dramatic as can be, but it doesn't feel as epic as Powerwolf, or as fun as the cheesier parts of Avantasia. They come across as taking themselves entirely too seriously, and that happens again here. I'm not fond of Tommy's high-pitched intro line, and he doesn't have the right tone for the battle-weary lyric of the chorus. That chorus is also fairly underwhelming, neither soaring nor hooking. Kamelot is one of those bands who is just... there.

As December Falls - Carousel

The line between pop-punk and heavy pop-rock is rather thin, and not always clearly defined. As December Falls is snaking around the dotted line, mixing heavier guitars with a sharp vocal tone and a sugary chorus. There are some parallels to be drawn between this song and some of the tracks from Avril Lavigne's record last year, as the titular carousel is taking the narrator on the same trip, but with a much different viewpoint. Avril was snotty, bratty, and juveline. As December Falls is tackling things with more maturity, less shame for me in listening to it, and a realization that sometimes we take the ride even though we know it's going to be disorienting when we get off. It's as much a kiss-off to ourselves as that other person. I like that.

Paramore - This Is Why/The News/C'est Comme Ca

Having never been a big Paramore fan, I'm not as disappointed in these songs as I could be. I've heard plenty of fans still claiming this is the work of geniuses, but I'm well aware of how people convince themselves their favorites can do no wrong. I've listened to these songs, because I know how much attention the record is going to get, and each one has been worse than the last. "This Is Why" is a decent enough new-wave style song, but it's not a style I like. Fair enough. "The News" was less engaging, more annoying, and the 'tune out' message isn't really a good one. But the last of these singles is infuriating, as it's an annoying as all hell 'na na' chorus repeated far too often, used to break up spoken word passages. I don't even know if I would call it a song, and yet they put it out as a single. It alone has me thinking the record, should I choose to listen to it, will be headed into 'worst of the year' territory.