The Singles Jukebox

Kathryn Bigelow could not be reached for comment…

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[6.00]

Jessica Doyle: To say that a song with eight singers that fits in two verses, a rap, and three repetitions of the pre-chorus, all under 3:30, feels slow only makes sense in the context of the Muses’ 2013 singles. “Wild” was the most impressively efficient of the four, but “Dolls,” “Gun,” and “Glue” all got everyone in without slowing down too much or collapsing. Admittedly I’m a sentimentalist, and a lonely one at that — I’m not sure anyone else misses Eunji’s rapping, Eunji included — but giving all that space to the prechorus and sticking the rap in as a bridge does neither part any favors. (See, for contrast, 4Minute’s “Crazy,” which can spend time on a big prechorus because Hyuna and Jiyoon are let loose on the verses, and Mamamoo’s “Piano Man,” which, while keeping Moonbyul’s rap on the bridge, teases it slightly after the first chorus, making the song lighter.) At least the chorus has some heft to it; I’m looking forward to the remixes.
[5]

Alfred Soto: The rhythm and melodic changes shaped to nine singers, this song is the aural equivalent of pulling fresh gum from the bottom of a sneaker. The prechorus bits work, all of them, and while “Hurt Locker” doesn’t bore it doesn’t cohere either.
[6]

Will Adams: The pieces of “Hurt Locker” are great on their own — one half spiky electro, one half trance pop — but I wish they fit together a bit better.
[6]

Micha Cavaseno: I mean, if “hurt locker” was supposed to be a metaphor for how clamorously bottom heavy those kicks are at the beginning, and the tension in that twitchy guitar lick, then I guess it makes sense, but uh… This whole ostentatious Eurodance chorus soaring doesn’t work, does it? I mean, it works for the song, but not this name.
[7]

Brad Shoup: The pre-chorus bears a chordal similarity to Alicia Keys’ “It’s On Again”, I think. Even if not, Hyuna and Kyungri take equal, giant bites out of it. The breeziness of the verses contrast with the high-flown dance-pop in the chorus, but Euaerin’s obligatory bars are increasingly hemmed in by tactile, flaring synth; I keep thinking it’s going to bury her alive.
[8]

Thomas Inskeep: It sounds like the handclaps are being played backwards, which is delightful. And the chorus is Girls Aloud as if produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, which is to say pure release. There’s also a rap bridge which sounds like Left Eye, which is never a bad thing. This throbs.
[7]

Ramzi Awn: I’d rather just listen to “Your Body” or watch Footballers’ Wives.
[3]