Amerie - 'Gotta Work'
Picture the scene. You go on a first date. It’s the greatest date of your life. The conversation is sparkling, you’ve got goose bumps the whole way through, it ends with a tantalising lip tangle and you CANNOT WAIT to see them again. But then, the second date doesn’t even warrant a mention. Then, they don’t call for ages and when you finally set up the third date, you find that the conversation’s QUITE good and they still look PRETTY nice and all that, but there’s something missing.
Lord knows why the fourth date even happens, but let's say it does, just so that the tenuous metaphor that underpins this reviewer’s relationship with Amerie’s musical output can keep trundling point-wards.
Yes, readers, ‘Gotta Work’ is my fourth metaphorical date with Amerie, and what I want to know is: where is our magic? The excitement? Where are the fireworks? WHERE AMERIE, WHERE? I *really* want to like this. I so nearly do that it hurts. I can completely understand someone for thinking I’m an idiot for not liking it. It’s just the FORMULA.
I’m starting to wonder whether Amerie actually exists, and isn’t a computer programme that steals a most excellent sample of yore, sticks a pretty good tune over it, and does some stompy dances with pouty faces over the top, then retreats to her robo-cave and awaits further orders.
In this case it’s an Isaac Hayes sample that’s used, and it’s a great original tune – the girl’s got taste. Her voice sounds good, the melody’s pretty good, although not as exciting as 1 Thing, there’s just something not-quite-as-good-as-it-could-be about it. Still, I think it’s worthy of 3 stars. Speak out and tell me what I’m missing…
Download: Out now
CD Released: July 30th
(Nickie Latham)
Comments
Flim flam and jibber jabber!
Come on, how can you go wrong! Sample 'Hold On, I'm Coming' by Sam & Dave*, slap on a huge drum beat, plant Amerie on front of the mic to do her patented Foxxy Cleopatra with a tune bit, and - boom! - song of the Summer!
Easy. If only all life was this good, I would be considerably happier. Because this is what pop music should be like. Life affirming, exciting, boom shack a lacking, throw your hands in the air like you just don't care. Lemme hear ya'll, you talk to me, for satisfaction, oh, hold on, hold on, I'm a-coming!
It doesn't get better than this, and for once, actually play the instrumental cop out in lieu of a real B-side, just so you can hear the drums. Legend!
*and yes I know it was written by Hayes & Porter, but it is not, repeat not, an Isaac Hayes choon
[I know it's the horn arrangement from 'Hold On, I'm Coming', but it doesn't sound like the actual record by Sam & Dave. The rhythm is different. It might be a live version they did, or a version by someone else. So, for safety's sake, we (and a lot of other websites) are sticking with the bloke who wrote it. But we should really have mentioned his partner. - Fraser]
[PS (seconds later): It is, in fact, the Erma Franklin version. - Fraser]