as roger ebert often says with much frustration to his reviewing partner, you've got to review things in the context of what they're trying to be. so if you review a juvenile teen sex comedy, don't compare it to reds. this is not to say brooke hogan is a juvenile teen sex comedy. though she is a teen, she's not juvenile. though she dresses sexy, she's not particularly comedic. she's just your everyday, club hopping (at least on record), shiny, tan daughter of the most famous professional wrestler of all time. since it's difficult to be undiscovered when one is the daughter of a celebrity and on a top rated vh1 reality show, i can only assume undiscovered refers to other aspects of her person. since i'm a fag, and not in the want to do her or be her categories, i'll review just the music thank you.
back in the '80s, when i sucked up pop records like charleston chews, my rule was that it had to have 3 hits to be worth my $6.99. to my ear, brooke meets that (but just barely), if you're into the whole r&b lite, soft pop, semi-britney thing.
#1: about us (stream video in quicktime or real) is catchy and liquid, though i could do without lyrics complaining about people bothering her. yo, she just wants to be famous, leave her alone.
#2: my number is a lesson in teen girl bravado/desperation - "see i wanna get to know you better / but it's looking like you're headed to the door / i'm going to write my information on this napkin / don't hesitate to call". the thing is napkin doesn't really work in any song, but as a whole this ditty is bouncy and would be fun to hear in an all ages club simultaneous to having that exact feeling. hint: if the man of your dreams is leaving without saying hello and has already had a chance to meet you, let him go. she'll learn this later.
#3 dance alone is latin infused drum machine guitar fun hook hook hook. this is the kind of song cher would have sung in 1992, minus the rap interlude.
#4 and #5: incognito and low rider jeans are severe fluff, not in my 3 hit worthy tally, but silly enough to be memorable - "pretty fly for a white girl". okay. i have never tried to sound/look sexy like this and it comes off as campy as shit. which is a good thing. professional wrestling runs in the bones and this is the super estrogenic musical equivalent.
p.s. on the reality show hogan knows best, hulk made a big deal out of not wanting her image to be too sexy and i expect he got his way. so what the hell did she look like in the before shot if this album cover is reduced sexiness? still i've got to give her respect for not just being another lazy, good for nothing kid of a celebrity who doesn't amount to anything. you hear me, melissa rivers! yeah, i mean you.
p.p.s. love you, melissa! call me.
buy the cd
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