CREDIT: (BRUNO MARS) ATLANTIC, RCA (KINGS OF LEON), INTERSCROPE (LADY GAGA)
So far the fall season has seen the release of numerous singles, but are they any good?

This October could be an exciting month or it could be an absolute nightmare. There’s a lot of big name talent planning to release albums in the next few weeks but listening to the singles they’ve released has been troublesome at best. A few stars continue to shine bright and pump out jam after jam but it seems that a large number are starting to burn out. The least I can do is help distinguish which is which.

“24K Magic” – Bruno Mars

After the overwhelming success of “Uptown Funk” it seems that Bruno Mars has found the perfect direction for his new album. “24K Magic” is the first single from this highly anticipated record and is about as funk as pop can get. It’s hard to believe that Mark Ronson isn’t credited with production notes on this track but Mars has revealed he’s working closely with Ronson on the upcoming album. “24K Magic” opens with a talk box vocal reminiscent of Tupac Shakur’s “California Love” and firmly establishes its funk-factor with a groovy bass line that dances in with the first verse. Mars channels his inner Michael Jackson more and more as the song progresses, displaying his incredible range and knack for vocal adlibs with a definitive R&B mixed with hip-hop influence carrying the pre-choruses. His vocal cadence brings us back to the days of “Uptown Funk” and it appears that we’ll be getting an album closely in line with “Treasure” off his sophomore record Unorthodox Jukebox.

“Million Reasons” – Lady Gaga

We’ve been seeing an entirely different side of Lady Gaga since she released “Perfect Illusion” last week, the first single from her upcoming album Joanne. In this week’s single “Million Reasons” Gaga steps away from cramming 40 hooks into a song and delivers an honest and vulnerable performance, exploring the anguish and frustration of looking for a reason to stay in a relationship. Unfortunately stepping away from spitting out different hooks every line doesn’t mean that Gaga has stepped away from spitting out hooks. In just over three minutes Gaga repeats the title of the track 21 times, averaging about once every 10 seconds. That gets a little repetitive when it’s the only finite memorable lyric to the song. Honestly, I’ve listened to this track on repeat for half an hour and the only lyrics I can remember are “million reasons” and “good one”, the latter of which she says a modest 13 times. It’s great that Gaga is diversifying her artistry with different production styles but for someone who’s built their career on cunning lyrics and pushing boundaries, “Million Reasons” leaves something to be desired.

“Reverend” – Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon have always had an exceptionally distinct sound and, for better or worse, “Reverend” seems to fall right into that neatly defined category. It’s true that many bands have a distinct vibe, from Mumford and Sons all the way to July Talk, but Kings of Leon seem like they’re worn out and tired of their own music. “Reverend” lacks the same excitement as earlier singles such as “Sex on Fire” and “Supersoaker” and seems to be a little disjointed in terms of its structure. The song peaks too early and too low, taking listeners by surprise. It feels like we’re only halfway through the first verse when the song suddenly jumps to the chorus. Constant riffing and little to no dynamic shift in the chorus leaves the song feeling lifeless and devoid of energy. On top of this, the chorus is in halftime, making it feel slower than the already mellow verses. After a brief and directionless bridge “Reverend” juts right back into the chorus with all its muddled, riffing sluggishness. I’ve always enjoyed Kings of Leon, but “Reverend” is a challenge to stay awake through.