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You may be wondering: Why the hell is he reviewing this song when it’s been out for months? But that’s the thing, it only came out in the US months ago – us Brits have had to wait until now for our chance to buy in to the whole M.I.A. vibe. Which is why Paper Planes is getting reviewed here on Brit Music Scene today.
M.I.A is British, but her look and sound make her a perfect artist to achieve crossover and gain success in the US. Which is exactly what she has done. It’s not as though we’ve ignored her over her in her native UK, as her début album, Arular, was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize when it was released in 2005.
Her second album, Kala, sent her off on a roller-coaster ride of fame over in the States, with this song hitting high up in the US charts. So it’s time for M.I.A. to come home and see what us Brits think of her new style. Video embed for Paper Planes after the break, along with my review.
This song is likely to evoke love and hate in fairly equal measures. There is no middle-ground with a song as different and unique as this. M.I.A.’s singing/rapping style will irritate as many people as it excites. One thing that no-one can surely deny is how catchy Paper Planes is: one listen and the chorus is in your head for the rest of the day.
The video is a grower: there isn’t that much to it, just M.I.A. miming to the song while repeating a bizarre running dance move with her arms, but it kind of entices you in to watching it time and again. It’s also very American, which isn’t a bad thing but should be noted nonetheless.
Paper Planes is being used in the theatrical trailers to Pineapple Express, which is clearly going to help it gain some publicity. It’s a great song but won’t appeal to everyone who hears it. And it’s meant M.I.A has become another one in the long line of British musicians to make it big in America.
Song: 8/10
Video: 6/10
Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.I.A._(artist)
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/mia
[Photo Source: j.appleseed at Flickr]
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