boyzplusnoyes2011

Stars are restaurant stars; to receive even one star is an accomplishment. A two star rating denotes excellence, and is the highest one can achieve on pure competence alone. Actual inspiration or moxie are required for three stars, whereas the air of four stars is reserved for immediately recognizable classics. (There is, in some sense, a hidden, five star rating out of recognition that pop is simply not capable of achieving the emotional power or transcendence of the best classical music.)

Albums:
****

***

**Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Bon Iver. Pretty good - pretty good, pretty good. This is the super-pretty album I have been waiting for. (Not necessarily from him, but abstractly. So yeah, ** for sure.)

*Britney Spears - Femme Fatale. Too much quality to say no. At least four good songs.
*Cults

Songs:
****

***

**Nicki Minaj - Super Bass. Tippy-top of **. This song is amazing and is definitely better than previous *** songs (eg Best I Ever Had, Runaway). Unless SB gets an upgrade, please consider those downgraded. I feel like I am underrating and must justify: not enough rapping, bridge is not quite compelling enough, and while the candy-coated hook is perfect and infectious, a *** song with so much vocals needs a little more charisma. Also, ironically, bass could hit a little harder.

*Martin Solveig and Dragonette - Hello. But I am confused. Don't we think that this is Vanilla Ice-level "Paper Planes" jacking?
*Britney Spears - Till the World Ends. Not even necessary to wait for the remix.
*Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me. SO CLOSE! Lacks elegance in its current form; remixes have potential to reach 3 stars!
*M.I.A. - Bad Girls. Too repetitive to get 2 stars right off the bat.
*Radiohead - Separator
*M.I.A. - Gen - N-E-Y, from Vicki Leex.

Purposeful omissions: