“Give It To Me Straight” by All Poets and Heroes employs the best aspects of both pop and rock production. With well-placed drum samples, copious amounts of acoustic guitar, and a chorus of vocalists, this genre-bending song keeps the listener guessing.
The song opens with an upbeat drum groove, soon overlapped with a choir of chiming voices. An acoustic guitar slides in as the verse begins. The vocalist croons, “Little did you know / That the power goes / Straight to your head.” A few jovial claps signal the start of the chorus, rocketing us into something catchy and infectious. The hook is repeated several times with different melodies and harmonic treatments. The background vocals envelop the sound with this satisfying fullness–but just as soon as the chorus started, it abruptly ends. Suddenly, we’re back in the tight, groovy verse.
Other notable facets of this song include the indie-inspired guitar solo, some perfectly placed drum fills, and a brief, four-on-the-floor instrumental breakdown. The dynamic arc of this track ebbs and flows in all the right places, giving what could be a repetitive song a sense of balance, surprise, and enjoyability. The chorus comes in many shapes and sizes– sometimes in a lower octave, sometimes doubled, sometimes quieter. Regardless, All Poets and Heroes manages to keep it interesting.
If you’ve been craving a new addition to your summer playlist, This song could be just the thing. Whether you’re a contemporary rock fan, or just love a good pop song, you’ll end up humming that chorus melody for days on end.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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