“In The Dark” by Dev is old news and obnoxious. It was a single released way before her debut album, The Night the Sun Came Up, was released. It was over played along with her other single “Bass Down Low” to the point where I purposely changed the radio station/television station/internet radio station every time either of those songs came on. I was so over it.
Then around October or November of last year I heard “Kiss My Lips” by Dev at some random location and went to download it. Her album was still not out and neither was this song. Every few weeks, I went to check the date of the release, purely to be able to get this one song, and the dates were always changing. End of 2011, beginning of 2012, New Years Day, all different predictions.
Finally, I forgot about it completely. The song was not worth all this effort and stress. Then, I checked new releases this week and her debut studio album had finally been released. I had forgotten the name of the song I wanted which was refreshed as I looked at the track list. I downloaded the one track and noticed that the rest of the album was going to be about six bucks.
Eh, why not I thought to myself and downloaded all 12 tracks.
I hate Dev, the idea of her. The idea of all of all those tweens walking around with cut off jean shorts and neon green-rimmed sunglasses and converse shoes laced with pink laces. I hate that she says “What you lookin’ at, trick?” and “It’s the Cataracs” in a bunch of her songs.
But, I cannot help it; I do like this album. From her singles, she is a repetitive-techno-alternative-horny-diva like the rest of them. But, like most artists, the real good stuff is not released as singles but hidden in the ignored tracks on the rest of the album. The rest of The Night the Sun Came Up is actually a solid dance album.
The album starts with a song, “Getaway” which almost introduces us to the Dev we do not know. The likeable side of Dev. “I wanna take this money/get out of town/buy some time we can make it somehow/waiting for a dream to come around/you know me better than that/baby I’m not down.” She talks about leaving her hometown and not turning back. There is some sense of honesty in it. Same vibe in the song “Dancing Shoes.” A song with a ballerina-music box-like backtrack. Any Imogen Heap fans might find a little resemblance in this song.
Then there are of course her songs about getting down on the dance floor, poppin’ bottles, etc. However, like I said earlier, these dance hits are not these singles she has released. For example, “In My Trunk” is a great dance song. Almost laughably simple but a great beat. With the chorus being “it’s in my trunk” repeated approximately eight times, it is purely fun, nothing more complex than that.
The song I had been waiting for, “Kiss My Lips” features Fabolous. The track starts with a very unique beat that I love more than any other part of the song. I often listen to the first 10-15 seconds of the song and then stop it and start it over. “Hands up/This high/Tell them haters/Kiss my.” First good line out of Fabolous’ mouth since I was in college.
“Don’t Hurt It” featuring Timbaland is another good dance song. Obviously, Timbaland only produces gold so what else would I expect. This is one of her many songs where she does her little white girl rapping, similar to her lines in “Like a G6.” I want to make fun of her for this but she is really the only one out there doing rap segments like this. Her style is unique and she deserves credit for that.
So, like many other albums and arts, I want to dislike it but I do really like this album. It is worth a listen.
Within the same day I got this album, I also was interested in “Greyhound” by Swedish House Mafia. Apparently this song is meant for the Absolut brand’s Absolut Greyhound Vodka/beverage, vodka with a splash of grapefruit. I knew all the vodka info after the fact but that only enhances the amount that I love this song. Swedish House Mafia + Vodka = Happiness.
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