Aqua was featured in my Obsession series a few weeks ago and I finally got my hands on a copy of their third studio album, Megalomania, released eleven long years after their last effort. The album distances itself from the bubblegum pop sound of its predecessors, going for a modern, dance/pop vibe instead. Preceded by three singles, including the amazing “Playmate to Jesus”, the album does not currently have a release date in the US, but hopefully that changes. We have come to associate this group with their annoying hit, “Barbie Girl”, but thankfully the group plays it a bit more mature and risqué with this new project. Some surprises are included which makes this strange reunion well worth the time.
The album starts off with one of the few surprises I mentioned before. Coming across “Playmate to Jesus” was a delightful accident. The track does not even sound like the original group, which may be the best thing about it. The vocals are actually pretty good, the sound works and I just really enjoyed the lyrics describing a desire for universal love. Throw in some space references and you have a fan in me.
If you need a track to describe the theme of the entire album then “Dirty Little Pop Song” is the track for you. As soon as you hear “slutty, little whore” right at the beginning, you know you are in for a special treat. To be honest, the song does sound like it was a leftover for some of Ke$ha’s recording sessions, but I cannot get it out of my head. Nothing new, but incredibly fun and catchy.
Featured as my 13th favorite song of 2011, “Kill Myself” is an amazing and beautiful ballad; it is even better because it is coming from the minds of Aqua. The track may be overly dramatic, but the emotion is there and that’s important. To love someone so much that you would kill yourself because they are not there; that is really saying something. The song is true perfection. I don’t care what you say.
The album continues with “Like A Robot”, a raunchy song that ultimately deals with sex and alcohol. Aqua has forgotten all the past metaphors and innuendos and have decided to be up front with their naughty message. The production is great; the lyrics are fun and get lodged in your brain easily especially the golden chorus. The vocals do come off altered, reminiscent of the past, but I can forgive that once or twice.
The city of sin and unwanted marriages gets to shine in “Viva Las Vegas”. The song is just what you would think it would be. Lyrics of “whatever happens here stays here” and “fabulous sin city” tell a story of a wild time on the strip. Again, the track is nothing special, but it is another well-crafted, well sung pop song that could be a hit here in the states.
The album suddenly comes to a crashing halt when “No Party Patrol” makes its way through the speakers. I am not a fan of songs about a party at someone’s house; that is exactly what this is. It seems that the group ran out of good, new material and relied on stuff that was created ten years ago. Nothing about the song is great, but I do give a little credit for the chorus. I guess one bad song was inevitable.
The second half of the effort kicks off with a change of sound and pace. “Come n’ Get It” does not carry the electro-pop feel of the preceding tracks. Instead, an R&B influence seems to be present. I am torn between loving or hating the finished product. The song does have the same structure of a classic Black Eyed Peas track, but I was not too impressed once the song finished. I would give an A for effort.
“Sucker for a Superstar” can only be described as cute. The two lead vocalists exchange verses just as they did in “Barbie Girl”, it could almost be a sequel. Referencing elite bands just as The Beatles and The Rolling Stone helps the song succeed, as do the soft vocals, but once “star fucker” makes its way out, I have lost hope. The lyrics are pretty simple and generic, there is not much depth. Classify this track as nothing above average.
After a very promising start to “Be My Savior Tonight”, the male vocals do nothing to improve its status as something great. While some parts are sincere and beautiful, the rest turn it into just another sex inspired dance track that has been done already. I feel that there are two songs trying to separate from each other and I wish they would. Together they just get ruined and it will be hard for someone to develop a liking for it.
Devoted fans got a new taste of the group when first single, “How R U Doin?”, was released way before the album ever materialized. At first the track did not really make a strong impression on me, but it did grow on me. The track is now one that I must listen to before I hit the town. It is fun, fast-paced and brings the album back on its two feet. This is one that needs remixes.
The album closes with another ballad, “If The World Didn’t Suck (We Would All Fall Off)”. The song gets rid of the party inspired lyrics, lowers the heavy pop production and allows the vocals to really come through strong. Some lines may be cheesy and clichéd, but it is nice to see something new from a group that was not taken too seriously. The track shows a great amount of growth and maturity and is a nice way to end a comeback project.
Megalomania may be an album from the die-hard Aqua fans that have been waiting patiently for the group to reunite, but there are some moments on the project that warrant another album after eleven years. Pop perfection is sprinkled throughout. Some songs could be big hits since the music industry is stuck in a dance/pop, party anthem mood at the moment. Where the project excels though is in showing a side of the group no one would have ever expected to see. Slower, ballad-type track such as the opening and closing pieces are beautiful and unfortunately may never get noticed. The album starts off strong, weakens in the middle, and then struggles to finish on a positive note. The album is an enjoyable guilty pleasure, it receives an 83%.
Tracks to Hear: "Playmate to Jesus", "Kill Myself", "Like A Robot" and "How R U Doin?"
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