WEEKENDS ARE FOR SINGLES: Is It Possible to Have Too Much Hook?

Today, it’s a feast of pop songs that emphasize hook, hook, HOOK!

And I’m starting with “Sweet Caroline” by New Carnival, because it’s the song that inspired this post. First, there’s the Chic-like guitar riff. Then, the Bravery/Bloc Party/early 2000s indie vocal quality. The song name references a classic rock hit, and the band name says WE’RE FUN in all caps. It’s a relentlessly pop single, all the way to the drum riff transition three-quarters of the way through. 100% hook. Is it too much?

Second, one from the Gods of hook: Weezer’s new single, it’s got a wicked chorus and it’s called California! The State name alone is hook.

Fresh off some buzzworthy shows at SXSW, Tacocat is pushing their new single, “I Hate the Weekend.” It’s got some definite GoGos punk there, and they were some chicks who knew their way around a hook. Tacocat’s new album is mostly songs less than three minutes long, so they’re definitely going for the neupunk crowd. Good stuff.

I do like this dance cover of the classic Eurythmics song, but it’s so damn upbeat that it takes the depth out of the song and makes it pure hook and chorus.
A nice little dance cover of a 1980s classic…

The hip hop version of all hook is 50 Cent. Really. Very little lyrical content, but an awesome chorus and beat. Boogie’s new single is like that, with it’s repeated chanting: Get the fuck out of my way!