In case some of you Muusers might have noticed, the download links accompanying the latest reviews have been removed. It’s not an accident. I’ve decided that downloading will no longer be a feature of MuuMuse. And by that, I mean MuuMuse is back to where it should be–barely legal and ready to mingle.
That being said, it’s time for Clay Aiken, with his latest single, “On My Way Here,” off of an upcoming album sharing the same name. Okay…re-hinge your jaw. I know. He’s a giant douche nozzle. And yes, the album cover is atrocious (I’m seeing Cyndi Lauper). But above it all, he’s a wonderful, if at times indulgent crooner, and his music happens to resonate quite well with me.
This new single is written by Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, the shifty band that did the obnoxious collaboration with Timbasuck you’ve heard relentlessly played on Top 40 radio stations and as the ringtone for that girl no one really likes in English class called “Apologize.” What? You have it as your ringtone? Well, I mean…I didn’t mean it like that. It’s got a nice refrain and it’s very catchy. Is it…is it too late to apologize?
The minor problem is that Clay’s gone and taken the melody off of his album track “I Survived You” from 2003’s Measure Of A Man. Since that’s one of my personal favorites, I didn’t mind it so much. But considering it’s been five years, I would have expected a bit more diversity. Then again, I’m not sure of when I started expecting anything from Clay Aiken. In fact, I wasn’t really sure he was still releasing this until now.
The production is quite schlocky and over-the-top, but if you’re listening to Clay Aiken, you’re not in this for booty beats and hand claps. So take a breather from the synth surges at the discotheque and relax a bit. Let it soothe you, unapologetically. You deserved it.
Clay’s new single “On My Way Here” is due to drop on May 6, before the release of his next studio album, On My Way Here.