Single Review: Alicia Keys – ‘It’s On Again’ (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
2 min read
Being the return of one of the most iconic superheroes, Spiderman hits our screens again in new movie The Amazing Spiderman 2, performing his latest web-slinging antics over the Big Apple. Who better to release the tie-in music single than New York born and bred artist Alicia Keys?
Keys has enlisted some big names to help her out here; Kendrick Lamar lends a hand on the intro and Pharrell Williams takes on the producing duties, which isn’t a bad thing when you think how everything seems to turn to gold when Pharrell’s involved these days.
It’s on Again immediately feels different to the usual superhero track. Kendrick Lemar starts us off with a rough-voiced rap over Alicia’s piano which helps the song build up into a disco influenced frenzy with strings and thumping drums. Pharrell’s Midas touch is immediately recognisable; the man himself is no stranger to movie tie-ins with songs from animated film franchise Despicable Me already under his belt. He really manages to bring out the best in Alicia’s vocals here, with her song writing ability on show as the track twists and turns throughout.
Although the song sounds a treat, it’s some of the lyrics which let it down. It often ventures into the usual superhero movie cliché’s of one man against the odds, fighting for the world blah blah blah. “I am a lonely hero trying to fight my battles” in one such line which stands out as a culprit, and with these kinds of lyrics littered about, it takes away from the overall beauty of the song. It’s probably quite difficult to write a song for such a film without including some lyrics like this, but Alicia is an excellent writer and I’m sure she could have come up with something a little different.
It’s on again gets definite points for having the balls to stand out amongst the many superhero songs out there, so it’s just a little disappointing it gets itself caught in a web of some unoriginal moments lyrically.
