Cover Drive Featuring Dappy - Explode

August 18, 2012 Critic Jonni 0 Comments

Cover Drive has featured on my blog a couple of times, first time was for "Twilight" and then their follow-up single "Sparks". This is their fourth single overall, and I wasn't that keen on it, like all their singles, but since their performance on Red Or Black, how could I not review this song today? This Barbados band consists of 4 members who are Amanda Reifer (Karen Reifer), Thomas-Ray Armstrong, Barry Hill and Jamar Harding. It took me some time to get into this band, but Tink09 was hooked immediately and kept telling me to review them, eventually I did and this band will not stop appearing on my blog. This song features Dappy, real name Costadinos Contostavlos, who used to be a member of N-Dubs before they broke off, he is also the cousin of Tulisa. He has had a UK number one along with a few more chart topping hits that just missed out on the top spot. It will be interesting where these 2 artists will go in the future.

"Explode" was written by Karen Reifer, Thomas Ray Armstrong, Jamar Harding, Barry Hill and Steve Mac. The song is about falling for someone, and then Dappy comes in and adds something extra to the mix. This song is definitely similar to their other songs, but it is so catchy you can't help but like it. The theme to it is exactly what is enticing people into buy their album, even I want to listen to their album now. I can't wait to see what the future will bring to Cover Drive.

This music video is quite clever, Dappy is a judge and they are holding open auditions, after a bland band the crowd is restless and really bored, then Cover Drive comes along and perks them all up again, Dappy even decides to sing with them. Personally, I think it's a little jibe to Tulisa since she is a judge on the UK X Factor, but it's insignificant.

It is a performance based video, and I like how Amanda comes off the stage and dances while Dappy is rapping. I like the scenes of the band as they get into the groove of Dappy's rapping. I also like the other shots of the band just generally having fun, it kind of reminds me of the video for "Twilight".

Overall a great song that is definitely stuck in my head. And a great music video that I cannot fault. It's both performance and narrative and just seems so effortless that makes you question if there is something missing, but I can't find a problem anywhere, so I have no choice but give this the rating it clearly deserves.