Single Reviews

Taylor Swift, "The Moment I Knew"

Not to be confused with the far more energetic “I Knew You Were Trouble,” this release rides the coat tails of the pop-tsunami Red with indistinctive melodrama. Swift’s ballad-style track falls flat lyrically, relying on cliched imagery to relate a formulaic stood-up-on-a-date anthem that’s girly with an unimpressive vibe, a piano-driven step backwards for T-Swift.

Bon Jovi, "Because We Can"

“Because We Can” lacks the punch, brood, and alluring badass-ness that originally launched the Jersey boy to fame, but those elements have long been M.I.A. This cheery, up-and-at-‘em track might see a million faces, but never rock a single one. A lame, cookie-cutter solo spells trouble for guitarist Richie Sambora, but the song is otherwise catchy and fairly benign.

OneRepublic, "If I Lose Myself"

With its pseudo-Coldplay sound and knack for haunting refrains, OneRepublic has gotten more radio play than all other bands combined. That isn’t true, but after “Apologize,” it certainly felt like it. This single continues in the vein of instrumentals digitally produced to a glossy sheen, topped off with vocal hooks destined to take the Light FM airwaves in a stranglehold.