"The form of song that`ll burst into a new life when played loudly in a nightclub scene by the beach"
3 STARS
Digital Release: May 29, 2011
Physical Release: N/A
It is good to say that Kelly Rowland`s album campaign - if you could claim it a "campaign", or say that said campaign pertains to any eventual album release, (currently titled, rather amusingly, `Here I Am`) - has been more fragmented that a shattered pane of glass. There`s been single after single, divided into more dance-orientated cuts for Europe-only releases while the more R&B-influenced cuts get the US-only releases, and relieve her album is planted firmly in a pipeline, blocked by her and her record label`s disinterest to discharge the project.
So, now, it appears what they have been waiting nearly ten months for has finally come. That favorable opportunity in the kind of The X Factor promotion is presented itself, which may cheapen the idea of acquiring an album out, just in time for a last performance towards the end of the series, and it may cause pedants everywhere to return about the connotative laziness of it - leaving the show to do the largest ball of promotion - but still, who`s to dim her only gleam of desire for such a long time?
Teaming up with Italian DJ Alex Gaudino for a super-summery house hit to re-establish herself as an actual somebody, and at least try to convince listeners she has a string of relevance, Kelly flaunts her unquestionable vocal talents whilst accompanied by a chiming, piano-led house track that bears much resemblance to her team-up of yesteryear with David Guetta, `When Love Takes Over`, only, it`s not as good.
To hold it brief, it`s a partial success. It`s definitely the form of song that`ll burst into a new life when played loudly in a nightclub scene by the beach, with a hundred other people fist-pumping the air in perfect unison, with headaches so loudly the music`s blocked out entirely. But in the same breath, it must be mentioned that `What A Notion` is a very standard house track with none of the melodic finesse that could be expected of Gaudino when one but merely glances at his past works. Kelly sounds emotionally hollow, and yet though she`s singing about falling in love, all you can remember about when the chorus and that repetitive piano hook are bashed through your brain a pair of times too many, is how over-processed and soulless she sounds.
It`s a nice house track, and little more than that. But it does have radio on it`s position on history of it being very radio-friendly, and it`ll no doubt kick-start the summer playlists of many listeners. However, if you see how many tracks, hits or not, released in the preceding few months can be noted on just the like reason for virtue as this one, the shine begins to wear away promptly and the world of how uninventive these ten-a-penny house hits are comes to light.
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