Example
Won’t Go Quietly (Data)
Elliot ‘Example’ Gleave has made significant progress through the music industry in recent years. His last album, What We Made, was witty and stylish in every way and a true reflection upon our society. ‘Posh Birds’ remains one of the funniest songs I’ve ever heard. His response to Lily Allen’s Smile - ‘Vile’ was his first taste of success alongside a cover of Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’.
Example has expanded his range since then and shifted to a mainstream sound, which you can’t fault him for because the music is still good at the end of the day. Although you can’t help but wonder if there’s been a loss somewhere.
I must’ve heard the first song off of the album about a year ago, ‘Watch The Sun Come Up’ was not an Example song but still very refreshing and of course, his trademark Cockney crooner voice was still etched all over the song.
Example has now tasted success and is up there in the leagues with Tinie Tempah, Taio Cruz, Chiddy Bang etc with their pop-sensible urban/r’n'b assault on the charts. But politics aside, back to the music.
Example has never really had an album that has the longevity or sustainability aspect about it, every track and ‘Won’t Go Quietly’ is no exception unfortunately. The singles that he’s released compared to the album tracks are in two different leagues of style, the un-released tracks almost gaze back to his older stuff, more concentrated on hip-hop.
‘Last Ones Standing’ has some really good hooks in it and could take up a Journey-esque status with club-goers. The dramatic keyboard jolts give the song the sustainability of any decent pop track.
‘Kickstarts’ is the most recent single from Watch the Sun Come Up and it can’t really be faulted for its face value. It is what it is and that’s a club track, there’s no lyrical wit that Example fans are used to, just a song about Example and a girl. Simple stuff.
‘Dirty Face’ is a nice reminder of what Example is capable of. This track sounds like it has a bit of grime layered through it and a tidy bit of dub-step too.
The lyrics are harsh and cruel and that’s what Example is all about: “Smile all you want you can try your luck, You wont get a drink ‘cos I’m tight as fuck. There’s only one way that you might get a taste. Girl, put on your dirtyface.”
Granted, it doesn’t have the same lyrical value as:
“Into the toilet, skip the foreplay, grip the doorway, like BK you can have it your way, she’s so polite she’ll always say: ‘was that okay?’
She always pays for the taxi home, she’s clearly a giver but unlike all the cabbies she goes south of the river.”
The Example we know now is storming the charts, it’s too easy to say that he’s sold-out or disgraced hip-hop, there is a horrible stigma attached to a truly talented artist becoming successful. I still find time to appreciate his material, new or old and I’ll only stop listening when it becomes terrible to listen to.
Ross Dunn
