Yeah, she seems to get the best of me,
Of what little there is left
I will freely admit that this song has two big things working against it: that gimmicky title and the mimicking of "Jesse's Girl" of the verses. Beyond that, though, it's quality. Forget the North American heartthrob singer-songwriters of today--Rick proves himself to still have a better ear for what makes for a great guitar pop hook than any of the, at least for this year (save maybe one). That chorus is radio-ready stuff, as is the bridge, the middle 8--Rick, I bet you didn't really need that interpolation to make a great verse, but I guess if it served to get people's attention so that they'd listen to the rest of the song, I understand why you did it; I just think a song this great, this full of catchy elements deserved more than conversation that begins with "Oh my gosh, did he really just..."This is what you get when someone with years of songwriting experience and years of performing writes a song they want to be accessible pop, want to be on the radio: every element is in place, every instrument and part is honed into propelling the song forward, getting it into your mind, and creating a cohesive, complete, catchy whole. Rick's voice is in fine form, too, at least in studio terms; I'm not sure what would happen if his voice had to do that upward soaring that characterizes the chorus live, but it doesn't matter--the end product here is everything it needs to be.
Find it on: Venus In Overdrive
