Single Review: OneRepublic – Kids

onerepublic-kids

OneRepublic deal with nostalgia on new single
We had to wait quite a while for new music by OneRepublic. After their 2013 album Native with the huge hit ‘Counting Stars’ things got a little quiet, but they are back! In May they launched the single ‘Wherever I Go’ and now it is time for the next step. They dropped a new single called ‘Kids’. There is no word yet on a release date for their album, but expectations are that it will be released this year. Sound wise they go in an interesting new direction with ‘Kids’.

Frontman Ryan Tedder explained to Entertainment Weekly that the change of sound was inspired by the band M83 and was a ‘conscious departure’. “As an artist or musician, if you’re not poking or needling or pushing the envelope to see if it pops, you’re not doing it right. Whatever our sound is — and I don’t think we have a dyed-in-the-wool sound — this album is by far our most evolved.” The new single sees the OneRepublic guys take on a swinging synth pop sound full of catchy little hooks and an undeniable chorus. Lyrically they play with the concept of nostalgia, while not willing to give in to the idea that some things belong in the past: “Refuse to look back thinking days were better, just because they’re younger days. I don’t know what’s ’round the corner, way I feel right now I swear we’ll never change”, Tedder sings. It will be interesting to see how the general public will take this more electronic style. It does sound like a perfect late summer hit if you ask me!

Update: The video is out now!

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