OneRepublic 'Apologize'

Chart Peak: 3 (Timbaland version)

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Somebody made a bit of a boo-boo here: the hit version of 'Apologize' was credited to "Timbaland Presents OneRepublic" and indeed it's this version which is listed on the cover of Now 69. But the disc actually plays the original track, with Timbaland's remixing and mumbling. When first I discovered this, I got a bit of a sinking feeling, having concluded from past experience that Timbaland was less boring than OneRepublic; but in practice it wasn't entirely bad news because it did at least relieve some of the monotony of hearing the famous version yet again.

The hit mix of 'Apologize' was one of those records that seemed to tick every possible box for radio programmers, from teen-oriented pop stations to the MOR ones you hear in charity shops. Well you do if you spend as much time in them as I do. Anyway, I hated it and I hate this slightly less, probably because I've heard it less often, although there seems to have been a little more lightness of touch in the production. Otherwise , many of the same comments apply here as to 'Stop And Stare'.

Despite, or maybe because of, the huge success of these first two singles, further releases have fared poorly and at time of writing, OneRepublic share with Kajagoogoo the unusual distinction of having appeared twice on one Now album and never reappeared.

Available on: Dreaming Out Loud

OneRepublic 'Stop And Stare'

Chart Peak: 4

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With its earnest refusal to do anything as outre as a tune and inane rhyming-dictionary lyrics ("Stop and stare/ go nowhere/ hear not there/ hear my prayer/ get what's fair/ is that a rabbit or a hare?" yeah, OK, I made one of those up) I'm reluctant to spend more than the four minutes or so that the record itself lasts writing a post about it. Chorus lyric aside, most of this is competent in an artless, antiseptic sort of way, topped off by Ryan Tedder's entirely charm-free lead vocal. The worst of this is that it sounds so pleased with itself as to completely undermine the intended message of existential doubt.

Still, it doesn't enter the same dimensions of awfulness as Nickelback.

Available on: Dreaming Out Loud