fun "Some Nights"

       If your music goes by this name, it had better be fun! The music lives up to its name, and we all know that Some Nights are better than others. The sophomore effort is not better than the debut, just different; it sounds more influenced by hip hop. The Queen-influenced introspective opener to the title track may keep captivate you in disbelief; while the title track itself is a call to arms, for those musicians a decade deep or longer, and feeling like it was all for naught. The percussive intro to “We Are Young” fades into that bombastic chorus; almost giving you an empire state of mind.  Like all resilient souls they “Carry On” because “It Gets Better.” The solo in the former has to be my favorite part of the song, or the reverb towards the end; let’s make it the final thirty seconds. The latter sticks out as a sign of the times, yet does not sound like a hit on the radio. It’s a great song, but it may be too odd: drum-machine and auto-tune mixed with a little Plus 44 and Blink 182.                                                                                                                             “Why Am I The One” is for the troubadour looking for some substance “cause my life’s become as vapid as a night out in Los Angeles/and I just want to stay in bed, and hold you like I used to, but always.” This is where it becomes more apparent that he might be looking for a different line of work; every dream has its price. Am I “All Alone” in thinking that hip-hop beats sound great with neo-classical synth? Or am I the only one seeing the halo over Ruess’ head? It’s “All Alright.” “Stars” is a fitting finish, with an orchestra and choir, but I think he takes too much liberty with all the autotune; that is what makes it oddly endearing and brings the empathy forward.