Music Review: Calvin Harris & John Newman "Blame"

Calvin Harris & John Newman

Blame

Album: TBA

Year: 2014

            John Newman rationalizes his cheating in the  underdeveloped  “Blame.”

               Trickling synths open the single, setting a listless tone.  He fluffs his pillow again and turns on his side. It’s the fifth time tonight. He has gotten so used to dodging his girlfriend’s feet that he doesn’t know how to sleep alone anymore. There is a pit in his stomach and it won’t go away. He feels awful and ashamed. He can’t take it much longer. (“Can't be sleeping, keep on waking/Without the woman next to me/Guilt is burning, inside I'm hurting/This ain't a feeling I can keep.”)

          In the chorus, he decides that it was the night’s fault. It was a romantic evening. His now ex-girlfriend had to work. Emotions were bound to be stirred up. (“So blame it on the night/Don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me/Blame it on the night/Don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me/So blame it on the night/Don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me/Blame it on the night/Don't blame it on me, don't blame it on me.”)

              He says “don’t blame it on me” as the  jilted synths scatter.

              Now that he thinks about it, the girl is the one who caused it. She found a way to convince him to come inside his apartment. There was nothing else he could do. She wasn’t going to leave until he said yes. She only wanted to catch up. Sure, yeah right. (“Can't you see it? I was manipulated/I had to let her through the door/I had no choice in this, I was the friend she missed/She needed me to talk.”)

         The chorus is sung again.

           The jilted synths return and scatter again after he says “don’t blame it on me.”

         In the bridge, he apologizes over and over again to her in his mind. He says they get back together and it will be like it was before. (“Oh I'm so sorry, so sorry baby (I'll be better this time)/I will be better this time/I got to say/I'm so sorry/Oh I promise (I'll be better this time, I'll be better this time.”)

          In the final section, he says “don’t blame it on me” twice.

        The jilted synths return for one last time to end the single.

        Newman’s pained vocals are working through his sadness.  He can’t face what type man he has become. He is one those guys that girls tell each other to avoid. However, it’s unfortunate that he does point the finger at the woman, though. It’s a double standard and it’s not fair. Despite it, he manages to remain sympathetic, if immature.

       Harris’ weary arrangement taps the same button, too jaded by life to actually care.

It’s not until the instrumental break pops up and bounces from left to right that the song actually does something. But it doesn’t have anywhere to go.

        The disheartening “Blame” is a non-starter due to Harris’ weak arrangement