ASHANTI — “Foolish”
Like Usher’s “U Got It Bad,” redolent of nothing more than mid-album filler, this song betrays no clue why it would go #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unlike Usher, it’s actively irritating once I pay attention. Y’see, my brain has got this aural x-ray action jazz, so I can hear right through the vocals down to the DeBarge loop, and I’m not sure I can listen a loop so unadorned without permanent damage. It’s a good three-plus minutes of piano melody, arc of chime tinkle, responding organ melody, piano melody, arc of chime tinkle, responding organ melody, piano melody, arc of chime tinkle, responding organ melody, piano melody, arc of chime tinkle, responding organ melody, arrgh. Why doesn’t this bore more people, I wonder? And can a good slow-jam track be keyed to so obvious a loop?