iTunes Single of the Week Review: ‘Cold Summer’ CJ Hilton

This week’s iTunes Single of the Week, “Cold Summer,” is a snoozer romantic apology that’s best to dismiss than to ever allow the melodramatic wails from singer CJ Hilton into your ears.

A foxy rhythm section with a buxom bass will initially hook your bobbing head. As the beats flow through Hilton interrupts with the ephemeral cliché: “The world was our.” It’s here, as well as every single time those words are repeated from Hilton’s straining voice throughout the song, that one’s eyes can’t resist but to roll over in their sockets, demanding mercy, to press the skip button.

For those curious, equipped with the virtues of patience, and the invaluable open mind, Hilton will tragically disappoint you with his nonexistent talented vocals. His lyrics are as soulful as Steve Urkel’s lust was for Laura Winslow, where Hilton’s vocals are more Stefan than Stevie Wonder, a fleeting pipe dream rather than the real thing.

The overall message found in this song is quite a head-scratcher. “Cold Summer” has a hook that declares the absence of a lover has left Hilton in bed alone. Why did the lover leave? Hilton cries, “Can’t believe you saw right through me.” Oh, so someone cheated on someone else, but then Hilton rebuffs with an unusual swagger, “How you gonna treat me like I’m nothing special? / So what you gonna chuck a deuce?” Instead of an apologetic love letter, “Cold Summer” uniquely makes one wonder when Maury is going to step in to explain the details. The dry drama from Hilton’s unkempt single bed laboriously trudges along ‘till a gracious end, that listeners will unanimously agree, that couldn’t have come sooner.

The silver lining to “Cold Summer” is the production value, which doesn’t come as a surprise, and one is thankful for it’s presence. The layers of instruments, the usual recycled chain of digitally sampled beats and tones, are effectively arranged to emote a sense of regret and a heavy-hearted swagger unwillingly to lose.

Unfortunately, for Hilton’s producers, listeners, as well as Hilton, the creative production of “Cold Summer” is awashed with dejected pubescent lyrics that are best left in Hilton’s Xanga than stored in one’s music library.

“Cold Summer” is available now as a free download from the iTunes Music Store until Monday, March 12, 2012.