Taken from The Amazing Spider-man 2 soundtrack, ‘It’s On Again’ is at its best when Alicia Keys is singing, so much so it’s worth skipping the first thirty seconds of aggressive rap to get to the more central part of the song, the opening proving to be Lamar’s only contribution to the piece which should have been left on the cutting room floor. With Pharrell Williams on production duty, the inclusion of Hans Zimmer-style strings adds more depth to the expectation of what the song would be. The verses drag on a little longer than you’d hope with a desire to get to the chorus which sticks in your head with its simplicity.
In the grand scheme of singles associated with films this isn’t a big player – the original three Sam Raimi films were blessed with far stronger songs, and I can’t even remember what was connected with the prequel to the latest webby film – and it’s pretty forgettable overall, but Keys’ vocals and the strings win you over, though it’s a pretty understated affair and not particularly evocative of an up-tempo comic book film.
(6/10)
Buy: It’s On Again (Main Soundtrack)
