2005 Nelly featuring Tim McGraw: Over And Over

Nelly featuring Tim McGraw? Hip hop crossed with country? Ok, I'm willing to go with it, though in truth Nelly's smooth R&B dominates 'Over And Over', and while his co-star's vocal is prominent, the 'country' is confined to a sedate, rocking chair rhythm and a touch of steel guitar. And yes, 'Over And Over' is as laid back as that description suggests; that isn't a problem in itself, but what does become a problem (for me anyway) is the tail chasing loop the song finds itself in after barely thirty seconds - can a song be more aptly named I wonder? Probably not; Nelly and McGraw ramble their "Cause it's all in my head I think about it over and over again" chorus with an repetition of an Alzheimer's sufferer and in a way that slow turns the thumb screws of tedium with the ruthless efficiency of a medieval torturer. Because whilst I'm sure 'Over And Over' doesn't set out to torture, its sheer lack of colour and variation wears my patience to a nub, generating tension enough to lob a nailbomb into the chilled, laid back vibe it aims for. In fact, there comes a point where I start thinking the "I think about it over and over again" is an clever, post-modern joke and that Nelly and McGraw are taking the piss in seeing just how far they can push it. They're not though, and because they're not all of the above might seem a bit harsh on the guys, but it's what I'm hearing - as a skit between tracks on a Nelly album then it would go down a treat, but spread over four minutes then I'm afraid 'Over And Over' crawls under my skin quite quickly and jabs hot pins into my nerve endings from the inside until relief can only come from turning it off.