Paris - Paris Hilton

Poor Paris is swimming against the tide before she starts isn't she? People don't like her, with the most common complaint being that she is famous purely for being famous and has little discernable talent. Furthermore, she can't possibly be in it for "the music" and has to rely on a host of talented collaborators to come up with anything remotely listenable...

Well careers have been started on a lot less (witness Kylie Minogue - although admittedly Kylie was a bit more popular at the start of her career) but it seems unlikely that Paris will reach a second album, never mind make a career out of this such is the negative vibe that surrounds her.

Indeed, we are glefully told that a single which goes top 10 all around the world is a failure. Ditto an album that sold nearly 80,000 copies in the US in its first week is an abject failure too, despite reaching number 6 in the Billboard charts. Some would kill for that kind of "failure".

All this of course has left out one thing; is the album any good? Well as you might expect, it's not the greatest album you're ever likely to hear, but neither is it the complete and abject failure you would suspect.

Paris' voice is distincly unmemorable but, aided by digital aids or not, she can carry a tune. There is also a definite sense that the collaborators, such as Kara DioGuardi, Scott Storch and Fat Joe, are trying their best to give Paris something worthwhile too.

Occasionally all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place perfectly. Screwed is a memorable slice of power-pop which also proves that Paris must have a sense of humour after all. I Want You makes good use of a Grease sample but the best of the lot is Jealousy, which apparently makes use of Paris' own lyrics, which is a good stab at dissing Nicole Ritchie and is a memorable tune.

Sure, it all falls apart somewhat from there, but this is by no means the terrible record that perhaps, by rights, it should be. There is just about enough on here to make this a fun, if totally inconsequential, little album which, whilst far from essential will offer up a modicum of entertainment to anyone willing to listen.