UK Single Releases 02/07/07

So this time around Avril Lavigne has gone back to the miserable version of herself, lest we actually think she might enjoy her profession. Well done love; When You're Gone isn't awful of course, but neither is it particularly good.

Soulmate by Natasha Bedingfield makes certain people cry. I just think it's another of those decent but ultimately dull songs that she tends to turn out every so often.

Beverley Knight keeps plugging away god bless her.

I do like that new Fall Out Boy one. One of my favourites from the surprisingly good album.

The Heinrich Maneuver by Interpol is a good indication of what Editors should be doing instead of going all Coldplay on us.

That's about as far as I get, but at least it's a less cursory glance at the weeks singles than my last couple of efforts.

In closing I would just like to say how happy I am that Kate Nash is at number two in the new charts. It's astounding on so many levels, not least that by the very fact of me liking her prior to this I should currently be ecstatic that she's reached number 74 in the charts or something. In fact her presence in the top 10 makes up for the fact that The Enemy, The Hoosiers, Jack Penate (aka The Gay Lumberjack *) and Kelly Rowland are also in this weeks top 10.

* Please note the term "Gay Lumberjack" when used in reference to Jack Penate is the copyright of EG Enterprises

The Best Damn Thing - Avril Lavigne

If there is one track from any artist that has polarised long-term fans of the singer in question this year then it's Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend. It's hard to know who to believe either. I myself was of the opinion that it's distinctly pop edge was commercially driven by the record label but Lavigne insists that the song, and the album at large was the kind of record that she'd always wanted to make.

At first I was pretty underwhelmed by Girlfriend. It seemed like someone's idea of a joke...and not a very good one at that. And anyway, Lavigne's recent interview on Popworld seemed to confirm that she's not got a sense of humour. Still there was no denying as I heard it a few more times that it was a catchy, fun tune and by the time it actually hit the shops I was quite the fan of it.

All this talk about the single is pertinent though; your opinion on the single is pretty much going to signpost your opinion on the album because The Best Damn Thing is pretty much 9 times the single plus 3 slower songs that seem like hold-over's from Under My Skin.

Personally I like it. It may even be the ultimate in throwaway disposable pop. I doubt there's much that I will be holding dear in my heart this time next year but you can't help enjoying the experience whilst you listen to it. And there's more than enough to keep her in top 10 singles for the rest of the year and beyond. (Although at this point, I have to mention forthcoming single When You're Gone which seems to indicate that they're keen to ensure that Lavigne's appeal stretches as far as possible considering it's one of the slower tracks).

It's an interesting exercise as well. The normal trajectory for a career would be to release something like this as a "debut" and then get serious. That Lavigne has done it the other way around is both a little astounding and a very good thing. Having proved her musical chops previously she's free to do what she wants here and the end result is something catchy, likeable and very good indeed.