Single Releases 08/10/07

Back after a week off, singles wise.

Alj & AJ's Potential Breakup Song is first up this week. And it's a corker. It's got more invention than you've any right to expect from an American Manufactured Pop single.

As you'd expect, the law of diminishing returns is at play with Amy MacDonald's new single LA. And is it just me or does she have a total of ONE idea for her promo video's?

Curvy Cola Bottle Body by Chico is so funny. Probably becuase it's terrible, but in a very funny way. If you could believe he was taking the piss you' be proclaiming him as a genius.

I mean it's miles better than Gwen Stefani's latest effort, Now That U Got It. Someone needs to reign her in if you know what I mean.

I hate the Hoosiers. So there.

They're better than Biffo Clyro though.

On the other hand, I love Roisin Murphy. Let Me Know is a stomper. Pity about those distracting nipples in the video. Wear a bra love.

Natasha Bedingfield attempts to save her career this week with a "featuring Adam Levine" tag line...she fails.

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

NB - Natasha Bedingfield

There's no doubting that Natasha Bedingfield is an acquired taste. I didn't like her at all when she started out, but was converted to some extent by the wonderfully daft These Words single. Listening to her debut album converted me more, although I would have to admit that the album as a whole was a little hit and miss. Of course that would probably some up most people's opinion of the more agreeable Bedingfield. Some great tracks, some absolute dross.

NB, her second album, doesn't totally eradicate this equation but it is a definite step in the right direction.

Album opener How Do You Do sets a perfect opening tone; it's as lyrically daft as ever (if you're not climbing up my ivory towers, I'm coming down to you) and sets off what would appear to be the theme of the album. Women have control over their own love-life destiny. Gone are the days when women had to wait for men to make the first move. All very admirable, but all very hen-night and school playground. What saves it though is that the tune is a catchy one which pretty soon is lodged in your brain. Indeed, we've started off on a high note indeed.

There are others too.

Say It Again nails a perfect pop chorus with such aplomb that I'll be very disappointed if it doesn't top the charts for weeks and will be the one where the audience waves their lighters (and mobile phones) in the air and sings along wholeheartedly at her concerts. Who Knows may be even better; it certainly was the one I found myself singing in the bath after listening to the album.

There are times though when it doesn't quite work. I doubt people will be remembering Eve's appearance here with the fondness reserved for her Gwen Stefani collaborations and Smell The Roses doesn't quite manage to disguise just how dull it is, despite the Aguilera style histrionics and luscious strings floating around in the background.

The sheer list of names that helped with the album (Mike Elizondo, Adam Levine, Diane Warren, Nate Hills, Danielle Brisebois and Pat Leonard to name but a handful) proves that this was never going to be a dull record, and indeed the sense is that it doesn't matter if you like a particular track or not...there's be another one you do like along any minute.

It's to Bedingfield's credit as well that despite the sheer weight of numbers you never really lose sense that this is her album. Sure, that may not be an entirely welcome prospect for some (witness the endless discussions about the merits, or otherwise, of lead single I Want Your Babies) but I'm quite happy with it all.

And how refreshing it is for a British (yes, she does just about count as a Brit :-D) pop star to wilfully display her eccentricities on record rather than bizarre rants at the Brit awards and through thank you messages that are longer than a university dissertation.