Single Reviews 16/07/07

Well, what a let down of a week, eh? Still no sign of anything resembling July weather, Live Earth having about as much impact as a bluebottle on the windscreen of a 24-wheel artic, and that monstrous, piggy-eyed little bastard Charley turning what should have been an eviction from hell into the ultimate ego-bath. Hey, why not cheer yourself up with the Single Reviews?

Perpetually-wretched shitmonger Shirley Manson and her backing geriatrics make a return this week, which invokes a “quick, get under the table” reaction after the horrendous last two albums obliterated the legacy of the first two. Thankfully, Tell Me Where It Hurts goes some way to restoring the once-good name of Garbage. Bloody long way to go, mind.

On to an entirely pointless reworking of the Kaiser Chiefs’ Oh My God, which couldn’t have come at a worse time - Ruby saw the band entirely jump the shark, and now one of the few remaining good memories is butchered by Mark Ronson & Lily Allen. There’s a wealth of talent in that coalition, and yet the best they can knock out is a coffee-break cover that barely deserves an acknowledgement. Pitiful.

Next up, another dance-twiddler-meets-pop-bird alliance, albeit a far more worthwhile and effective one. Groove Armada & Mutya Buena team up for the rather skill Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control), a superb bleep-a-long which may or may not be about Amelle. We sort of hope it is. Truth be told, we’re a bit sick of the incessant toadying around this song, but it’s not without reason - in fact, we’re going to hop atop that sodding bandwagon and award this our Single of the Week honour.

Lastly, a more intense, fearsome Jarvis Cocker than we’ve ever knew existed makes an appearance on Fat Children, a high-velocity mezze of hooks and crunches. Imagine the chorus of F.E.E.L.I.N.G. C.A.L.L.E.D. L.O.V.E from Different Class, give it a bit of a sandblast and a coat of 2007, and you’re halfway there. Impressive stuff from a man whose golden days are evidently far from over.