Friday, November 21, 2008

Single Reviews 24/11/08

In the style of a God-awful, toe-curlingly awkward, middle-aged CBeebies presenter, we’d like to wish regular Sloppy Dog reader Chickabo a very Happy Birthday. Look, his mummy’s done a nice big picture of Underground Ernie and stuck an unflattering photo of him in the bath on it. As our little way of saying Happy Birthday, we’re dedicating this week’s Single Reviews to him. Which hopefully means he won’t be expecting a present.

The first of this week’s singles comes courtesy of Take That, who continue to defy the improbability of being significantly better the second time around. Greatest Day is testament to this – the soaring Coldplay sensibilities of Patience are very much on the menu, albeit in a slightly disjointed arrangement. Hell, as long as they continue to inadvertently pwn the bejesus out of Robbie Williams, we’re happy.

Single of the Week is bestowed upon Solange, who narrowly missed out on the title earlier in the year with the unexpectedly entertaining I Decided. While the subtly poppy, luminous Sandcastle Disco is swathed in the same Sixties character, it carries enough of its own edge to further underscore Solange as quite an attractive prospect amongst a sea of current bland cod-Sixties bilge.

A serving of unsullied, inventive talent is provided by the hugely promising Nick Harrison, whose mild ska allusions sit atop a foundation of intelligent rock in Something Special. Melodious yet sharp, it’s a one-way ticket to many a clichéd One To Watch list in 2009. Mention must be made, however, of his mildly-distressing Kate Nash-esque articulation, albeit significantly less counterfeit-sounding, thus making it just about excusable.

And finally, the debut release from Same Difference, arguably the most endearing, clumsily charming act ever to grace the X Factor stage, and yet we can easily identify why one might loathe them to the point murder seems justifiable. We R One, much like the simpering siblings themselves, will be a divider, but it’s memorable, lively and thankfully nowhere near as throwaway or immature as expected. Although perhaps it only seems as decent as it does because it operates as proof that Louis Walsh is always wrong?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

solonge.

 
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