Singles Out Tomorrow

Next week's chart looks like it could be very interesting indeed with several big names releasing comeback singles. First up, Robbie Williams, who releases his most "Marmite" single yet, "Rudebox" (***). Yep, it's even more opinion-dividing than Rock DJ and a lot of people seem to think it's some ironic joke rather than a serious attempt at an 80s style hip-hop record. I'm not a huge Robbie fan but I admire the fact he's not afraid to try something different with each record. Which other male artist would be so bold as to release singles as diverse as "Rudebox", "Tripping" and "Radio" as lead singles from their last three albums? I like the Sly and Robbie sample. But hate the lame attempt at the comedy rap, and the embarrassing video which would have been far better without his "uncle dancing at a wedding" appearance.

Scissor Sisters on the other hand haven’t been so daring. “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” (**) sticks rigidly to the "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it formula". Its Leo Sayer/Nolans/Bee Gees pastiche is pleasant enough but does tend to grate after hearing it every five minutes, no matter what radio station you listen to. It’s already gone top five on download alone so expect it to give them their first ever #1 next week. But they’ll have to do better for album #3.

More disappointingly, however, is Kelis’ “Bossy” (*). Kaleidoscope remains one of my favourite R&B albums of all time. Fresh, inventive and a million miles away from the bling-bling R&B that surrounded it at the time, it was everything that this tuneless, formulaic dirge is not. Hope she gets back to the Neptunes fast.

Nelly Furtado shows her how to do it on the excellent “Promiscuous” (****), a return to form from Timbaland after the below-par “Sexyback”, which exemplifies how easy the transition from folk-pop to sassy R&B has been for her.

Elsewhere, Jealousy’s “Lucy” (***) seems to have been around for ages but it doesn’t detract from what is a pretty simple but catchy dance track, with a soulful vocal from Mani Hoffman, the man behind Superman Lovers. Lemar continues his downward spiral from promising urban talent to the kind of bland, karaoke style crooner that Radio 2 laps up. “It’s Not That Easy” (*) is a incredibly lazy and unininspiring song which is easily the most boring single of the week,if not the year.

Muse continue to surprise everyone, me included, by releasing a second superb pop single. “Starlight” (****) features yet more falsetto vocals, handclaps, and is completely over the top and all the better for it. And finally, sampling Phil Collins on a dance record would usually be a criminal offence but Supafly Inc’s “Movin Too Fast” (***) just about manages to get away with it.