This Week's Singles

Despite it having the kind of Lily Allen sound that Radio 1 would usually overkill, Alesha’s second superb single in a row, Knockdown, (****) will be lucky to chart top 20. She has the potential to be a great pop star so it’s baffling why everyone seems to be ignoring her.

Nobody’s paying much attention to Moby either these days which is a shame as I’ve enjoyed his post-Play singles far more probably because they’re not being played on every single TV show and advert. The Debbie Harry featuring "New York New York" is a rather straight-forward pop-dance song more reminiscent of his earlier work. Great video as well.

Basement Jaxx get the Single of the Week with easily their barmiest record yet. "Take Me Back To Your House" (****) is a melting pot of acoustic dance, Russian accordians, banjos and a chorus featuring vocals which bizarrely sound like the underpant-stealing gnomes in South Park.

There's more dance with "Yeah Yeah",(***) a possible contender for #1 from Bodyrox featuring a rather snarling punk-like vocal from Luciana, Cass Fox's "Touch Me," (**) a pointless retread of the #1 Rui Da Silva song she guested on just five years ago and "Runaway," (**) a very disappointing new single from Jamiroquai. They've had some great singles over the years but this isn't one of them. It may have their trademark disco-funk sound but it seems to have forgotten to actually add a chorus.

Can anybody else distinguish between the utterly moronic The Game and his other equally moronic counterparts Lloyd Banks, Obie Trice etc etc, “It’s Okay” (no stars) is more pathetic macho hip-hop with nothing memorable about it.

Elsewhere, after a rather good last two singles, “Nothing In My Way”(**) retreats to exactly what you expect from a Keane record. It’s safe, bland and sounds like a Coldplay tribute band. Simon Webbe continues to be the one-man Lighthouse Family on "Coming Around Again", (*) a lifeless attempt at acoustic soul and Plan B gets angry on the ridiculously over-the-top homage to Rage Against The Machine, “No More Eatin,”(*)