singles
Notorious B.I.G feat. Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge & Avery Storm Nasty Girl. Slick with bubbly-luxurious Jazze Pha production, guest stars popping up all over like whack-a-mole, it’s that ten-years-dead cash-in we’ve all been waiting for. Amazing how what sounds slick and lewd from exhumed Biggy turns trite misogynist cliché in P Diddy’s mealy mouth.
Belle and Sebastian Funny Little Frog Love that’s better as daydream than reality, hummable tunes, faux-naif charm, cutely forced rhymes, handclaps. You sort of wish Belle and Sebastian would come out with death metal or crunk or gabba or, well, anything that wasn’t so winningly, toothsomely, deplorably dependable. Sadly, for the time being at least, it’s what we’re stuck with.
Will Young All Time Love These weedy ballads suit Will Young best. Thin and mournful over swelling strings and ploddy sad piano. After the utter joy that was Switch it On • and its genius, obvious video - practically anything would be underwhelming, but this particularly so. It’s like a sad scene in a rom-com that doesn’t quite convince.
Beyonce feat Slim Thug Check On It So so hot, beat bouncing bass against crisp handclaps, Beyonce’s perfectly bland voice snapping and winding, call-and-responding to herself, demanding an appreciative audience. Unfortunately she gets Slim Thug phoning it in; and it wouldn’t be so obvious if he hadn’t just done a scorchingly good spot for ex-Destiny’s Child LeToya Tuckett. Bad move, dude.
19th Jan 2006