AS

George Michael

Two tracks for a CD single? Less than 10 minutes playing time for four quid? Both tracks already available in one form or another? This had better be good. It’s smooth and soulful and has that last-song-at-the-school-disco sound to it, it’s got Mary J Blige to assist him with the singing duties and there’s a three-track remix CD which doesn’t have his face on the cover (he loves his cover shots does George), but it just seems a bit too smooth and professional. If a song could define the word "smug", this is it.

BETCHA CAN’T WAIT

E-17

More standard issue R&B, lacking any originality? I can, so should you.

TENDER

Blur

Now out on 7" too! It won’t qualify for the chart, but who cares? It’s a cracking tune.

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH

Boyzone

OK, so this is a cheridee single and Comic Relief are going to raise tons of cash and quite right too, but this is very definitely Boyzone on an off day. Billy Ocean’s original had an element of fun about it and our Afro/Goatee combo-ed friend sounded like he was enjoying himself. This update, on the other hand, sounds much more workmanlike, as if the lads were trying to fit it in between other, apparently more important, things. As far as their vocal efforts go, to be honest you’d see more emotion and feeling in an empty loo-roll. Maybe Boyzone are human after all.

YOU STOLE THE SUN FROM MY HEART

Manic Street Preachers

Nothing on the Manics’ This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours album can escape the giant shadow cast by A Design For Life. Maybe though, we should forget that classic tune for a second and review this single in its own right. It’s rocky. It’s very good. It’s got a silly title. The Manics are on form.