PERFECT MOMENT

Martine McCutcheon

Celine, release the hounds! Somebody is encroaching on your territory! This is a brave move - the driveway to Ballad Belter House is littered with the CVs of singers who came off second best against Canada's Howling Banshee (the Bee Gees, Barbra Streisand, even Mariah Carey - none can boast a more powerful set of lungs although Ms Carey could probably imitate a dog whistle if she tried), so to go for the Top Dog with your first release is admirable, yet on this occasion doomed. Tiff's a much better singer though.

PUSH UPSTAIRS

Underworld

Oh, this is nice. Actually the whole album's good (Beaucoup Fish, silly title fans) but this is especially listenable. It doesn't grab you like Born Slippy did, but it bops about merrily and, more importantly, keeps you listening. Mind you, there's an even better song near the end of the album that just blows its top and goes completely barking. I don't know what it's called but I'll let you know when I find out.

STRONG

Robbie Williams

You thought the last two singles were fantastic (so did I, but after hearing them more times than Robbie himself I'm a little less enamoured). You thought he could do no wrong.

You're mistaken. This is rubbish. Where his previous two singles had style, a dash of originality and paraded around in tuxedos this is a shabby old shell-suit of a tune. It's standard Lazy Days type fare which struggles to come up with a good reason to make you buy this and, in the end, fails quite badly. So now he has a problem. His album's not been out long and already the two best songs have been released as singles. What's he going to dredge up for Single Number Four? Good luck Robbie, you're going to need it.