FRIENDS FOREVER

Thunderbugs

Oh, this is bad. This is really, really bad. There's a chant at Kenilworth Road that sums it up perfectly - it starts with "You're not very good" and moves on to "No, you're worse than that". There is a third verse, but that goes a bit too far as regards Thunderbugs. In short, this sucks. Big time. It's also proof that Americans aren't the only ones who can churn out formulaic College Rock. You know the sort, happy pop/rock songs where everyone's having a grand time except the listener. Usually these include a guitar-laden instrumental bit in the middle and a key-change for the (repeat to fade) chorus at the end and you know exactly how it sounds by now, even if you've never heard it. If you want to hear something with a bit more variety, pop some milk on a bowl of Rice Krispies. Hear that noise? Great, isn't it?

MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN

Shania Twain

Man! I feel like burning this single. In fact, I think I may well do that. Then, if I hold the aforementioned bowl of Rice Krispies over it, the flames will heat the cereal up nicely. Who said Shania Twain singles serve no useful purpose? Oh, and in case you're wondering, the song's so similarly structured to That Don't Impress Me Much that it beggars belief that they released it immediately afterwards. Still, you've got to laugh.

SUPERSONIC

Jamiroquai

Normally, Jamiroquai would be joining the ranks of the condemned. Their albums sound like soundtracks for episodes of Starsky & Hutch and, sadly, seventies funk is not the sort of thang I shake my booty to. This is different. This is excellent. It's still rather funky, but it's darker, more moody, well done and not at all seventies. No, really it is. Just shows what they can do if they try something else, doesn't it?