WHY DOES MY HEART FEEL SO BAD?

Moby

Now and again, something like this pops along, pokes its head round the door, beams a big "Hello!" at you with a big grin on its face and ends up becoming a perfect guest, enjoying tea and biscuits and not at all outstaying its welcome before nipping off to help some old people across the road. In short, this is a thing of utter beauty and you know what praise that is coming from a cynical hard-to-please reviewer like me. This is such a good single that even the B-sides are worth a listen. It’s sweet, melodic, upbeat and really we don’t deserve anything like this.

NORTHERN STAR

Melanie C (album)

I’ve been looking forward to hearing this. Ga Ga and Goin’ Down were pretty damn good, so I went into this thinking I was in for a Rockin’ Good Time TM. Early signs were reasonably encouraging. Go! kicks off the album, breezy, forgettable pop – no problem, it’s just a transition piece for her younger fans so they don’t feel left out. Next up is Northern Star, again breezy, forgettable pop. Normally I’d be worried. However, Goin’ Down follows and all of a sudden it’s looking bright again. Maybe this is the start of the album proper! No. What follows is not rock. Ga Ga aside, it doesn’t even come close. In fact, this album’s loaded with ballads and, it has to be said, some pretty mediocre ones too. The worst song, though, without any doubt has to be Suddenly Monday. Back in 1995 this Blur vs Oasis Britpop-esque effort would have worked. Now though, it sounds like a song Robbie Williams would put out. It’s that bad. According to the blurb, a hell of a lot of people were involved in making this album and it shows in the seemingly random way the thing’s been put together. Despite all this, though, there is hope. She really can sing (honest) and if she trims the entourage – a lot – a second album may turn out to be something rather special. This, however, isn’t.