Singles: Out To Download Now

La Roux - Quicksand

This week's singles should really be called 'EPs of the week', as many of those featured are in fact EPs. Quite what EP actually stands for is anyone's guess, however on the evidence I have in front of me I can only assume in La Roux's case it stands for Every Penny. Quite why Fry from Futurama feels the need to bring out this track, with the added bonus of 3 remixes (calm down)...well I suppose Christmas can be expensive and she needs a bit of extra spending money.

www.myspace.com/larouxuk

Taken By Trees - Sweet Child O' Mine

A rather nice softly-softly version of the Guns'N'Roses classic, this is appearing on the latest John Lewis ad campaign. With Victoria Bergsman, who used front the rather fabulous Swedish band The Concretes (seriously check out their debut album) on vocals, it's a beaut, with its beautiful hushed vocal style that calls to mind Beth Orton. Slash's guitar is this time replaced by a haunting piano line, with a wonderfully brisk backline keep the track in place.

www.myspace.com/takenbytreesmusic

LCD Soundsystem - Bye Bye Bayou

We're reaching the end of the decade and LCD Soundsystem have been popping up on a lot of Albums Of The Decade type lists, but to be honest, I've always thought they were a bit of a one trick pony, and here we are with the first single from their third album, and there are no surprises here really. I mean, James Murphy does poorly what Daft Punk do very well, and at over 7 minutes long, he takes his sweet time about it. Avoid.

www.myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem


Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
It's back, and it's mad as hell. Probably the world's biggest pop star - certainly its most intriguing - returns with a track from what was supposed to be a stop-gap EP which has since evolved into a full blown follow-up album. It opens with what can only be described as the lyrics of a 2 year old, this isn't immediately as addictive as Just Dance or Poker Face, but once the chorus kicks in it's unmistakably Gaga. The synths do get a little bit annoying after a while, but it's her signature, and I suppose we'll just have to tolerate it for the foreseeable until LG comes up with something new, for we are merely her subjects and she is our Queen. Check out the video below.

www.myspace.com/ladygaga

Sean Kingston - Face Drop

More of Lady Gaga's synths - see, shes taking over the fuckin' world. Sean Kingston used be a bit interesting, had a nice Caribbean vibe and looked a bit cuddly. Now it's all a little bit contrived, and he just looks like a fat Akon - and who really wants to listen to a fat Akon? Not this reviewer, no sir, please take your faux patwon pop elsewhere, thank you. This video features animation last seen in an Eiffel 65 video; I don't think I need to go into any more detail.

www.myspace.com/seankingston

Mariah Carey - I Want To Know What Love Is

What is the point to this? I mean really? Was it karaoke night in the studio, or The New Yankee Stadium if you look at the video, the day they decided that this would be a good track to release? I'd expect this from some X Factor reject, but Mariah Carey has sold millions of records, surely someone must have had a decent original piano ballad knocking around for her to churn out. Hell I've got a piano back at my mum's house, give me 15 minutes and I'll do it for her. File under 'PLEASE GOD JUST MAKE IT STOP!!!' And also, it ends really abruptly, no bad thing of course, but kinda shoddy. Maybe it was someone else's turn on the karaoke machine?
www.myspace.com/mariahcarey