Latest releases reviewed
HILARY DUFF Wake Up Virgin *
She's the teen star of Lizzie McGuire and A Cinderella Story, and her new album has debuted at the top of the Billboard chart. And she didn't even have to do a soft-porn carwash video a la Jessica. So, I guess we've finally found the new Debbie Gibson.
DO ME BAD THINGS Standards EP Must Destroy **
A collectible from the quirky Croydon collective, this EP features a cover of Jellyfish's New Mistake, a version of Randy Newman's Last Night I Had a Dream, and a reworking of their own prog-cabaret-jazz tune, The Song Rides. It'll do.
THE MAGIC NUMBERS Love's a Game Heavenly ***
Summer's over, so we really should be putting the MNs away till next June, but this is such an irresistible summerlove hangover tune, we're gonna keep playing it till Christmas.
AUDIOSLAVE Doesn't Remind Me Interscope/Epic ***
Chris Cornell, Tom Morello and the other Rage boys are rocking on with this track from their current album, Out of Exile. It's one of those list songs, about all the things that don't remind Chris of anything else. So that's The Killers off the list, then.
FIGHTSTAR Grand Unification (Part 1) Universal Island **
Charlie from Busted has made a few bob doing girly guitar anthems, so now what does he do? Spend it on bigger, louder equipment. Oh, look, now he's made the girls cry. Hey, ain't they gonna stick around for Part 2?
REPUBLIC OF LOOSE You Know It Loaded Dice ***
Oowwww! Those funky-assed muthas from the land of Loose have a new album coming out soon, and here's a taster, all about a girl who thinks she's god's gift to dirty, drunken Dubs. Come back, girl!
TEXAS Can't Resist Mercury **
You can't keep a sultry Scot down, and Sharleen is out to break down your resistance with the follow-up to Getaway. She's still got it, but do we still want it?
