Eoin Butler'sguide to downloads, singles and free audiostreams

BELL X1

Hey Anna Lena BellyUp * * * *

Recorded by Rob Kirwan at Grouse Lodge, Hey Anna Lenais a departure for Bell X1, who seem to have ditched their Talking Heads fixation and adopted a sound that is sparse and experimental. Their new album, Bloodless Coup, is due April 1st.

OWENSIE

Aliens Out on a Limb* * *

The former Terrordactyl and Puget Sound man launches his debut album at The Black Loft in La Catedral, Dublin tonight.

JLS ft TINIE TEMPAH

Eyes Wide Shut Epic * *

The third single from the boyband's Outta This Worldalbum contains what sounds like a pretty direct lift of the trance bit from Calvin Harris' I'm Not Alone. I mean, if you have to "borrow" from another artist – Calvin Harris? Seriously?

REM

Mine Smell Like Honey Warner Bros * * *

Another year, another mooted return to form from the Atlanta veterans. Mine Smell Like Honeycould be lifted directly from their mid-1980s back catalogue: jangly guitars, soaring harmonies, gibberish lyrics. The album, Collapse Into Now, follows March 7th.

GLEE CAST

Telephone Sony * * *

As always, the Gleekids give it their all, But this Gaga cover still lacks a certain something from the original, specifically homicidal lesbians.

RAY HEFFERNAN

Poor Old Katy French *

Dubliner Heffernan was the original co-writer of Robbie Williams's Angels. I won't presume to know what this is supposed to be. But what it isn't is funny, insightful, coherent or even remotely topical. And you've got to figure Ray was aiming for at least one of those bullseyes. Total fail. youtube.com

JESSE J

Do It Like a Dude Island * * *

“Do it like a dude,” exhorts the 22-year-old singer, looking like a cross between Lady Gaga and Marilyn Manson. She proceeds to list a string of quintessentially male mannerisms, among them crotch-grabbing and low hat-wearing(?). And the whole thing is over in less than three and a half minutes. Jesse has our number, alright.