Eoin Butler'sguide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams
THE VIRGINS
Rich Girls
Atlantic
***
The latest in an endless succession of New York bands billed as the "new Strokes", The Virgins actually rip off The Libertines, Scissors Sisters and, er, Razorlight just as much as they rip off Julian Casablancas & co.
BRIAN WILSON
That Lucky Old Sun
Capitol
***
He certainly has made a Lazaruslike recovery from his various personal problems in recent years, but I'd still be reluctant to let the former Beach Boys frontman look after my puppies.
STEVE MAC
Paddy's Revenge
Smack
*
Touted as one of the tunes of the summer in the UK, Paddy's Revengeis a traditional Irish jig looped over a mind-numbingly repetitive electro backing track. If you think that sounds like the recipe for an appalling musical travesty, well, of course you are correct. In fact, I imagine a few spins of this in the interrogation room in Guantanamo Bay would have even the most hardened Jihadist singing like a canary.
WILL YOUNG
Changes
Sony BMG
**
Not the David Bowie song, thankfully. But even if it was, you'd just know that becoming a flamehaired, intergalactic sex god is not the sort of change a sensible Pop Idolsinger has in mind. This is Will Young, after all. He'd probably settle for revolutionising bedtimes by stumbling across a delicious new brand of cocoa in the supermarket.
THE LOST BROTHERS
Ribbons and Bows
Bird Dog
***
"Tonight I've got-a lovin' on my mind." The amorous Lost Brothers are Mark McCausland (formerly of The Basement) and Oisin Leech (formerly of The 747s). Their debut album Trails of the Lonely Parts I & III, recorded in Orgeon, is out on October 27th.
BOYZONE
Love You Anyway
Universal
**
Where do I start? There's a bowed saw intro that could almost have come off a Mercury Rev album. There's a very un-Ronan Keatingesque lead vocal courtesy of Ronan Keating. And there are bells that suggest Love You Anywaymay have been intended as a Christmas single. Their best work since that Billy Ocean cover, at least.
