Latest releases reviewed

U2
Vertigo/Island
****

It's not out till next week, but even Saddam has heard the flagship single from How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb. This dizzying rocker takes Elevation a few storeys higher, with a great Bono high note and classic Edge harmonics. Yeah, it's old-skool U2 - is that a problem?

DESTINY'S CHILD
Lose My Breath/Columbia
**

Beyoncé's back with the other two, and it sounds like little has changed with these independent women. Apparently, Bouncy's not allowed stand in the middle for the new photoshoots - bet the Supremes wish they'd done that with Diana Ross.

Here's the MOBO-sweeping UK R&B girl herself, completing a hat-trick of great tunes that includes Thank You and See It In A Boy's Eyes. This is destined to be a big club hit, and should bounce Beyoncé and co right off the decks.

Wacko's annoyed about the video for Eminem's latest, which features the baby-dangler dropping his nose, having his hair set on fire, and letting kids jump up and down on his bed. The rest of us will just be annoyed that Shady's selling us the same rap each time.

ELTON JOHN
All That I'm Allowed (I'm Thankful)/Mercury/Rocket
*

It's cool to like Elt these days, and sure, underneath the tantrums and tiaras, isn't he just a jack-the-lad at heart? Boybands should love his new Peachtree Road album - plenty of showtunes and ballads like this one to cover.

ED HARCOURT
Born in the '70s/Heavenly
***

Go on, Harcourt, rub it in - make the rest of us feel old. I already had spots and bumfluff by the 1970s, but at least I also had glam, disco and punk. What did you have in your teens - Rick Astley? Still, great tune, kid.

DO ME BAD THINGS
Time For Deliverance/Must Destroy
***
Are they the nu-metal Scissor Sisters? The disco Darkness? This nine-piece from Croydon, featuring singers Chantal Delusional and Nicolai Prowse, throw everything into the musical pot and boil it up into a nice, Rocky Horror stew.