Has it been a week already? And what a week it was? We found out that Jacko was murdered and that bombshell was somehow overshadowed by Noel being bullied out of Oasis. Can this list of singles restore some sanity to the world of pop? Let's hope so...

Hey Negrita - One Mississippi
The first single from Felix Bechtolsheimer's Hey Mississippi is a very good, chilled mix of southern American blues and more traditional folk music. Combining a catchy (if repetitive) chorus with a guitar-based twang works to the track's advantage and One Mississippi therefore comes with a tentative TMF seal of approval. (CP)

Jay-Z (feat Rihanna and Kanye West) - Run This Town
I'll happily admit to liking most of Rihanna's output, but rap isn't my thing. Therefore I half-like this single right up until the moment that Jay-Z or Kanye West (I have no idea which is which here as they both sound the same) start talking with attitude. This is likely to storm the charts next Sunday, but it really doesn't deserve to. (CP)

RazorBladeKisses - Ballerina
Morose, sub-par, female emo-rock which is more of an assault on the senses than music, to my ears. Sounds like the sort of thing Evanescence would do if they didn't have a quality lead singer in the form of Amy Lee elevating them to comparative greatness. Avoid. (CP)

Lenka - Trouble is a Friend
Lenka's second single is a great track that harks back to the sort of sound that Charlotte Hatherley was creating with her first solo effort. With a strong piano backing and complex layered melody, Ms Kripac has hit gold with this release and hopefully will give her more exposure outside of the Radio 2 audience. (CP)



Sugababes - Get Sexy
The former queens of pop channel Right Said Fred (whoever came up with that idea needs sacking now) in this bobbins track. The girl group who came up with some bonafide pop classics with 'Overload' and 'Round Round' are a shadow of their former selves and if there was ever proof that Mutya Buena was the talent in the band, this is it.(CP)

Pixie Lott - Boys and Girls
There must be some serious money riding on Pixie Lott - her face is appearing all over the place including the obligatory FHM photoshoot. Her second single, Boys and Girls is far more traditional pop fare than her debut and benefits from the increased tempo. That said, it's still very average stuff at best. (CP)

Gallows - I Dread The Night
“We are the new black” yells tattooed ginger front man Frank Carter. I want to believe them, let’s face it they are about as angry and aggressive as you could hope for. But I find it all a little one dimensional. Certainly not recommend for listening whilst driving; unless attempting to shatter the land speed record. (AM)



Prodigy - Take Me To The Hospital
I’m not sure if Liam Howlett is having a laugh behind our backs by taking the prodigy back to year 0 with this old-skool stomper. Maybe it’s irony as I’m not certain he really believes that this as the direction the prodigy should take. Lyrically it’s utter nonsense “Along Came A Spider, He Was Creepy Like Dracula, He Spoke Like He Was A Friend, So I Came With Adrenaline” could be from a book of nursery rhymes. That said it’s certainly reconnected with a lot of their original fans, so I’m sure the bank manager is happy, but I can’t say that I am. (AM)

Billy Talent - Devil On My Shoulder
Billy Talent's third single from the album III. Whilst it does lack the immediacy and rawness of previous singles, 'Devil On My Shoulder' still provides us with a trademark Billy Talent chorus which one can't help but sing along to. It is sure to become a live favourite. (KW)

The Heavy - How You Like Me Now?
At last this band deliver a worthy follow-up to early single 'That Kind Of Man' in this blend of rock and 'I Feel Good' style funk. The word, I believe, is phat. (JD)

The Gay Blades - Hey She Say
Good band name, some decent guitar licks and vocals like a muted Matt Bellamy. The sort of track that should at least half fill the dancefloor at an indie night. (JD)

Wave Machines - Punk Spirit
If you're hoping for guitars turned up to 11, you'll be disappointed. This indie slow-burner is apparently dedicated to "Anyone who ever ran away from a fight, then daydreamed an epic victory from the safety of their bed." Ahem. One for the loser within us all. (JD)

The Hot Melts: Red Lips
Britain may be dominated by the service industries but it is good to see that there’s still room for some boutique chic in the world of rock n roll. Each copy of Red Lips comes with a hand crafted sleeve which bears the greasy lipstick smudge of one of the filthy minxes from the steamy promo video which has been setting You Tube alight. Mine looks more like one of the studio security guards has had his laughing gear imprinted on it but it is the thought that counts. Anyway, oh yeah, the song itself tears out of the speakers, feels up your sister and lights up a crafty one while your mum’s not looking. It is as bold and brash as the Gallaghers were in their prime and, hey, what perfect timing. (SB)

Delphic: This Momentary
Back at the arse end of the 1970’s Tomorrow’s World used to beguile us with tales of the future. Judith Hann would relish gazing into her crystal ball and guiding us towards the terrifying prospect of the 21st Century. This is the sort of dreadful monotonous electronica that Judith predicted and, quite frankly, she’s welcome to it. (SB)

Cor! What a stack of singles this week! If you made it this far then well done. Here's The Music Fix Single of the Week:



The Cribs: Cheat On Me
An intriguing taster from the hotly anticipated fourth Cribs album and their first since bolstering their line-up with genial Johnny Marr. We’re living in synthetic times but this is very much a ‘guitar’ record, featuring layer upon layer of sublime riffs and breaks, however it isn’t until the sidewinding run on the outro that it becomes obvious that this has been touched by the hand of Marr. Cheat On Me looks, tastes, smells and sounds awesome, and has a chorus bigger than Beth Ditto’s backside. This is the one. (SB)

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