Singled out

Crazy,Alanis Morissette,Out 31 October (Download only)« ««One of the biggest problems whenyou’re a successful artist is that expectationpreceding any new material ishigh. With the thirty million-sellingalbum Jagged Little Pill under herbelt, Alanis Morissette finds herselfin this position and sadly her latestsingle, a cover of Seal’s 1991 hitCrazy, fails to deliver. This versiondoesn’t stray too much from theoriginal and is fairly enjoyable asa rock-infused pop song, but itsmain problem is that it is distinctlyforgettable. At times it even feels likeAlanis is struggling to be heard overthe incessant background track, hervoice lacking the striking quality ithad in earlier songs. Essentially thistrack is amiable, but those expectinganother anthem along the lines ofIronic will be disappointed.Free Loop,Daniel Powter,Out 31 October« «Another name in the long list ofbland but catchy singer-songwritersis Daniel Powter, the man responsiblefor the addictively irritating BadDay that has no doubt starred in ashower karaoke session near you.With a melody more memorablethan his name, after a few weeks thiswill pervade your consciousness too,if not perhaps with such ardor as hismore polished first offering. Powterhas considerable talent; he hasmanaged to write a romantic storydevoid of any personal sentimentwhatsoever (if a song about cheatingon your lover can be deemedromantic). The piano break soundsa lot like a polyphonic ringtone, so ifyou don’t make it to the shops to addthis to your collection, listen out at abus stop near you.Jesus of Suburbia,Green Day,Out 31 October« « « « «It seems that Green Day can do nowrong at the moment, and this single,the fifth from their multi-millionselling album American Idiot, showsjust how far this band have come.Opening with glorious intensity,this nine-minute epic takes in familiaranthemic punk, mixes it with ahealthy dose of ambitious stadiumrock, and then throws a numberof inspired touches into the mix.Changing mood and direction numeroustimes, it makes for excitinglistening. Loud strumming guitar,bouncy chime-laden harmonies andmelancholic piano are all in attendance.Bold, brash and innovative,this simply pulsates with the kindof creative energy that is hardly everseen in mainstream rock these days.Heartily recommended to both newlisteners and the old guard.ARCHIVE: 3rd week MT 2005