THE REVIEWS BIT
90-100%: FUCKING AMAZING | 80-89%: IN THE VICINITY OF FUCKING AMAZING | 70-79%: FAIRLY AMAZING | 60-69%: SEMI-AMAZING | 50-59%: NOT PARTICULARLY AMAZING | 40-49%: UNAMAZING | 20-39%: DISTINCTLY UNAMAZING | >19%: :(
SINGLES MARCH 3 Arlissa - ‘Sticks & Stones’: BBC Sound of 2013 longlistee Arlissa makes an impressive ‘mainstream’ debut with this neat track, complete with tribal percussion and an infectious ‘ee-o-ee-o’ chant. 86%
date. 80%
The Script - ‘If You Could See Me Now’: The trio’s super-sincere ‘inspirational’ schtick worked wonders on their first two albums, but tracks like this from latest opus #3 are significantly harder to warm to. The heartfelt lyrics probably work Bridgit Mendler - ‘Ready Or Not’: better on paper than as an odd and Hollywood Records’ latest Disney slightly awkward rap. 43% princess lands somewhere between Demi Lovato and Stacie OrMARCH 10 rico with this pleasant, straight-forward pop tune. 62% Ed Drewett - ‘Drunk Dial’: He’s responsible for The Wanted’s best Ke$ha - ‘C’mon’: A standout track singles, but luckily Drewett has from oddly unsuccessful album also saved some of his brilliance for Warrior, ‘C’mon’ is arguably one of his own material. ‘Drunk Dial’ takes Ke$ha’s finest hi-NRG anthems to a few listens to get going, but is an-
38
other corker from a truly talented singer-songwriter. 81% Hurts - ‘Miracle’: The critically-lauded duo’s first cut from Album No2 is a bloody massive alt-pop song with plenty of cross-demographic appeal. 74% Nicole Scherzinger - ‘Boomerang’: Not the all-conquering phenomotune the nation was hoping for, but ‘Boomerang’ still packs a punch with a superb chorus and lyrics that go hand-in-hand with The Scherzinator’s career-saving stint on The X Factor UK. 76% Olly Murs - ‘Army Of Two’: As previous X Factor runners-up JLS gain