3rd Wish – Obsésion
This utterly terrible song has somehow been a huge hit across Europe this year, but as is common with Euro hits (See Dragostea Din Tei) there were several versions. The main and original version is by Aventura but it’s the US boyband (from Florida, so wanting to be the new NSync but coming out a 2nd rate Natural) who released the song in Germany and Switzerland who’re having a go in the UK. I’d love to know why this has been a hit because it’s a very strange song. It’s not catchy and there’s certainly nothing original about it. It’s just a really bad boyband ballad with bits in Spanish.
18% Poptastic!
Girls Aloud – I’ll Stand By You
I can understand why GA have (hopefully begrudgingly) gone down this route, but that doesn’t make me pleased. It’s not a terrible cover version, not when compared to any Westlife or Atomic Kitten have done, but if they had to do a cover, why not make it something that fits in with what the band are all about. I’ll Stand By You is a nice song but it’s not fun or exciting and whoever produced this track didn’t even try to make it so. Ok so you can’t really do an electro-disco version, especially not for Children In Need, but a little more thought going into this or at the very least making it a double a-side with something new and brilliant, would have been much appreciated. I just hope that this does what it’s supposed to and gets GA some new fans, cos otherwise apart from the raising money for charity bit, it’s a total waste of a single.
67% Poptastic!
Darren Hayes – Darkness
I am still quite unsure whether this is a good idea to be released as the 2nd TTATS single, but it’s happening now and hopefully it won’t be too disasterous. It is going to be very hard for Darkness to get a good chart placing when the album is already out and not doing amazingly (although not terribly considering he’s going for a whole new market), but he has a tour planned for next month (which I am of course attending!) so he’ll be in the country with plenty of chance to promote the single and the album. The good thing is that Darkness is a much better representation of the rest of the album, so anyone buying it off the back of this will have the right expectations, which may not have been the case for someone who liked Pop!ular or Spin. The video itslef is simple but fits the song well. It seems to be set in Darren’s apartment or hotel room, and looks quite similar to all his recent promo photos, although I’m not sure if it was made at the same time they were taken. It is a lovely, thoughtful and atmospheric song even if it is a bit depressing and long, but listen out for the “it doesn’t really matter where it all began, nooo…” which brings the song to life.
94% Poptastic!