Musical crisis of faith

Something is going very wrong in my head. I have heard the new song by the Manic Street Preachers and I like it. This is a reversal on par with Portia Di Rossi saying it was all a big misunderstanding and she loves the cock, after all.

Let me explain: The Manics are shit. Their songs consist of sixth form poetry set to fourth form rock "stylings". They claim to be socialists, but are signed to Sony - one of the world's biggest multinational corporations. Their drummer wears fingerless gloves, even though he is no longer in the 1980s.

Oh, but the single (Your Love Is Not Alone) is glorious. It's a crunchy, punchy, punk-pop parsnip - all glossy harmonies and rousing stadium-sized choruses. I suspect this turnaround has something to do with the influence of Cardigans' singer Nina Persson, who features on the song alongside regular vocalist James Dean Bradfield. That woman could sing Pink's back catalogue and I'd probably find it acceptable.

On second thoughts, maybe not.

In other news from the long held musical beliefs being turned on their head desk, the new single from Avril Lavigne is also quite good.

Yes, it tries to rhyme "delicious" with "addictive" and, no, the lyrical conceit (I don't like yours much) isn't going to be winning the nobel prize for literature any time soon...

But it finally delivers on what Lavigne always promised - fabulous fizzy girly pop which sounds like a cross between Shampoo, Toni Basil and Alanis Morisette. Except good, obviously.

Top marks to all confounding expectations-type artists concerned.

Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend MP3 (radio rip)

Manic Street Preachers feat Nina Persson - Your Love Alone Is Not Enough MP3 (radio rip)

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