The Only Thing I Know For Certain

Girls Aloud “Love Is The Key”

The fact that the new Girls Aloud record leans a bit towards ’60s influences probably has something to do with Mark Ronson’s chart successes, but it’s not much of a stretch for them in aesthetic terms. Of the new tunes, “Love Is The Key” ventures the furthest into ’60s pastiche, but it’s basically a cousin of (the admittedly superior) “Waiting” from Chemistry, and the songwriting conventions are integrated seamlessly into their pre-existing hyper-pop style, so it’s more like smart accessorizing than a full-on makeover. (That said, if they make a video for this song, they should be encouraged to crib ruthlessly from Mad Men.) Lyrically, they are not straying from their Chick Lit comfort zone — this is an “opposites attract” song about finding a happy ending with an unlikely yet highly decent suitor — but unfortunately, they’ve dialed down the weirdness factor in their new material, so there aren’t any classic Girls Aloud “wait, she just sang what?” moments. Boo.

Buy it from Amazon UK.

The Herbaliser featuring Jessica Darling “Can’t Help This Feeling”

This track is all wham, bam and pow; delirious infatuation represented in song as if it were a fist fight in the old Batman television series from the ’60s. It’s strong stuff, with bombastic fanfare, emphatic vocals, and funky drums all kicked up to a power level that’s a bit too much, but just enough to get across an overwhelmed, overjoyed state of mind.

Buy it from Amazon.