This Week’s Single Reviews (11/06/12)

Reverend And The Makers, Cheryl Cole, StooShe

NME’s Issy Sampson reviews this week’s single releases…

Reverend And The Makers – ‘The Wrestler’

We weren’t expecting Jon McClure to write a song about knitting, baking or falling asleep in the pub toilet, but does every Rev song have to be about fighting? Er, yes. “You are the wrestler/And your conscience pins you down”, Jon sings, like a slightly intimidating Sheffield version of Jiminy Cricket.

Jay-Z and Kanye West – ‘No Church In The Wild’

Jay says this is his favourite track from the ‘Watch The Throne’ album – which we assume meant he got to leave the studio early that day and make it home in time for Corrie. He pops up briefly for a quick drug-dealing chat, but Kanye sounds like he was labouring over his misery-packed-girl-confession verses for days. Frank Ocean is the best bit.

X-Press 2 ft Alison Limerick – ‘In The Blood’

We can only assume that in 1991, these two committed a terrible crime and have been locked away from all forms of music ever since. From their cells, they’re still making their own brand of early ’90s deep house and wondering what these “dubsteps” and “iPhones” they keep overhearing their prison guards talk about are.

Cheryl Cole – ‘Call My Name’

When you first hear this track, you’re all: “This is just the hot one from Girls Aloud singing over a Calvin Harris album track.” But then you’ll find yourself humming along in quiet moments, then telling people it’s “actually OK”. Then you’ll download it, play the song hourly, then you’ll find yourself driving to Cheryl’s house, at 4.35am on a Tuesday, crying uncontrollably and muttering something about HER calling YOUR name. Take this as a warning.

Benga ft BeBe Black – ‘Icon’

Benga’s first single from his second solo album is a bit of a tease. You spend the whole song waiting for the mental, hands-in-the-air, throw your drink in some girl’s hair all-going-off bit, and it just doesn’t happen, leaving you unsatisfied and having to finish yourself off (with the good bit of the Cheryl single).

StooShe – ‘Black Heart’

The girlband’s second single features 98 per cent less Laahndann accents and 100 per cent less Travie McCoy than their debut, and for that they must be applauded. The first step is recognising you have a problem, the second step is making a retro song that’s more slutty Supremes than ‘Wannabe’ Spice Girls. Congratulations Stooshe.

This article originally appeared in the June 9th issue of NME

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