Looks like Paul chose the right week not to be here, folks; a decidedly 
moribund week for single releases highlighted by the return to the chart of 
three old tracks by people with newer material further up.

Here's my summary of the new entries:

1. RAZORLIGHT - Some people have accused them of timing this release in 
order to cash in on the 9/11 anniversary, but you know even I wouldn't go 
that far.
However, this does show every sign of being written in an effort to impress 
people, and as such rings rather hollow; the self-consciously portentious 
tone is
somewhat at odds with lyrics like "I go out somewhere, then I come home 
again".
Of course, the fact that this comes from an established alt-rock act means 
that it can sell to people who wouldn't go near this song if it was by 
someone like David Gray, and so they earn their first and possibly only 
chart-topper. At least you know that people who bought it actually liked it 
though.

3. DAVID HASSELHOFF - Ooh my aching sides. You see, he's made a record and 
it's not very good - isn't that hilarious? Apparently this was an Australian 
idea, which presumably explains why the car in the video is 
right-hand-drive.
This becomes his second UK hit after 'If I Could Only Say Goodbye' from 
1993. He has of course had more success elsewhere in Europe even if reports 
of his being worshipped as a god in Germany are slightly exaggerated.

4. P. DIDDY - He has of course abbreviated his name to Diddy in many parts 
of the world, but for legal reasons he remains P. Diddy here in the UK. 
Which is far more interesting than this record. Where are all the P. Diddy 
fans who buy this stuff anyway?

5. BOB SINCLAR - As I mentioned last week, nobody seems to have a terribly 
good word to say for this track and yet somehow it's now become his biggest 
hit. To be slightly fair to it, I can see how it might be effective in a 
club - but 'Everybody Dance Now' was a perfectly serviceable dance record 
(and a Top 3 hit) already, so what's the point?

23: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE {downloads} - You can't accuse them of being too 
subtle, can you?

24: BEDOUIN SOUNDCLASH - With the CD single finally back in the shops, this 
looks liable to be the peak... and it's exactly where the track ended up on 
its first chart run. My faith in the British public is partially restored.

32: NERINA PALLOT - I thought this seemed more likely to become a radio hit 
than a big chart hit, but it suggests that she'll be able to carve out a 
fair-sized career for herself. Even if the "Sophia/ I'm burning" puns seem a 
little laboured. There's a cover of the Kylie hit 'Confide In Me' on the CD 
single.

40: TRIVIUM - It's seldom a good sign when they have to tell you in the song 
title that it's 'The Anthem', is it? See also: Good Charlotte.
This meanwhile sounds like a leftover Metallica track.

And furthermore...

43: BEATFREAKZ {downloads}

45: BODYROX {downloads} - Downloads apparently associated with a release in 
July. Re-issued on the 23rd.

49: SOUL AVENGERZ - Featuring Javine, who obviously can't take a hint.

51: HOT CHIP {downloads}

57: GINA G - Speaking of failed Eurovision contenders...

66: VINES - With a track called 'Don't Listen To The Radio', presumably 
because if you did you might have noticed that this was just a poor rehash 
of their debut hit 'Highly Evolved'.

72: CORINNE BR {downloads}


ALBUMS
=======

A chart somewhat dominated by back catalogue and marked-down hits 
collections. But there is a new Number One.

1: THE KILLERS - Having become one of the biggest bands in the world for no 
immediately obvious reason, The Killers have decided they want to be 
serious, and have actually grown beards in order to prove it! Without 
wishing to overplay the obvious stereotypes about Las Vegas, that does 
rather seem to be their level; a lot of what we have here sounds like a 
conscious attempt to pastiche the music they consider to be substantial.

2: EVANESCENCE - Conspicuously failing to live up to their name, this is as 
well as they could possibly have done with the Killers juggernaut in front 
of them. However, they haven't been selling those units at full price. 
Apparently they went through a remarkable catalogue of hardships on their 
way to making this album.

10: DANIEL O'DONNELL - He's had a chart album every year since 1988. And he 
doesn't seem about to stop.

13: JET - Not quite a Top 10 album, then. One place higher than their first 
one got, but that was a steady seller so we'll have to see how long this one 
can keep moving.

27: MARTI PELLOW - Is it National Has-been Week or something?

32: KT TUNSTALL - Not exactly the follow-up to Eye To The Telescope, but an 
unplugged set recorded in the last days of 2005. Only a couple of songs are 
reprised from the million-selling set, alongside a mixture of new songs, 
very old ones and a cover of Beck's 2002 track 'Golden Age' - so even with 
his new album ruled out of the chart this week he's at least represented 
somewhere.
Obviously, this was never going to be a Number One album, but it's been 
available online for some time, which makes its chart debut on release to 
proper shops a bit of a let-down.

38: SARAH BRIGHTMAN - A best of compilation. No, me neither.

45: SCOTT MATTHEWS - Reissued on the back of one moderately successful 
single, this sold almost as much last week as it the first few months of its 
existence.

60: DIANA ROSS - Understandably, she's kept a fairly low profile since the 
Westlife duet. But here's a new album of covers if anyone's interested.

69: LUDACRIS - A huge star in the US who's largely failed to convice UK 
audiences. Possibly because he isn't very good.

    Chris
-- 
"It's always hard meeting your heroes. Especially when they punch you in the 
face."

http://thehitparade.blogspot.com

More of my blathering is available at
http://faynights.users.btopenworld.com