Coldplay - Princess Of China (feat. Rihanna)

As unlikely pairings go, this one would certainly make anyone's top ten list. Princess Of China brings together a woman who once sang about how chains and whips excited her, and a band fronted by a man who would probably have severe issues with the environmental damage caused by the manufacture of said chains and whips. To collaborate is a daring move. Their styles of music are incredibly different and their personalities are even more so. The question is whether they have managed to pull off a master stroke.

In listening to this song, one could be forgiven for having flashbacks to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The whole track is haunted by a pounding, oriental-esque drumbeat and fantastic harmonies between Martin and Rihanna. This is certainly an energetic effort to say the least. Indeed, the words over-produced spring to mind. However, since the same description has been leveled at Oasis' Be Here Now on multiple occasions, this is not necessarily a bad thing. This energy is particularly noteworthy in the chorus, which will be wedged firmly into the listeners mind for many minutes after the track has ended.

The problem with this song though is that it is simply just OK. Although it sticks in the listeners head, it doesn't do so in a way that makes you desperate to listen to it again. This is not to say that it's a bad song, just that it doesn't really go anywhere hugely exciting.

All in all then, this effort could have been better, but given who was collaborating on it, it could also have been so much worse. The coming together of Coldplay and Rihanna has not been one to rival the great Lennon and McCartney, but there have been far more infamous combinations than this in history. Myra Hindley and Ian Brady spring instantly to mind.

Worth a listen? Yes, but probably only once.

Verdict: 6/10

Katy Perry - Part Of Me

Part Of Me is the latest single from US pop sensation Katy Perry. Most of us cannot help but have a soft spot for this California songstress. Whether it be as a result of the music itself or the fact that she's not exactly an aesthetically displeasing creature, it would only be a terminally embittered specimen with a heart of stone who would have nothing positive to say about her at all. As well as being beautiful, her songs Teenage Dream, Hot 'n' Cold and Firework have rightfully become smash hits in recent times. Best of all, she writes her own stuff. Overall, what is there not to like about her?

Her latest single is, predictably enough an energetic, hook-filled stormer. To note the lyrics, one cannot help but feel as though this is the modern version of I Will Survive. Although Perry herself strenuously denies that this song is a reaction to the failure of her marriage to Russell Brand, this is still a fantastic breakup anthem. Newly-single women across the globe will listen to this track and go, "Hell yeah, I'm with you sister!". With lyrics such as "You can keep the diamond ring, I never liked them anyway, in fact, you can keep everything except for me", nobody could accuse this song of being devoid of meaning or intent.

As for the tune itself, it may not be as catchy as the aforementioned Teenage Dream, but it certainly makes up for it in terms of its energy and its sentiment. Part Of Me is vintage Perry. It is fast, fun, "sit up and listen" pop for the 21st century. This latest offering seems to be irrefutable proof that, at this point in time, the I Kissed A Girl superstar can do no wrong.

Overall though, this song is a tricky one to sum up. When listening to it, one cannot help but feel that it is not quite as good as Teenage Dream or Firework. However, it is only moments after the song ends that the listener realises that the song is now stuck in their heads and they are sub-consciously humming it to themselves. With few exceptions, any song that can achieve this is an undisputed winner.

Worth a listen? Oh yes!

Verdict: 8/10

Rihanna - Where Have Your Been

As a writer, it is very difficult to find anything to say about Rihanna that hasn’t been said already. Whether you love her or hate her, nearly everybody has an opinion on her. For better or for worse, it is often not the music itself that attracts attention to her, and controversy tends to follow her around like an overly-enthusiastic car salesman. Perhaps this is just part of the parcel when you happen to be one of the biggest pop stars in the world. So what of her latest offering, Where Have You Been?

Well to kick off, nobody can speak of a new Rihanna single without mentioning the video. Comparatively, this one is pretty dry. Don’t get me wrong, she still wears so few clothes in it that any responsible mother would warn her that she’d catch her death if she didn’t wrap up more warmly. However, that aside, it’s fairly uncontroversial. There are no whips or chains and at no point is she tied up, beaten or even abused. Instead, the video starts with her crawling out of a swamp like a hippo on an intense mission (a very aesthetically pleasing hippo at that though). From there, proceedings pretty much degenerate into a perplexing tribal dance routine and a few minutes later the song is over. As videos go it is not bad, but with a Rihanna video you can’t help but want for something that will enrage grumpy Daily Mail readers within the content, and this is sadly lacking here.

As for the song itself it is another of Rihanna’s dance numbers. It is listenable enough but doesn’t really contain any noteworthy hooks or “sit up and listen” moments. It is also quite difficult to make out a clear-cut chorus in this number too, which for a pop song tends to be something of a cardinal sin. In this case, the song doesn’t suffer much from the absence of a big chorus, but one would have been nice nevertheless.

Overall this song is not one of Rihanna’s best. ‘Where Have You Been?’ never threatens the prior brilliance of Disturbia or Russian Roulette, but in my view is certainly a better effort than the ultimately unbearable Umbrella. It is one of those songs that the casual listener is unlikely to remember, but not one that anyone will be banging their head against a brick wall to try and forget.

Worth a listen? I’d say yes, but don’t expect it to blow you away.

Verdict: 6.5/10

fun. - We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monae)

We Are Young is the first single off American Indie Pop Band Fun's second studio album Some Nights. It is one of the only power ballads one is likely to hear that doesn't produce connotations of huge hair and comically unnecessary fist pumping in the listener's mind. This track has largely only come into the public consciousness thanks to its placement on the TV show Glee. How ironic it is that a TV show so bad that it's almost as morally reprehensible as the Nazi regime was what led most of us to this near-flawless tune.

The song starts of at a fairly quick tempo, creating an "Oh here we go, another unimpressive modern indie offering" type of feeling. However, at 0:49 the track suddenly slows down and launches into the anthemic monster that has seen it become a worldwide smash hit. The lyrics to the chorus are simple, but resonate so well with the spirit and romance of youth. They ring true to anyone currently in their teens and create a wonderful sense of nostalgia for anyone older. This song easily has one of the best and most evocative choruses written by a proper band in an all too long while.

The verses are thoughtful, melodic and meaningful too. However, the chorus is so massive that they could have  afforded to replace the verses with the sound of a fat guy farting and this song would still be a hit (I've no idea why this would ever have occurred but I protest the point is still a valid one).

All in all this is one of the best new songs I've heard in ages and I can't believe this song is the first time I've heard of this band. However, if they have any more singles of this caliber up their collective sleeves then it certainly won't be the last we hear of them. Not by a long shot.

Worth a listen? Too bloody right it is.

Verdict: 8.5/10