Kevin Courtney'sguide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams

THE KILLS
Cheap and Cheerful ***

Cheap? The new tune from Alison Mosshart (aka VV) and Jamie Hince (aka Hotel) sounds like it was knocked off in a back-alley behind CBGB using Velvet Underground's discarded gear. Cheerful? Of course not - pissed off has never sounded this sexy.

GABRIELLA CILMI
Sweet About Me Island ***

The jazzy Aussie chanteuse insists there's nothing sweet about her, but the rest of the world begs to differ. This bluesy soft-shuffle is proof that all you have to do to get a guy interested is tell him you're a bitch. Check out Cilmi's version of Echo Beach on her myspace.

ELBOW
Grounds for Divorce Fiction ****

Is being a miserable northern git grounds for divorce? Well, then, m'lud, in Guy Garvey's defence, I must add he's also a godlike genius, and this gospel indie tune is stuffed with twisted lyrics such as "there's a hole in my neighbourhood down which of late I cannot help but fall".

GIRLS ALOUD
Can't Speak French Polydor ** 

Nice to see the gurls using their fame to highlight the appalling state of language learning in our schools. What? It's about sex? Merde. Okay, nice to see these femmes fatales getting past the language barrier with just a pout.

SUGABABES
Denial Universal Island **

It's not quite Blur v Oasis, but with Girls Aloud and Sugababes releasing singles on the same day, it could be Prada handbags at dawn. This song is, we are assured, not about a river in Egypt, but it's interesting how Sugababes are sounding more like their pop rivals with every release.

GUILLEMOTS
Get Over It Polydor ****

Guillemots have never gotten over the 1980s - a good thing, because no one's better at resurrecting the big-hearted spirit of Prefab Sprout, Aztec Camera and The Woodentops. Heck, even the singer's name, Fyfe Dangerfield, is totally 1980s.