Latest releases reviewed

JENNIFER LOPEZ
Hold You Down Epic
*

There's something so horribly calculating about the Lopez woman. She makes Whitney Houston sound like Billie Holliday. This is a very bad, overly produced and bland chunk of urban music that goes nowhere quickly.

JA RULE
Caught Up Universal
***

The most r 'n' b- flavoured track on the R.U.L.E. album, this features Murder Inc signing Lloyd in an interesting duet. He's not quite DMX, but Ja Rule still has a great gravelly and expressive rap voice, and while some might find this a bit smoothed-out for their rap tastes, it's a good radio song - daytime and nighttime.

THEE UNSUNG
Psycho Universal
***

Interestingly named band who seemed to have been pushed out to fill the gap in The Libertines market. With an average age of only 20 and with Alan McGee behind them, they kick up a decent racket in a better-produced Pistols sort of way. The guitar riff in this would be ideal for a "happening" mobile phone campaign, even if it does stray dangerously close to Iggy's Lust for Life.

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
Believe EMI
**

Having dug themselves out of the dance hole with their Push the Button release, this second single from said album needed to be very good indeed to rival the first one (Galvanize). It tries and tries and even drafts in Bloc Party's Kele Okereke on vocals, but doesn't really have any lift about it. Lots of funny Dr Who noises going on in the background - must be something to do with the zeitgeist.

DESTINY'S CHILD
Girl Columbia
***

There's no doubt that these gals can sing, and while this threatens to be a bit smart and sassy, it's let down by a terribly soft-centered middle bit. Time for a new producer and an overhaul if they want to retain any sense of relevance.

BLACK ROCK
Bluewater Positiva
*

Two Swiss dance heads with repetitive beat injury try to construct one of those awful Euro trance anthems. Lying on top of this mess is a breathless disco diva vocal, which only manages to make things worse. Horribly anaemic. It comes with four different re-mixes. Like I'm bothered.