Shuffle

Kevin Courtney's guide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams.

GIRLS ALOUD
Call the Shots Polydor/Fascination ****

Just as X Factor alumnus Leona Lewis rolls out her debut album, the original Pop Idol winners roll out another stonker of a No 1 hit, a high-energy, high-heeled strut with a killer hook that grabs you by the handbag and won't let go. Sounds like the girls still call the vodka shots.

PJ HARVEY
The Piano Island ***

Polly's all fingers and thumbs on this lonesome, tinkling tune from her new album, White Chalk. The piano takes precedence here on a song that falls somewhere between Radiohead's Amnesia and Björk's Medulla. Also features one of PJ's earliest tunes, Heaven, from 1988.

BODYROX AND LUCIANA
What Planet You On? **

They had a huge club anthem in 2006 with Yeah Yeah, and now the London production duo of Jon Pearn and Nick Bridges team up with the fergalicious Luciana for another electro-house anthem that should get all the aliens waving their tentacles in the air. I'll just get on a different planet.

CODES
Cities Interior Records **

Like Royseven, Dublin band Codes trade in big, emotive anthems, and their debut single, Edith, cracked the Irish Top 40. This melodic electro-rock ballad is competent and heartfelt enough, but there's a fine line between soaring and boring and, lacking a discernible chorus, this one falls flat.

DRY COUNTY
Another Idea Lazybird ***

From Unexpected Falls, the Dublin-based electronic quartet's current album, here's a ripped-up number that's packed with ideas, all edited down to fit onto your wireless. It's backed by the brightly atmospheric By the Lights. Download tracks from their earlier album, Attention, on www.drycounty.org.

SUM 41
Walking Disaster Mercury ***

Avril Lavigne's fella Deryck Whibley has been off the radar for a while and Fall Out Boy have scooped up their audience. Now the Sum young guys are back to take what's rightly theirs. Good thing they've brought a rather insistent tune along. Sure to lure the crowd back into their mosh pit.