Pop is a fickle mistress. She hooks you in with her choruses and catchy beats and ensnares you in her chains (Kinky bitch!) Then she goes and changes her mind and suddenly it's not chains, it's candle wax. Um, or something. Ok the point is that sometimes "pop" isn't really what is popular at all. 5 years ago, Britain was awash in the dance moves of Steps, the drug addled haze of SClub and the cheesiness but aren't i brilliant brilliance of Geri Halliwell. Now its all electro-clash this and guitar music that, and the pop of yesterday can't get a look in. And that's not always a bad thing, because i think you'll find that if you look for it, pop, actually, is all around... Take Darin for instance. Now I was a bit late on the whole Darin thing, and then convinced myself that actually if Shayne Ward or Gareth Gates had recorded his sophomore album, they would have hovered at the top of the charts for nigh on a year. His third set Break The News continues in the same vein - sweeping ballads mixed with club-tinged pop tracks. And it works - there are at least 5 singles here: Lead off track Perfect has this great universal appeal, catchy chorus and foot tapping beats; Insanity has great chants, spoken verses over a slightly menacing, but effective backing track and a chorus so insiduous it should be twirling a moustache and cackling at it's evil genius; ExtraOrdinary Love is an out and out pop-dance tune that makes my heart giddy to hear, so joyous is it in energy and production; Everything But The Girl is a great piano based ballad that recalls Walk The Distance and sets off Darin's lovely voice. And then I'd probably go for the jaunty Saturday Night as a fifth single :) For me, this album has put Darin as a contender...
