It’s a new year so we wind back the ratings dial and prepare to see what audio delights 2007 can sling at us, thankfully the opening salvo shows promise that this might be a good year for the singles. Kicking off with Madeleine Peyroux who releases ‘A Little Bit’ on the 22nd January on the Rounder/UCJ label. Imagine an older, perhaps wise version of Amy Winehouse where the fiery temperament has given to a quieter maturity and you get the picture as to where Madeleine is coming from. An accomplished jazz tinged backing which shows a comfortable relationship between the music and a voice which has a little more experience draped over it. Its backed with a cover version of Joni Mitchell’s River (a duet with K.D Lang no less) and is perfect for those more introspective moments.

Plan B unleashes his single ‘No Good’ on February 19th on 679 Recordings, taken from last years ‘Who Needs Actions, When You Got Words’ album and accompanied with a sledgehammer-esque stop/start animation video that looks like it was nothing short of gruelling to make. Speaking of sledgehammers that’s how the single hits you. Making use of a prematurely summery reworking of The Prodigy’s old school hit of the same name. Plan B spits lyrics with a particularly caustic venom that puts you in mind of a ‘British Eminem’ (I know its lazy to say that but it is honestly what comes to mind) back when he was good, only Plan B has an earthiness to his delivery that a UK audience can appreciate and get their teeth into.

Gym Class drop Cupid’s Chokehold, lifting heavily from Supertramp’s Breakfast In America. This rightfully deserves to be one of the catchiest tracks you’ll catch in the first quarter. Bringing the fun element back into a pleasing blend of rock and rap and ditching the moody gun toting element and it works well. Out of the current crop this is my personal favourite (Cheers Roz, its been on loop all morning) and comes out on February 12th on Decaydence/Fuelled in a digital and 7” (picture disc no less) and gets my “go out and buy recommendation”.

Elsewhere Amy Winehouse drops I’m No Good as her new single. It’s out now and if you have the album you know full well its corker. This time round it comes armed with a Skeewiff remix featuring a Wu Tang vocal courtesy of Ghostface Killah. While The Automatic follow up their ‘Monster’ hit with Raoul, not quite as immediate as its predecessor but a definite grower. While on the 15th January we see The Guillemots release another sparkling single in the form of Annie, Lets Not Wait. All worthy platters for your perusal.

That’s your lot for now folks, till next time.