Lady Gaga | Poker Face

Just Dance mark II arrives with Lady Gaga's debut single still stuck in our minds. The tribal 'mum-mum-mum-ma's are attention-grabbing, and will never be removed from your mind, but the rest of the song is rather unremarkable. The line 'I'm just bluffing with my muffin' in the bridge should provide a few giggles, but Poker Face is just too repetitive to be anything more than mildly amusing. 3/5.

Bat For Lashes | Daniel

Based on the main character from the cult 80s film The Karate Kid, Bat For Lashes, aka Natasha Khan, builds on her reputation as the spaced-out chanteuse of pop with Daniel, the first single from her new album Two Suns. Haunting and intriguing, Khan's airy vocals weave a captivating story of love found and love lost, with shades of Toyah's bombast and Kim Wilde's desperation (just roll with it, it makes sense after a few listens). Never without a reference to nature - the lyrics here concern 'cinders and rain' - she once again conjures up a cinematic experience in song form. A suitable followup to the equally ethereal Fur & Gold, this is an oddball future classic. 4/5. 

Noisettes | Don't Upset The Rhythm

After featuring on a Mazda car advert earlier in the year, the Noisettes finally release the instant, catchy Don't Upset The Rhythm. Though it draws heavily from the sound of 70s disco divas like Aimee Stewart and Donna Summer, the track still manages to sound fresh and more surprisingly appropriate for 2009. In any other circumstance it would be laughable to reference a "dog and bone", "paradise" and "something super beautiful", especially all in the same song, but somehow singer Shingai Shoniwa pulls it off with style. It's a world away from their indie debut album, and for that alone we must be truly thankful. 5/5.

Keane | Better Than This

If you can get past the obvious intro rip-off of David Bowie's Ashes To Ashes rip-off and put it down to 80s homage, you'll realise frontman Tom Chaplin is, as ever, singing to himself and not the audience. A technique somewhat unique to Keane, it is rather off-putting to hear someone singing to you the line: 'You can do so much better than this'. If I can, then Keane certainly can do too. Examples can be found on their 3rd album, Perfect Symmetry, for instance. 3/5. 

Snow Patrol | If There's A Rocket Tie Me To It

Single number 3 from Snow Patrol's 5th album A Hundred Million Suns, and it's yet more drab MOR. With the lyrics mentioning various aspects of biology such as pulses, hearts and indeed feet, this not only doesn't sound single-worthy, but it doesn't even deserve to be the b-side of a b-side. Without Martha Wainwright on support vocals or the backing of a closing scene of Grey's Anatomy, you are left with a track that makes you wish you did indeed have a rocket for frontman Gary Lightbody. And some rope. 2/5.

Ladyhawke | Paris Is Burning

Despite being hailed by many as one of the best newcomers of 2008, New Zealander Ladyhawke, aka Phillipa Brown, is still struggling to shift copies of her eponymous debut set. The reason why is clear - The Hawke's pastiche of 80's music draws its influences from some of the worst candidates, such as Ghostbusters hit-maker Ray Parker Jr. on her last single Dusk 'Til Dawn. In attempt to be the best straggler of 2009, she re-releases a Blondie-esque single from last July, Paris Is Burning. It's no doubt her catchiest tune to date, but that's not saying much. It's still the aural equivalent of tepid tea, and in a music world dominated by another Lady (Lady Gaga, to be precise), it's unlikely that this will save her album from the bargain bins. 

Sara Bareilles | Bottle It Up

It's ironic that after her debut hit Love Song proclaimed she wasn't going to write, well, a love song, Sara Bareilles releases a single which quite possibly has the most instances of the word 'love' in the history of music lyrics. It's a wonder that the song isn't called Love Song Part II: The Love Song Song. Inevitably, many will scoff at Bottle It Up, but once you're done laughing, you'll hear a lovely little ditty that mixes fragility, tenderness and angst (the almost rap-like bridge is quite the marvel) with panache. Think of a slightly more edgy Carpenters who aren't afraid to sing the word 'shit', and you've got the gist. 4/5.

Boyzone | Love You Anyway

It's an odd thing trying to make an old band appeal to a young audience by giving them a new song with an old vibe. But as 60s music is in (see: Duffy, Adele, Amy), Boyzone must have thought they were onto a winner with this; a sappy track that is essentially a Ronan Keating comeback single featuring assorted guests. Love You Anyway is repetive, with the lyricists trying to trick the listener into thinking the chorus actually rhymes. As for that stiff dance routine in the video... it's no surprise that their manager is, as ever, Louis Walsh. 2/5.

Gabriella Cilmi | Sweet About Me

It's hard to believe that Australian Gabriella Cilmi is only 16-years-old. Her voice, which has lazily been compared to that of Amy Winehouse, is distinct and soulful in its own right, sounding even riper than Camden's finest. Another surprise is that she co-wrote the track with Xenomania, the hit factory behind the sound of Girls Aloud, and the Summery, rootsy vibe of Sweet About Me makes for a welcome addition to the pop scene. 5/5.

Sugababes | Denial

This time last year, the trio and Girls Aloud teamed up to create a new species of cheese in the form of their cover of Run DMC and Aerosmith's Walk This Way for Comic Relief. Now they're back to the day job of working against each other, both bands release single 3 from their respective albums this week. Both are strong songs, but Denial, accompanied by another Sugababes is-it-brilliant-or-just-odd? video, deserves to climb higher. With its rock-meets-reggae tune and infectious chorus, this is up there with the the band's best. 4/5.

Goldfrapp | Seventh Tree

Admiration must be dealt to the duo as they have unexpectedly change tact on album four. Out go the synths (mostly) and in come the acoustic guitars. It's make-or-break time for the band as they desert the genre that finally made them stars with Supernature back in 2005.

Seventh Tree sees Goldfrapp leaving the dancefloor and fleeing to the coffeehouse, with a floating, hippy feel prevailing. Excellent first single A&E starts off calm and unassuming, swirls through Kate Bush territory, before fading back into a simple guitar riff. 

Cologne Cerrone Houdini (the new tongue-twister sweeping the nation) almost has a title too pompous to merit listening, but is actually a cool, sophisticated track that mixes a wistful mood ('I'm in your car / But not your life') with dreamy, high-pitched vocals recalling elements of Felt Mountain. 

Happiness is a clever observation of today's self-help culture summed up by: 'Donate all your money / We'll make it better'. Here, the synths return, squelching and swooshing away, and is an obvious choice for 2nd single.

Elsewhere, however, the majority of tracks are less instantly appealing. Clowns is barely audible and along with Eat Yourself, features rather disturbing lyrics - the former concerning Barbies and 'titties' and the latter commencing with the line 'If you don't eat yourself / No doubt the pain will instead'. Perhaps these are stabs at poignancy, but instead of being engagingly offbeat they're both easily skippable.

Monster Love is a decent finish, tying up the bittersweet mood of the album in the key line: 'Here is where we start / and where we end'. The sentiment could return to haunt them - will the start of a new sound also be the end to their success? Touches of cleverness and ingenuity are ruined by confusing lyrics, but the album is still worth investigating for the precious few gems. 3/5.