Merlinpeen's Annual Hit Parade (five)

5.
Annie
Don't Stop

Yes, it's the mucho delayed album by lazy Norwegian, Annie Strand, & not the latest work of the heliumed-up, perma-permed, midget Annie; which would hope-against-hopefully be called 'Stop! (please)'. It's been ten whole years since her Madonna sampling, uberpop single 'The Greatest Hit' & she's still only just this minute lethargically chucking out her second album. Still, that's one better than the parentless, ginger one.

To the rescue, the Prince Charmings to wake the Dozy Beauty, come the hallowed X-Men of pop production: Richard X & Xenomania, bringing along with them an all-star pantomime cast of cameoing nutters: Girls Aloud & Franz Ferdinand. Also on hand are Paul Epworth of Bloc Party/Futureheads/Maxïmo Park/The Big Pink fame and some bloke called Timo Kaukolampi, who has a funny name. With this abundance of shiny collaborators the whole thing could have swamped poor Annie in a turgid mess of clashing, spangly outfits; but no! Rising above the bleeping synths & chiming guitars comes the star of the show, with her too-cool-for-school vocals & her playfully witty lyrics; including this little couplet that would get Harry Potter even more moist with envy than he apparently is: "My kiss is wetter than your kiss, My lips are wetter than your trick, You know you’ll never have these hips, I’m so much better so eat this"

A large chunk of this record leaked out last year and, thusly, the first couple of aces singles have been skandalously (hm hm) thrown aside & some spanking new stuff added, but the end result is so strong that they're not missed at all, well maybe a bit, but not really. Not convinced? You shouldn't not be!