Moderate Impact

[I'm going to tread cautiously here, as I don't know what our new masters, the Googlesphere, will allow...]

Dropping into my local music Megastore the other day, I stood at a listening post and listened to some of the new CDs on offer. Recently in the UK I'd been exposed to the latest singles by Robbie Williams and Justin Timberlake, and to Lily Allen's two singles, so I explored their albums a bit.

I usually like Robbie's music - it's fun, and given an edge because I have a bit of a revolted fascination in him: his self-destructive talent, alternately posturing show-off and gooey-eyed-cutie. I don't 'get' his new single, really, though it's OK - very 'Madonna-in-her-least-likeable-electronica-mode' perhaps...

I'm a bit of a closet fan of Justin. He's the bad-boy-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks that's kissing your sister on the couch but still making eyes at you. Even when he's silly (boom box attempt at the end of Rock Your Body) he's somehow endearing. And he's done some very decent videos - Cry Me A River being a favourite (very architectural). And his latest single is catchy, interesting and with a Gattaca*-inspired video that's great in a sub-James Bond way!

But the revelation is Lily. Her fun, infectious, feel-good songs are actually dark and grim underneath their upbeat surfaces. Nice contrast, nice videos too. Hmm, shall I buy it - or maybe I can convince X** to buy it and then iPod it from his computer...?

But what surprised me was the 'Moderate Impact' label on the CDs. Justin sings about "motherf-ckers" and Lily complains in the first line about her ex "f-cking that girl next door". Perhaps the only remaining option to boost your label into High Impact is to use "c-nt"?? (now the most taboo word in English, apart from the phrase "yes, I do have a gun in my bag" at the airport which gives you a visa-free trip to Guantanamo...)

* I've always had a thing about Jude Law...
** The Ex, of course