Hafdis Huld – ‘Diamonds On My Belly’ (Red Grape) Released 29/01/07

Last night I watched Party Animals, that new programme about thrusting young political types which the BBC seems to think will be a winner, despite almost all the characters being vacuous, smug and completely repulsive.  While reasonably pleasant and harmless in itself, ‘Diamonds On My Belly’ is exactly the kind of painfully tasteful, slightly kooky but essentially bland tune that will inevitably appear at some point in the series, probably to indicate the hitherto hidden depths of some hitherto ball-busting career freak.  Sampling what sounds like an ice cream van for no apparent reason, the song alternates tuneless verses with a bright, poppy chorus.  Think Donovan’s breathy little sister if you’re feeling generous, a slightly edgier Katie Melua if you’re not.