Richard Ashcroft - 'Music Is Power' (Parlophone) Released 17/04/06

So music is power then Dickie boy? Well, we’d hasten to agree with your wise move to extolling its virtues. Sadly though, while the message of ‘Music Is Power’ is very astute with lines like “Music is power, it eases your soul, rockin’ like a cradle, it won’t let you go”, it’s an unfortunate juxtaposition that the tune is painfully lacklustre, and, well, ‘lets you go’ within seconds of listening to it. Yes, the track is vaguely soulful, vaguely catchy and very nice, but it’s just not enough to drag it out of the bowels of mediocrity.