The Good, The Bad and The Queen – ‘Kingdom of Doom’ (Parlophone) Released 15/01/07

Ok, you are an internationally renowned pop star, with a well-documented predilection for African tribal music, a hatred of stroppy guitarists and a sideline in ape-based funk music. Do you; A: Reheat your cheeky Britpop heyday with an album of Chas n’ Dave covers; B: Create a wilfully obtuse record of Congolese nose-flute music; or, C: Rally together a veritable supergroup of past it indie legends and record an album of melancholy, London-themed tracks?

Damon Albarn, he of Blur and Gorillaz fame, has gone for the latter – pulling together Simon Tong from The Verve, Paul Simonon out of The Clash and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen to create The Good, The Bad and The Queen, his latest side project. This, the second single is a brooding, melodic meditation on an apocalyptic London Friday night, complete with lyrics about “drinking all day ‘cos the country’s at war,” and “ravens flying across the moon”. Which is all great and that, but it certainly ain’t ‘London Calling’, or even ‘This Is a Low’. Albarn has continuously proved himself as one of the best documenters of English life, up there with Mike Skinner and Noel Gallagher. However, he’s got to work a bit harder than this. And next time, Damon, include a chorus. If Chas n’ Dave can do it…