Avenue

People going on about how 'pop is back' is getting a bit boring. It came back about 9 months ago, so heavily labouring how you're pop and proud of it is nothing but a corporate line to take now.

Avenue are the new boys on the block. You might recognise them from X-Factor before they got kicked off for being specially manufactured for the show. Now they're signed to Island Records and running round like it's 2001 and they're One True Voice.

Somewhat harsh, but the first time I heard their debut single 'Last Goodbye' I couldn't believe my eyes. A terrible video and a really outdated song. Bizarrely some of their music has been written by Anders from Alphabeat so you would expect something more modern than this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oxm-MsD9xo[/youtube]

That said, now I've heard the song more than about 5 times it's grown on me. Last week we went down to Avenue (!) in town to see them perform. They were much better live, but looked very nervous and a bit embarrased which is never a good sign.

After the gig a lot of really important radio people (and somehow me) went for dinner. There the crucial thing was decided - who was the hottest.

Max came 2nd, but ultimately we decided he might make love to you and then murder you after spending their awesome first song looking like he was about to leap out into the crowd and kill us all.
Mad eyes.

Andy instead is cute, has lovely curly hair and is the type of boy you take home to meet your mum.
Andy wins!