Diana Vickers: 'My Wicked Heart'

So, what the hell is going on in the world of Diana Vickers? After her debut single flew into the charts at No.1, its follow-up 'The Boy Who Murdered Love' could only claw (sorry) its way to a stumbling #36. She admits she's disappointed, but apparently that ain't the reason for the rush-release of a brand spanking new song. We're told that Diana was so excited after laying down the track that she just damn well couldn't wait to get it out there. Hmmmmm. As unlikely as that sounds though, a couple of whirls force us to put our cynicism to one side.

Where her first album quietly impressed with its smart-but-not-too-clever pop-literate slink 'n' bounce, this is just absolutely bloody mental by comparison. It would have been easy to wimp out with a floaty ballad and cross everything for an X Factor performance slot. Instead, Vickers and her collaborators tease with stop-start verses and heart murmur drums before smashing our ears right through in a kitchen-sink volley of brass, deranged whoops and a blatant-but-brilliant steal from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' 'Under The Bridge'. After a welcome second helping, they take it right back down for a breakdown whose berserk "Whoops-a-daisy" refrain will make the existing Marmite split over her voice look like a happy coalition - all in less than three poptastic minutes.


> Click here to read our recent interview with Diana Vickers