Newton Faulkner: 'Dream Catch Me'

It's hard to believe that Newton Faulkner started his musical career in a Green Day covers band. The wearisome dross of his new single 'Dream Catch Me', sounds light years away from the glossy, glamourous punk act. Faulkner's music manages to mould together a terrifying blend of James Blunt and Snow Patrol, merging both acts' dreariness into a slab of snoozy, acoustic drivel that will inevitably burn a hole in middle-aged bankers' and accountants' CD players across the country.

If we were being polite we could say Faulkner sounds like Gary Lightbody with a terrible cold. But if we weren't, we'd say he comes across like the guy from Nickleback with a hangover. The inane repetitive chord sequence on this tune drills into your ears, while his wishy-washy vocals leave you numb. There's been plenty of makeshift acoustic guitar-strummers in the wake of James Blunt, but Faulkner just about takes the biscuit. Paulo Nutini has his cheeky Scottish scamp attitude, James Morrison offers some pop sensibilities but Faulkner is merely abrasive and unpleasantly dull.

Lyrics such as "There's a place I go when I'm alone / Do whatever I want / Be anyone I want to be", are so devoid of meaning that it can be painful to try and decipher any sense of purpose in the song other than to flood the nation's radio waves. And that is perhaps the most awful fact about this song - it won't be going away. Be prepared to hear plenty more plodding-pedestrian odes by Faulkner, because he's already played Glastonbury - twice - this year, and he's been receiving rave reviews by the likes of Jo Whiley of all people. You have been warned.