Atomic Kitten: 'Anyone Who Had A Heart'

Now here's an early contender for the Oddest Comeback of the Year award. Atomic Kitten, the largely forgotten pop trio who've been AWOL from the girl-band barracks since 2005, have reformed for a download-only charity single. Ostensibly, they've been jolted out of retirement by The Number One Project, a celebration of Liverpool's musical heritage, but, with rumours of a UK tour abounding, the whole thing smacks of hedged bets and waters being tested.

Their comeback vehicle? A cover of 'Anyone Who Had A Heart', the Bacharach and David classic that Cilla Black, still the nearest thing there is to a Queen of Scouse-Pop, took to number one in 1964. The Kittens are better singers than most of us will remember, but, sadly, this version of 'Heart' is so listless and perfunctory that it makes their cover of 'Eternal Flame' look positively inspired.