Well what do you know — the new Hilary Duff songs are pretty good.
She has discovered electronic music. We think the recoding of her new tracks probably required at least a four-way plug adaptor from Dixons. Possibly even a five-way.
'So Yesterday' aside, Duff has never really excelled at knocking out a particularly good chorus. And while this is still by and large the case, her new production values reflect the fact that she can no longer simply sell songs off the back off having eight years ago been in a moderately popular TV show which never really caught on in this country anyway.
Here is what Hilary's 'people' have to say about the whole thing.
Never mind all that — here are some knee-jerk reactions that will probably come back to haunt us in a few weeks.
» 'With You'
The best song of her career, pissed away by having been on an advert for her 'scent'. Sounds like producers from the good bits of Norway, rather than the bad bits of LA, were involved. Less time spent making smells and more time spent on making records like this might not be a bad idea.
» 'Play With Fire'
It's not going to change the world. We know this because it has been knocking around for a few months and if any world-changing was going to occur it would have happened by now. However, it was surprisingly good then and it is surprisingly good now.
» 'Stranger'
It has a rock and roll guitar on it. Something to do with that bad man from Good Charlotte no doubt.
» 'Danger'
Title rhymes with the last one, sounds very expensive and 'cool' but is let down with a chorus that is a quite 'flabby'.
» 'Burn'
A bit of a ballad. It's no 'My Heart Will Go On' but it will do.
If you liked Hilary Duff before, you will like the new stuff a lot more. If you didn't like Hilary Duff before, you will probably think she has come on leaps and bounds.
Well done everyone involved.