The Wanted - Chasing The Sun

They've done it again. The Wanted have come up trumps once more, delivering another lad-anthem dance stomper every bit as excellent as Glad You Came - fitting then that new single Chasing The Sun is set to become its follow-up over in the States. We could go into an essay-length discussion of how brilliant it is that the group are doing well in the US, but suffice to say, Chasing The Sun feels like the sound of a band on top of the world - riding high on another classic chanty Wanted riff and a pumping club bassline. There's a sort of smooth, sultry glide to Chasing The Sun that shoots it into new levels of the whole futuro-synth work-out vibe the band really cornered with their second album and frankly we just love the song. It's also, we hear, the song that Example originally wrote for Kylie - and it sounds like it - which makes it all the more amazing. It's essentially, crucially instant in a way The Wanted have always done with such ease, and if we're this excited about it, we're just trying to get our heads around how excited all those American girls must be. Quite a lot, we imagine.

The Wanted perform Glad You Came on the Ellen Show!

Some things remain the same the world over - for example, girls breaking into fits of tears when a boy band appears. As in the UK, so too in the US.

And that's exactly what happened when the Wanted performed this ace rocked-up version of Glad You Came on the Ellen Degeneres Show - their first in America.

They all seem rather excitable - but then, you would be, wouldn't you? Where so many British pop acts before them have failed, the odds look pretty good for the Wanted actually making it big over in the states. Although it's clear what's actually on Max's mind as he raises the point of how many 'beautiful ladies' there are there...

He even personally delivers the closing bars of song directly to Ellen herself - such a charmer, Max!

New releases round-up - 11th July 2011

The Wanted - Glad You Came

Putting aside all the glorious opportunities for innuendo and euphemism the title of the boy band's latest single presents, it's actually a cracking summer tune. Gloriously dancey and basking in full-on Ibiza vibes, the track carries the group's laddy attitude perfectly; a strong move forward as the band gear up to release their second album.

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Nicola Roberts - Beat Of My Drum

With all the hoo-ha about the pro's and con's of On Air/On Sale, it's important to remember that at the heart of the matter, there still lies a song. And in this case, a very good one indeed. This week sees the physical release of Nicola's debut solo single, backed with the wonderfully titled b-side Disco Blisters And A Comedown (sounds like something the Pet Shop Boys or The Smiths would dream up, doesn't it?).

Quirky, brilliant electro, the kind of stuff that us long-time Girls Aloud fans always dreamed Nicola would come up with, it's yet more proof of how she really is the most amazing popstar around at the moment.

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The Horrors - Skying

The past decade has been awash with bands trying to recreate the sounds of the 80s - but perhaps none quite so faithfully as The Horrors do on this, their third studio release. Already racking up stellar reviews across the board, many are touting Skying as a real contender for album of the year.

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(Video) The Wanted - Glad You Came

What better way to show you're a cool, trendy boyband than a video for a new single where said band goes and lives it up in the clubbing capital of the world?

Yes, that's right - for The Wanted's new track Glad You Came (resists innuendo laden joke), they're going to Ibiza! (resists singing the Vengaboys song).

There's a real LADS on a night out feel here, with lots of hot girls dancing around the boys (we imagine all The Wanted fans will be massively jealous of these girls right now) and there's even lasers! Actual lasers!

In many ways, Glad You Came is a kind of male version of J Lo's On The Floor, channelling that same glorious strain of EuroDance. It's also a very natural evolution from Gold Forever and you can easily imagine the two tracks sitting side by side on the band's forthcoming second album. That said, I don't think it's quite up there with Gold Forever (still my favourite The Wanted track), but a good record nonetheless.

Glad You Came is released on the 10th July.