Lil' Chris - Lil' Chris

When 'Checkin It Out' was released, one could have easily wondered which pseudo-punk-chick was on meth and screaming through the speakers. There's a strange androgyny and disparity between age and experience here that seems (if only to be superficially controversial) to be the modus operandi of certain pop music producers of late (see the release of 13-year old JoJo's 'Leave'). Lil' Chris' self-titled debut isn't horrible. In fact, it's pretty catchy. But it's the kind of catchy that balding executives at massive production companies slave away trying to cultivate. In this instance, it seems to have been a successful endeavour as teens and preteens in the US and UK eagerly buy into this pop-punk, faux-irreverent breed of mainstream music. His new single, 'Getting Enough??' is one of those tracks - if you're at all inclined towards cheesy 80s-style pop - that you might find topping your guilty pleasure list. His vocals are intriguing, if prepubescent, and the lyrics drip with irony: "I've never gotten off with a girl like this because I've never taken chances with a girl like this." Does anyone else have a sneaking suspicion he's being less than sincere? [Ilani Blanke]