I still read the NME, at least online, although the days when I could do this without periodicly wincing are long gone. Partly them, partly me. But when Pete Cashmore jizzed all over Coxon’s new single, I figured it was worth a download. After all, the stuff discussed - good guitar, good chorus, all that - is stuff I tend to like.

And then the MP3 I grabbed (I’m Canadian, so a hearty laugh in the direction of the RIAA) starts with forty seconds of Steve Lamacq raving about the song.

So it’s a bit of a let down when ‘Freakin’ Out’ is merely good. The lyrics are… functional, the delivery is slightly Blur-esque (although it’s got enough rock music in its DNA that may be a mirage), and it’s not a bad big dumb rock song. I don’t think the guitars are all that hot shit, to be honest. But the chorus is singalongable, I’m sure this would sound amazing live, and I’ll probably even keep a copy. It is definitely miles better, and much catchier, than I (and many others I’m sure) expected out of Coxon post-Blur.

But still, given that Damon was supposed to be the pop one and Graham the difficult one, who could have foreseen ‘Freakin’ Out’ versus, say, ‘Gene By Gene’ or ‘Caravan’? Or even ‘Ambulance’? I love all of those songs, but compared to the riff-rawk monster of ‘Freakin’ Out’ they seem awfully obtuse.

(PS: Interesting to note that when Lamacq solicits text messages guessing the identity of the performer, the Vines, John Lydon and Green Day are all guessed)