It was the comeback we needed to be good. For too long the great British public have been let down by their pop groups coming back to diminishing returns. Sure there was Take That, but then there was All Saints, East 17, good grief, East 17 . Even the Spice Girls one was pretty naff, and that Olympics slot they did reeked of woefulness. Girls Aloud haven't been away that long - and they certainly haven't left our column inches - and yet there's no doubt that the recent announcement of their return is being billed as a comeback.

Are you ready to have your heart broken, though? Perez Hilton have reported a link of the new single to be released by the five-piece and, well, fans of taking dubious substances in dodgy Euro-pop clubs in the early 90s might be into it, but the rest of us are going to be pretty disappointed. Called 'Something New', the track garish affair filled with horribly hi-end synthy electroclashy noises lots of shouty vocals and nary a hook or a chorus in earshot. It's grim in short.

That's hardly going to stop people flocking to the inevitable come back shows though; Girls Aloud remain at their biggest musically when together, with none of the five's solo ventures really taking off. Hopefully, though, this something new will become something old, and fast.