Switch It On, the first single from Will Young's third album Keep On, displays a wry sense of humour, cultural context and an eye for the rules of pop-making. What's more, it's easily the raunchiest music the sometime Pop Idol and about-to-be silver screen actor has unleashed.
Will says the song's rhythm is straight outta Bo Diddley, and be that as it may, but could its similarity to George Michael's Faith be more than a passing coincidence now that the designer stubbled ex-Wham! star has retired from the limelight? One gay icon following another? He gets away with it too, because the music otherwise sounds like nothing Michael's.
And what about that video? Taking Top Gun's homoerotic overtones just that little bit further out of the closet, Will stars in his own mini-movie, delightfully named Hot Gun. In it he gets to play a Tom Cruise-type USAF fighter pilot, show off his buff bod and strut about playing slo-mo volleyball on a beach as dog tags rattle and sweat glistens. "Mr Fabulous don't impress me," he growls. Utterly hilarious.
If George Michael insists on retirement, at least we have someone with a talent and humour to match him. And Will doesn't sport dreadful facial hair either.
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