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Ok, so first off I must iterate the fact that this particular run down is in no particular order, nor is it a definitive list of the best British record labels of all time (as if such a breakdown could ever be truly quantified). It is simply a list of some personal favourites within the British...MORE>>

I’m listening to Open Arms by Gary Go, and as it shifts from verse to chorus, from rueful to life-affirming, from Take That on a blue day to Coldplay circa A Rush Of Blood To The Head, I am bored to death by the lyrics.

Starry-eyed, facile philosophising is not my bag, and while I have nothing against bespectacled young men telling me to embrace life’s possibilities, I wish they would do it in a more entertaining way.

Gary Go’s sound is as clean-cut and polished as his image, and while it is not unpleasant to listen to and does stir the emotions, it is all gloss and easy sentiment. I sense that the words are meant to be meaningful, are meant to urge the listener out of the darkness and into the light, but

ultimately, most people who hear Open Arms will think to themselves, ‘this sounds rather nice. Oh, did I remember to get the milk?’

Gary Go, a 24-year-old one-man-band from London whose real name is Gary Baker, rose to prominence after being chosen to support Take That on their 19-date stadium tour. It’s easy to see why Take That like Gary Go. He purveys sentimental, well-crafted balladic pop that’s easy to listen to. In many ways, he’s their natural heir.

Open Arms begins with a pulsing synth rhythm and a dreamy piano line, which provide a foil for Gary Go’s earnest vocals. It’s a static opening, which builds suspense gradually without ever going anywhere, creating a soundscape that is poised to break into a dramatic chorus. Before it does that, of course, we must listen to another verse, this time with stirring drums.

You can’t deny that Open Arms is good for the soul. Listening to it is a bit like being given a pep-talk by a friend, or having counselling. It makes you feel better. The chorus really packs a punch thanks to a beefed-up texture (more synths, more bass), racing drums and borderline shouty vocals, but it still manages to be reassuring. Is it available on the NHS yet?

While it’s impossible to be overtly negative about Gary and his impeccable slices of life-affirming pop, I can’t help feeling that Take That and Will Young have pretty much got his market covered. The exposure he is getting on tour will propel his album and singles up the charts, but I don’t know whether he’ll be able to build on this success. Ask me what Gary Go has that other artist’s don’t, and other than astigmatism (hence the glasses) and a moral imperative to make other people feel better about their lives, I couldn’t give you an answer.