Interesting rumour: It’s come to my ears that Corina is currently the biggest selling artist in Romania . I’d call up Roton myself to confirm this fact, but I’m writing from an apartment in London and I’ll be fucked if I can be bothered spending half an hour on the phone talking to record-label drones who probably don’t know anyway. The point is that if she is the biggest seller in the country, then it’s a not-undeserved position. While watching a video by Blondy or Delia makes you wonder exactly what planet these people live on, everything that Cornia has done so far is undeniably… credible.

Let’s be honest, the kind of people who might consider buying a Corina record – an audience is predominantly made up of pre-teen girls and teenagers – really aren’t going to give a damn what I might have to say about her latest LP, ‘Face Off’. Nor do I think that it’ll surprise anybody to hear that it’s nothing more than perfectly competent pop, with occasional and credibility-winning nods to electro, drum and bass and reggaeton. The real stand out track is the one that should be utterly familiar to all of you who don’t happen to live in a monastic cell, the ubiquitous ‘Quieres una Aventura’. Despite it’s rather amusing references to a ‘big booty girl’ (note to Tony Cottura: Corina is most definitely not a big booty girl), the song managed to be one of the truly enjoyable hits of 2006. However, the music aside, Corina is one of the very few Romanian stars to really understand how important her image is. Somewhere between ‘girl-next-door’ and superstar, she’s perhaps the only pop start whose really managed to create an ‘alternative’ and edgy ‘street’ image without it looking absolutely ridiculous (Anreea Balan take note). For this alone she deserves everything that she’s achieved.

In fact, the most infuriating thing about Corina is nothing to do with her personally, but consists in the fact that she continues to insist on working with the truly execrable Animal PSD (sorry! Did I write that? I meant Animal X), who wrote most of the songs on her album. I’ve still not forgiven them for their shameful association with a certain political party. Perhaps somebody should have told them that their old political affiliations rather clash with their desperate attempts to be taken seriously as an ‘alternative’ act. They are, it has to be said, about as alternative as Adrian Nastase.

Interesting rumour: Nicoleta Luciu is pushing for a new image. No longer is she to be seen flouting her best assets, her ‘marile personalitati’, and instead she’s set to cultivate the image of a serious, credible Romanian star. Hmmm. Stick to what you’re good at, that’s what I’d say, Nicoleta. It’s not a move I’d have personally recommended, but then again I’d not have recommended releasing her debut solo LP, entitled ‘Prinde Ma’.

Perhaps I’m being a little harsh: it could have been a lot worse. The LP contains 10 tracks that are solidly aimed at the dancefloor, albeit the dancefloor of provincial discos in small towns and villages across Romania . It won’t make you want to slit your wrists, but that’s hardly a great endorsement for a performer. Let’s face facts: she aint no Corina…

Meanwhile, jostling for position for the much-coveted title of ‘Album of the Month’ are two worthy releases. There are only two groups with any real claim to the title ‘best band in Romania ,’ and, unfortunately for them, they’ve released their LPs at around the same time. Bad timing, but it makes for an entertaining, and potentially profitable showdown. First up, we have the magnificent Omul Cu Sobolan, with their LP entitled Superparanoia, a mature and confident album by a group at the height of their powers. Second on the starting blocks are the mighty Zdob şi Zdub. Their LP, Ethnomecanica, is a celebration of ten years of the group, a collection of hits that remind you just how amazing this band really are, plus five new tracks. Since I can’t decide which of these two worthy releases deserves to win, I’ll leave it up to their respective record companies to persuade me with their tempting offers. Please leave all remunerations, preferably in used banknotes with non-consecutive serial numbers, by the green bench in Cismigiu park. I’ll be waiting. The victor will be announced next month.