Song reviews

There’s clearly no shortage of reverb and synthesisers in the ingredients that make up Lavelin’s song “Addicted” and if you want to have the retro vibe reverberating between your ears then you won’t go far wrong listening to this one.

Standard sensitive singer songwriter stuff from Marissa Burwell and her song “Catch and Release” duly rides the melancholy wave in the best coffee shop style. One for the many on the way out of something.

More from Glasgow and this time it is F.O Machete’s turn to use all the power chords you can count on one hand and turn them into what might best be called an ode. “Confetti Crown” should be worn by more than just one.

It must be the better weather for “Do Your Worst” by Glasgow band St Dukes sounds it should be the soundtrack for an escape from the clouds. Sure, the lyrics verge on the downbeat but, in less than three minutes, this song will make you feel better.

Mellow is the clearly the way to go for Oliver Cheuwa with his song “Mamale” pulling all his musical influences into a rather hypnotic groove that seem to be borne of sunshine and better days. Uplifting and danceable.

Light and fluffy and full of positive vibes, “Fluid” flows like a song written to forever float on the river of life and Elias Bendix knows all the right indie pop moves to make it seem that this song would go on forever.

A singer songwriter from Ireland, Basil Breen takes no chances with his song “Doubling Down” and duly produces a song that has the requisite hook and ladder to climb into many a radio playlist. That’s safe to say.

As the title might well suggest, “I Actually Don’t Wanna Die” is about as downbeat and downbeat goes with even the echoes of hope in the lyrics being incapable of moving this song out of angst territory. Sunnsetter clearly smiles not a lot.

There are a lot of sassy women in country music these days and Lauren Freebird duly adds herself to that roster with “Like A Bomb” being infused with both a bourbon for breakfast attitude and make your own dinner lyrics.

Much as I hate to admit it, I liked this song. “Qrange Turned To Blue” sounds like it should be carried on the wind with Melanie Stevens doing the whole heart on her sleeve lyric thing with some style. Nice voice too.

“When Youth Was Wasted” is infused with that seventies singer songwriter vibe and is none the worse for that with Dover Lynn Fox throwing in some literate lyrics before taking her song to the bridge. This one is indeed easy on the ear.

Another song with coffee shop sensibilities, “Karen’s Couch” makes a convincing case for another cappuccino as Her Skin turns up the guitars and mixes in enough angst ridden lyrics to make you want more.