Song reviews

Somewhere in the wonderland that is Wales there is a band called Bau Cat. Their song “Silver Bangle” reeks of attitude and retro influences but the day is today and this one sounds like yesterday’s influences reinvigorated for a new generation.

If you have to go post punk then go post punk with style and throw in some deft tempo shifting to keep the listener’s attention. Hadda Be duly go all angular and arty with “New To The Office” sounding just like a band would do back when music mattered.

I don’t suppose songs like “Hit The Ground” are supposed to have a point and Atomic Fruit duly melodically meander along their chosen musical path with a near psychedelic wooziness and much in the way of drifting on their mind.

This is a joy. Kat Robichaud takes her cabaret inclinations and throws them into a song that has that oddball appeal that only something well off Broadway would ever have and “Ouija Board” is duly a love song where “the apocalypse comes with benefits”.

Precise phrasing distinguishes “Let The Light In” by Outi Karhu with her delicate and controlled voice easily enabling her to guide the politely celtic accompaniment towards the end of the song. One for late night reflection, methinks.

Paced casually, “It Comes of Shadows “plays out like a remnant from the halcyon days of early folk rock with Moon Mother proving themselves capable of generating an atmosphere that makes their song seem somewhat mystical.

Stay The Course break out their retro pop punk guitars and rock it like the eighties were only yesterday. “Pocket Sand” is the name of their song and it might well make you want to get your skateboard out of the garage.

“Medusa” is a super smooth song that consumes both synthwave and city pop styles and turns them into a sugary confection. Add in delicate female vocals and Milk Talk make the urban jungle sound like the place to be.

Old school soul with funk on the side from an Indonesian band? Indeed it is and “I’d Be Lost” by Thee Marloes sounds like a song that has just dropped out of a time machine from the seventies with singer Natassya Siantur making you believe in love again.

“Bloodbath” is a solid example of the modern day rock song with big guitars and confident vocals leading Wild Oceans along a path towards the stadium rather than the theatre. This band should do good business in the festival season.

If you are going to title your song “Cool” then it had better be a cool one. Hungarian electronic pop act Swim Swim Naked do their retro loop thing stylishly with sweet female vocals adding the sugar and spice. Cool indeed.

Bee Bee Sea would seem to be an Italian psych-garage band. I can’t say that I have heard of them before but “Keep It Cool” is a lively song that gets more than a bit theatrical over it two minutes and change running time. Highly enjoyable.