Song reviews


  Alive by Charlie Risso


Alive cover art


Deep

Clearly unafraid of burning the intensity candle at both ends, Charlie Risso mixes all the melancholy she can muster into “Alive” whilst adding enough tempo shifting quirkiness on the side to maintain the interest of your ears.


Review date:  February 17 2024
  www.charlierisso.com

  Tangerine by Oluma


Tangerine cover art


Smooth

If your ears hanker after some smooth jazz then “Tangerine” by German band Oluma will put you on the path to coffee shop happiness. As you might expect of smooth jazz, the song is both eloquently and elegantly performed with chocolate on top.


Review date:  February 17 2024
  oluma.de

  Erase It by Gabrielle Vaughn


Erase It cover art


Commercial

With brooding synthesisers overlaid on this emotionally intense yet almost determinedly commercial song, “Erase It” will surely put Gabrielle Vaughn on a course to radio playlists throughout the better parts of this land.


Review date:  February 17 2024
  www.gabriellevaughn.com

  I Heard Catherine Sing by Autumn 1904


I Heard Catherine Sing cover art


Retro

A reminder of the joys of the robust post punk from Edinburgh band Autumn 1904 who have resurrected this song after, apparently, some 40 years. “I Heard Catherine Sing” is proof, once again, that you can’t keep a good band down.


  Everything To Die For by Miu Zyu


Everything To Die For cover art


Downbeat

Swooping synthesisers set the tone for “Everything To Die For” with Miu Zyu overdosing on a cocktail of wistful intent and concentrated introversion on her journey into the twin towns of nihilism and melancholia. Curiously hypnotic nonetheless.


Review date:  February 10 2024
  www.tiktok.com/@muizyu

  Your Arrow by The Tropicanas


Your Arrow cover art


Mellow

Decidedly retro and almost sunset beach in its meandering mellowness, “Your Arrow” sounds like the kind of song that would have made your grandfather inhale deeply back in the day. The Tropicanas do this sort of thing rather well.


Review date:  February 10 2024
  www.facebook.com/TheTropicanas

  Riverswimmin by Concrete Club


Riverswimmin cover art


Buoyant

Somebody had to do it and Concrete Club have duly done it with their song “Riverswimmin’” paddling down the indie river whilst carrying a bag full of ska inspired rhythms on their back. They won’t drown, that’s for sure.


Review date:  January 26 2024
  www.facebook.com/concreteclubmcr

  Gold Digger by We Three Kings


Gold Digger cover art


Raucous

And then along came We Three Kings to remind us of what it was like back in the heyday of rock music. Their raucous song “Gold Digger” duly reeks of guitars, cigarettes and tour bus decadence and is all the better for it. Play loud and often.


Review date:  January 26 2024
  www.facebook.com/we3kingsband

  Blind by Michael Lane


Blind cover art


Downbeat

If you are looking for something soaked in melancholy then you won’t need to look any further than singer songwriter Michael Lane with his downbeat song “Blind” maintaining a steady, and elegantly presented, course towards eternal self-reflection.


Review date:  January 25 2024
  www.michaellanemusic.de

  Be Good by Sofia Rubina


Be Good cover art


Commercial

The press release says that “Be Good” is destined to be some sort of Eurovision entry for Estonia’s Sofia Rubina and, if upbeat nineties style soul is back in fashion, then victory will surely be hers. Really rather good.


Review date:  January 22 2024
  www.sofiarubina.eu

  Old Beliefs by Shiny Brainy Crayons


Old Beliefs cover art


Quirky

This one definitely counts as quirky with “Old Beliefs” merging oblique lyrics into a stripped back retro retake of old school electro street beats. Shiny Brainy Crayons clearly aren’t going with the flow with this song and I like that.


  Good Times by Joan & The Giants


Good Times cover art


Upbeat

I don’t know if there is a such a thing as a Pacific highway song but, if there is, “Good Times” by Australian band Joan & The Giants would be a fine example of music that has to be listened to with the top down and sun in your eyes.


Review date:  January 20 2024
  www.joanandthegiants.com


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