Song reviews

Wistful in a sort of robust kind of way is Alejandra O'Leary and “My Religion” rolls like a sensitive singer songwriter would but with the murky and very nearly trippy arrangement robotically spraying the song with deeper meaning.

This song is undoubtedly of the heart on the sleeve variety but, if anyone can carry off this kind of emotional intensity, then it would be Chiara Berardelli. One for mature tastes, certainly, yet “Little More” will surely make you want more.

As solidly retro rock as you are likely to get, Gary’s Rainbow Shop riff their guitars to the max and put “Red Moon” firmly on track for delivery into the ears of seventies rock fans who weren’t even born then. Play loud and add beer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.