Song reviews


  Unsaid by Apart


Unsaid cover art


Intense

Perhaps oddly for a French band, Apart sound positively American on their song “Unsaid”. The guitars lead the song along with spirit although the laconic vocals and tempo changes add an atmosphere of anguish. It’s intensity at work.


Review date:  March 16 2024
  www.facebook.com/aparttheband

  In Your Pocket by Technopolice


In Your Pocket cover art


Energetic

“In Your Pocket” sounds like a revival of the pop punk sound of retro America yet Technopolice hail from France and their guitar fuelled angularity is duly delivered with both bad attitude and better than average style.


  Dirty Little Secrets by Hazel Gaze


Dirty Little Secrets cover art


Classic rock

Rock in the classic style hits our ears again with Hazel Gaze shoving in as much guitars and gravel into their song “Dirty Little Secrets” as they need to gain traction. There’s grit aplenty both in the singer’s voice and in the lyrics. No doubt about that.


Review date:  March 16 2024
  www.hazelgaze.com

  What’s Your Damage by Arena


What’s Your Damage cover art


Retro

And yet more retro synth sounds but this time from America and Arena duly does his best to remind us of the glorious days when every shopping mall had its own soundtrack. “What’s Your Damage” won’t hurt you at all.


Review date:  March 15 2024
  www.facebook.com/arenawave

  Träumen by Lovatraxx


Träumen cover art


Robotic

Time for some more stylised retro with Lovatraxx sequencing their song “Träumen” with the kind of robotic precision that makes you rejoice at how eighties minimalist synth pop has metamorphosed into the coldwave of today.


Review date:  March 15 2024
  www.facebook.com/lovataraxx

  Eclipse by Pythies


Eclipse cover art


play loud

“Eclipse” by French band Pythies features plenty of power chords in the best riot grrrl tradition and their three minutes of muscular musical mayhem manages to convince even me that such things can also be done with style. Play loud.


Review date:  March 13 2024
  www.facebook.com/pythiesband

  Hold On Me by Ruth Theodore


Hold On Me cover art


Intelligent

You can’t go far wrong with a Ruth Theodore song and “Hold On Me” is proof of that with intelligent lyrics and a suitably expansive arrangement reinforcing the song nicely. It’s like the heyday of female singer songwriters has returned. Praise be!


Review date:  March 13 2024
  ruththeodore.com

  Take My Heart by Jim Byrne and Lesley O’Brien


Take My Heart cover art


Sentimental

More unashamed sentimentality from Jim Byrne and Lesley O’Brien with “Take My heart” sounding like it should be spinning at 78rpm. Add in Kurt Baumer’s fiddle and this time travelling musical journey into a rose tinted past is complete.


Review date:  March 13 2024
  songsbyjimbyrne.com

  What Kinda Love by Sohodolls


What Kinda Love cover art


Theatrical

Solidly pulsating in the best retro style, Sohodolls lay on the laconic with their song “What Kinda Love”. The lyrics have enough bleakness to make black your, and their, favourite colour even if their wardrobe is otherwise theatrical.


Review date:  March 10 2024
  www.instagram.com/sohodolls

  See by Kodact


See cover art


Commercial

Swiss band Kodact prove that the art of making a catchy pop song has not been lost and their song “See” duly swirls around inside your head like it belongs there. As they might have said back in the day, this one is airplay fodder.


Review date:  March 9 2024
  www.facebook.com/kodact.band

  Aurinko sulattaa mun pään by Lala Salama


Aurinko sulattaa mun pään cover art


Energetic

If you want to get low key grunge mixed into your shoegaze cocktail then you have to go to Finland these days with Lala Salama justifying the price of the flight with their adorably energetic song “Aurinko sulattaa mun pään.”


  Our Home by Burr Island


Our Home cover art


Fey

“Our Home” made think back to the days when folk merged itself into the world of pop songs to make melody seem positively natural and organic. Burr Island might well be fey but in an ear pleasing and rather convincing way.


Review date:  March 9 2024
  www.burrisland.com


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