Song reviews


  Who Needs Love? by Sinny


Who Needs Love? cover art


Heart and soul

Throwing her all into the atmosphere, Sinny uses her voice and piano to inject the necessary emotional anguish straight into her song “Who Needs Love?” with the result being a confident walk down the road that once led Sia to stardom.


Review date:  April 6 2015
  www.facebook.com/SinnyMusic

  Carry On by Couer De Pirate


Carry On cover art


Commercial

Rather more modern in style than her previous releases, “Carry On” neatly illustrates that Coeur De Pirate knows what success in the American market demands. She even sings in English to make this very commercial, if somewhat anodyne, electro pop song enticing to the download capable masses.


Review date:  April 6 2015
  www.coeurdepirate.com

  The Burning Process by Navi


The Burning Process cover art


In the shadows

Navi is a Romanian singer songwriter who once co-wrote a Eurovision song contest entry but her song, “The Burning Process”, is a much more intense affair with dark electro pop influences much to the fore. A downbeat song, therefore, but not lacking in atmosphere.


  Slow Motion Love Affair by Lola Lamour


Slow Motion Love Affair cover art


Class act

“Slow Motion Love Affair” is the kind of song that could only be associated with haute couture and the good life and, harking as she does back to the days when a lady was just that, Lola Lamour proves that style, as always, is where it is at.


Review date:  April 4 2015
  www.lolalamour.net

  Monaco by Dirty Money Handlers


Monaco cover art


Confused

Fusion cookery doesn’t do much for me and “Monaco” by Scottish band Dirty Money Handlers similarly suffers from having ingredients that seem to have been put together for the sole purpose of appearing to be different. The socially conscious rap in the middle indicates that the band has its collective heart in the right place but the song outstays its welcome by a good couple of minutes.


  Drive With Your Eyes Closed by A Band Called Quinn


Drive With Your Eyes Closed cover art


Cucumber cool

Few bands do the soundtrack to life in the modern day city as well as A Band Called Quinn. “Drive With Your Eyes Closed” is, unsurprisingly, chilled to perfection and delivered with digital precision to the MP3 player in your high end automobile. This song is, to put it simply, a fine example of super cool electro pop.


Review date:  April 1 2015
  abandcalledquinn.com

  Tyland by Hen-Jenny


Tyland cover art


New talent

A neat and intelligent pop song from what would appear to be a new band, “Tyland” shows that Hen-Jenny are girls with both guitars and an independent streak. They do it all in under three minutes too with Jessica Powell’s precise voice leading things with undisguised confidence.


Review date:  March 31 2015
  on.fb.me/1NFw4RI

  Grin by Indigo Husk


Grin cover art


Young guns

Although powered more by youthful enthusiasm than anything else, there is still a pleasing freshness to Indigo Husk’s song “Grin” with an energetic guitar providing support and counterpoint to the somewhat stylised male vocals. That works for me.


Review date:  March 31 2015
  www.facebook.com/indigohusk

  Somebody Call A Doctor by Chick Quest


Somebody Call A Doctor cover art


Retro rolling

Pleasingly primitive post punk from Austrian band Chick Quest with their rough and ready retro approach energising “Somebody Call A Doctor” whilst, in the background, a trumpet pulls out a spaghetti western motif. It’s a European thing indeed.


Review date:  March 30 2015
  www.chickquest.com

  King of the World by Das Blankout


King of the World cover art


Indie style

Indie rock Canadian style from Montreal band Das Blankout with their song “King Of The World” being tilted more towards the retro style than we would get on this side of the big pond. Nonetheless, on the evidence of this song, Das Blankout are the kind of band that knows just when to take a step backwards.


Review date:  March 29 2015
  www.dasblankout.com

  Sixfour by The Claramassa


Sixfour cover art


Synth shadows

Whilst atmosphere is given precedence over melody in this downbeat example of Glasgow synth pop, “Sixfour” nonetheless demonstrates that The Claramassa have more musical maturity than most of their robotic competition. It’s the kind of song that grows on you.


  State of Low by Cajsa Siik


State of Low cover art


As the river flows

“State of Low” is another eloquent slice of modern pop music from Sweden’s Cajsa Siik. Her rather wistful outlook on life shines through the song and makes you think of summer love and other such sentimental things. A nicely understated song.


Review date:  March 24 2015
  www.cajsasiik.com


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