Song reviews


  Stars Fall Down by Ernie Jackson


Stars Fall Down cover art


Bubbly wubbly

Ernie Jackson has perfected his manufactured sound with “Stars Fall Down” and undoubtedly what is left of mainstream radio will joyously lap this song up before delivering it on to the hairdressers of the world. In other words, it’s pop music as they used to make it.


Review date:  November 21 2014
  erniejackson.co.uk

  Warning by King Porter Stomp


Warning cover art


Holding hands

Pretty much what you would expect of a band with ska on their mind and in their hearts, King Porter Stomp run “Warning” straight down the middle of the road fuelled by righteous reverence. The political rap is commendable but spirit ultimately triumphs over poetry.


Review date:  November 15 2014
  kingporterstomp.co.uk

  Playground by Le Very


Playground cover art


Shadowy

Not quite electro pop but on the same late night bus, Le Very give us enough evidence of artistic pretension in “Playground” to justify the use of obsession as both lyrical motivation and stylistic inspiration.


Review date:  November 15 2014
  www.facebook.com/leveryofficial

  Simon by Firewoodisland


Simon cover art


Flighty folk

Lightweight, fey and folk flavoured, “Simon” shows that Firewoodisland have what it takes to storm the stage of any family friendly festival that you might attend of a summer. Fans of bands like the Fleet Foxes should take note of these new kids on the block.


Review date:  November 15 2014
  firewoodisland.com

  Devils in the Detail by Sophie Rogers


Devils in the Detail cover art


More than a feeling

Should you ever need proof that there is something, or someone, in Scotland that a greedy multinational record company would want to exploit then look no further than Sophie Rogers. Her song, “Devils in the Details”, is comfortably mainstream in aspiration yet, in its emotional subtext, bears comparison with the music of our beloved Jill Jackson. That works for me.


Review date:  November 13 2014
  www.facebook.com/SophiesSound

  Slipping From Your Heart by The Deadline Shakes


Slipping From Your Heart cover art


Blessed are the talented

Deliriously enjoyable if only for their reverence for the glory days of huge pop songs, The Deadline Shakes use “Slipping From Your Heart” to demonstrate that all you need is an arrangement and a copious amount of talent. Pay the extra, go large and you too could create a song as good as this.


Review date:  November 11 2014
  www.thedeadlineshakes.com

  Brain Rocket by Girobabies


Brain Rocket cover art


Inspired

The ever unpredictable Girobabies pull another minor musical miracle from their trick bag with “Brain Rocket (and the Evolution of Turtles)” ripping up everything in sight and sticking it back together with nothing more than skewed inspiration. If only all Scottish bands were this creative.


Review date:  November 11 2014
  www.facebook.com/Girobabies

  More Than A Song by Tom Levin


More Than A Song cover art


Rough edged

Sounding like a homage to the heyday of electro rock, Tom Levin injects his gruff tones into “More Than A Song” and, despite some less than poetic lyrics, successfully salutes the days when radio airplay could make your career in the music industry.


Review date:  November 8 2014
  www.tomlevin.com

  Wake Up by Nicky


Wake Up cover art


Thoughtful

“Wake Up” was written by nineteen year old Nicky and demonstrates a lyrical maturity quite unexpected of someone of his tender years. His voice, likewise, seems much older than he actually is. One to watch out for, methinks.


Review date:  November 8 2014
  nicky.se

  Nympho by Bethany Anne


Nympho cover art


Do right woman

“Nympho” is a surprisingly sentimental song for a modern day r’n’b artist and Bethany Anne, to her credit, sings with more than enough subtlety to make those words work. It might well be an old school approach but you can’t argue with the result.


Review date:  November 8 2014
  www.reverbnation.com/BethanyAnne

  Piss and Rust by Jamie Flett


Piss and Rust cover art


More than a feeling

Bleak poetry is a more than adequate description for Jamie Flett’s “Piss and Rust”. After a meandering start, the words soaked in intellectual melancholy briefly escape the shadows before a lonely violin leads the song back into the eternal abyss of the soul. Maturity and sadness all at the same time.


Review date:  November 8 2014
  www.jamieflett.co.uk

  Traveler’s Dream by Fritjof Norrmo


Traveler’s Dream cover art


Something different

Blessed, depending on your point of view, with either a theatrically affected voice or a distinctly original vocal style, Fritjof Norrmo proves to be something of an acquired taste even if his song, “Traveler’s Dream”, is clearly motivated by mainstream Americana.


Review date:  November 1 2014
  on.fb.me/1tsGASM


Page 143 of 193   ◼◀142 143 144►◼