Song reviews

Getting about as winsome as electro pop will allow, Sweden’s Soul of Gaia then add insistent repetition into the loop to give “Stars” its emotional impact. No surprises then but that is most likely part of their – or her - cunning plan to give meaning whilst using the very minimum of words.

Glitch Mouth are a progressive hip-hop band from Brooklyn and “How I Feel” throws an old school rap over some old school mid paced beats. Nothing new there, you might say, but the presence of some warm female harmonies adds a soft soul feel that lifts the song out of the ghetto and sends it uptown instead.

Amenti Rover are nothing if not reverential in their approach to music and “Jezebel” makes the most of their time travelling abilities. The song could, consequently, be mistaken for a product of the pure rock days of the seventies and that is no bad thing in my book.

Despite hailing from Finland, June’s Garden have chosen to abandon any local musical influences and replace them with mainstream Americana. “Song Of A Drinking Man” is therefore an honest and earnestly performed song that, like any other example of Americana that you care to name, has the unmistakeable air of verisimilitude.

Instrumental gloom band Thieves of Eden hit the wall with rather more conviction this time round “Number 3”. Whilst still a bit lacking in the virtuosity department, the band strut their stuff with a much greater sense of purpose and consequently this song may even find favour with hard rock fans.

You wouldn’t need to hear more than the first four bars of “Apathy” to work out that Anyone’s Guess were an American band. Hard rocking guitars and emotive female vocals make the requisite sonic marks and yet I remain unconvinced. Why? The band sound like they were made in a factory somewhere in the great state of mediocrity.

There no point in denying it. Barring the Martin Metcalfe style indie guitar that creeps to the front of the mix occasionally, “Neutrals” is a somewhat anodyne song that simply fails to capture your attention. I doubt it will be the song to break The Tranq.

When you are an instrumental gloom band from Washington, as Thieves of Eden are, then it is unlikely that you will be springing any surprises. Their song “Number 8” therefore runs around a block a few too many times before ending up right back where it started. Spice it up a bit next time, guys!

I waited and I waited but the song never started. That means, in simple terms, that “Avenge” by Samilla Roberts is nothing more than an exercise in looping with nowhere to go. It would have been so much better if someone had remembered where they had left their song. At least I hope so.

It’s not hard to hear the influence of the past in “Wanderer” by American psychedelic rock band Captain Nowhere. This instrumental settles into a mellow groove nicely however and it was pleasing to hear some actual musical ability at work in the honourable cause of capturing your attention.

Just about tripping over its own fragility, “Loathe Me” is the kind of song that nonetheless runs its course without actually making you hit the off button. Nothing much really happens but you do get ambient style mood music and some lost in the hills vocals. After all, when you aim low that’s all you need.

Silence are apparently a Dutch student band and “Welcome To The Freakshow” does indeed supply ample evidence that staying in school brings benefits. The quirky and theatrical edge to the female vocals makes a welcome change from usual deadly sensitivity and the piano led song, whilst unpolished, stands up well too.