Song reviews

"Die großen Scheine“ is a somewhat rigid take on that American power pop meets indie rock sound so beloved of American bands of the nineties by German band Rau. Rau, perhaps unsurprisingly, do a thoroughly competent job with this song.

Typically lilting and endearing, the ever adorable Lorraine McCauley and her stalwart colleagues The Borderlands set out to charm with their folk flavoured “What If”. Wistful when done right – as here – is simply wonderful.

It would seem that Sweden does more than electro pop with The Slytest rocking it out like a cross between Deacon Blue and S Club 7. It’s that classic power pop sound in other words so welcome it with open arms (and ears).

Middle of the road, mid paced and moody plastic pop from Top Less, “Danger Love” is rather less interesting than the band’s name might suggest. Nice vocals just about keep the interest going but you would have had to have been kept in a cupboard for the last twenty years not to have heard this kind of thing before. However, a brutal remix may let the song find friends on the dance floors of Europe.

Matthew Collings seems to have confused repetition with construction in his unimaginative urban – it would be inappropriate to call this a song - soundscape “They Meet On The Subway”. Nothing much happens and you will have pressed the stop button long before the song’s end.  Simply tedious.

“Way Down South” is a refreshingly energetic rock song that evades originality and instead heads off down the road to redemption land armed with a commendable sense of purpose, cigarette infused vocals and looking for a fight guitars. Just add a beer or six to enjoy this one.

There seems to be no shortage of light and fluffy sentimentality in Edinburgh these days and “White Rooms” by Stampede Road provides a further example to entice those east coast cardigan wearers out into the daylight. It isn’t the kind of song that would scare your granny but these purveyors of fey melody should be able to buy a few more lattés on the proceeds of this release.

Deep and meaningful in that way that only the truly deep an meaningful can be, Unkle Bob mixes up a cocktail of spot the influences and  one too many Starbucks lattés to make “Home” into the song it was truly meant to be. To hear is to forget.

Classy mid paced mainstream pop is a fair description of “Unstoppable” by Lizzie and the Yes Men. There are hints of darkness and angst amongst the tidiness however so maybe they might take that walk on the wild side next time. That would undoubtedly make them cool.

The entrancing Francesca Lago continues her lyrically twisted journey into the darkness with “Black Thoughts #2”.  The laconic vocals and melancholic reverb make me believe that girls with guitars will inherit the world one day.  May that day be soon.

It is perhaps no surprise that “Sunbeams” highlight the smooth and laidback jazz funk summer grooving style beloved of the Soulnaturals. Singer Chantelle Nandi, again perhaps unsurprisingly, shows herself to be far classier than the song but isn’t that so often the case?

A young band obviously enamoured by the no-fi indie sound, The Alfedoras use youthful energy and attitude to power “Nobody Knows” through its overlong intro to the drop off the cliff ending. Grunge is where it is at.