Leatherette hit the post punk road with their angular guitars and sharp edged, laconically delivered, lyrics giving their song “Delusional” that unmistakeable air of retro discontent. They are Italian though so they do it with style.
Sydney Jo Jackson tells it like it is using old school soul style and style runs all the way through her song “You Should Be Here” like a river runs to the sea. As she takes you away with her, you can’t fail to notice that her ship truly does have sails of silk.
Miss Velvet is strong of voice and, with traditional rock values ever present in her song “Hallelujah”, it doesn’t take much in the way of encouragement to get you to join her on the uplifting journey to the big chorus.
As laidback as Granfalloon’s delivery is, he still has no problem infusing “The Slippery Eel of Discontent” with both literacy and emotional resonance. That might be an old school approach but it undoubtedly works.
“Lonesome In The Sun” is as close to a light and fluffy cloud as a pop song can get with some deliciously sugary vocals giving Discover a head start in becoming the leader of the new Bob Crewe Generation.
Literate, reflective and never straying far from the spiritual side of the street, The Eisenhowers fill “The Calm Beyond The Storm” with words of wisdom as this laidback song takes you to a quieter place and time.
Super Schurken sound very much like a band in love with the mellow blues rock sound of the late seventies and their song “Tomorrow” duly, and sentimentally, evokes memories of better times and summer sunsets.
“Prête à Tout” is a classy combination of voice and acoustic guitar that is as cool as a song that draws on chanson for inspiration can be. That is cool indeed and Marie Minet, being French, hits all the right notes once again.
Something of a throwback to the analogue loops of the eighties dancefloor. “Follow The Money” follows the samples and simple soundbites style of that time with Rettward von Doernberg adding words relevant to these times of capitalist crimes.
“Honeymoon Suite” is a nicely polished pop song that has enough in the way of retro influences to enliven the lyrics that are certainly of today. If there were still such a thing as mall girls, Lala Hayden would be their head cheerleader.
No doubt about it, Erik Flaa does songs designed for the zeitgeist of those people who remember when everything wasn’t as bleak as today. Melody and lyrical literacy get his message across successfully.
The sheer purity and delicacy of Susanne Darre and her piano is counterposed with the ambient styled distortions of Stegonaute to give “Tidevann” a valid escape route from your ears into wherever you might wish to wander.
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