Song reviews

The Aquadolls return with the “Help im falling 4u and i can’t get up” and use this song to take their musical direction towards deeper and darker things. The pop sensibilities remain and, even at under 3 minutes, this song exudes maturity.

Resurrecting that eighties retro synth groove are Highscore and their song “Sugar Tips” duly ticks all the necessary Jermaine Jackson style boxes whilst throwing in enough lyrical references to Doja Cat to convince the listener that the song is fresher than 1987.

There are those who worship Jonathan Richman and there are those who have no taste. Get Set Go makes the right choice and, with twisted lyrics and a sarcastic take on the country sound, he takes the metaphor all the way to the bridge. It’s a dog’s life indeed.

GOCCO succeeds in mixing both pop focus and copious reverb into her synthwave beats. The resulting sonic snack is called “Endless” and it will satisfy your appetite until the last train arrives to take you home. It’s a night time song without a doubt.

Always one to plough the Americana furrow, Jim Byrne confirms his reputation as Glasgow’s most prolific purveyor of sentimental songs with “This Heart Of Mine Is A Blind Blind Fool” successfully using his world weary voice to balance out the sugary sweetness.

Retro synth disco must be in fashion these days and Tuff Bear duly proves that his finger is right on the pulse with “How It Feels”. There’s enough pop appeal to take this song into even today’s charts and enough space for a remixer to turn this into a dancefloor banger.

Splendidly retro in its urban grooviness, “Talk About” highlights Sarah May’s ability to join the sonic dots of the past with the rather bleaker sentiments of the modern day. Some might call this song deliberately derivative but that just ain’t so. Something so right!

I remember a band called Ace City Racers from days gone by and I assume that is the same band. Anyway, “Caught Up In The Moment” resurrects the synth pop goes to the disco sound that retro devotees adore and then adds enough melody to stick it to your ears.

Yes. Seventies country rock lives on in Glasgow with James Edwyn and the Borrowed Band pulling all those melodic influences and putting them all into one song called “Hold On”. And they didn’t forget the harmonies either. Sparking up now!

Did someone get the funk for their birthday? It would seem so with Brontës taking “Groove” for dusk until dawn dance with ESG down their local club. This song almost makes those overpriced drinks and fights with the bouncers worthwhile. Click. Click. Double click.

Sentimental almost to fault in their lyrics, Carterband take a walk down the yellow brick road to the indie version of the Emerald City and bring back their song “Calling Any More” as a reward. A saxophone adds melancholy on the journey. A happy ending indeed.

Full of post C86 jingle jangle strum that guitar energy, The Muldoons float their song “Audacity” above their, often depressing, contemporaries with polished ease. We’ve been here before but you can’t deny the twee charm that this band possess.