Song reviews

A somewhat British take on the urban r&b sound, “Camel’s Back” follows a more adventurous path with Tlya X An’s laconic vocals and oblique lyrics weaving a web of processed intrigue between looped beats and late song tempo shifts.

A solid effort from Edinburgh rock band Dark Hearts with rather restrained riffing guitars guiding “Talk To Me Of Poison” along the path to safety. The somewhat theatrical female vocals add a note of distinction.

The retro is strong in Transmission Suite as they continue on their chosen path to revive those halcyon days of analogue synth sounds and brooding, downbeat vocals. If you remember those better times then “Driving Rain” will work for you.

Club 8 sound like the kind of band that I should have heard of. Perhaps I have as there is something endearingly familiar about their sound and “All I Know” is stuffed full of wistful memories of the glory days of twee pop. Deliciously sweet.

Definitely walking on the raw and raucous side of the rock street are “Black Paint” and their song “All Bad” duly benefits from replay at maximum volume and added beer. Subtle it isn’t but a perfect Friday night song it is.

I was just thinking that it has been a while since I heard an old school rock meets funk groove when along came The Rideouts with “Perfect Man”. Female vocals, suitably supportive guitars and a horn section make it all happen.

As singer songwriters go, Jennifer Klein is on the wholesome side of the street even if the words to her song “Talk to You” have more sharp cuts in them than you might perhaps expect. Nonetheless, she sings from the heart and that is no bad thing.

“Out In The Garden” is an endearingly cute song that ticks all the boxes that a sensitive singer songwriter like Annika Kilkenny should tick with her literate, and rather poetic, lyrical style helping this song go over easy.

If you are going to do a cover version then choose a good song and Helen Shanahan duly chooses well with her respectful take on “The Aeroplane” resonating with commercial appeal. One for both radio and television placement methinks.

One for the cool kids on a retro groove trajectory, “Curbside” follows the style cues of nineties r&b with due diligence and Laura Adeline’s laconic vocals manage to make this wistful journey into the past seem worthwhile.

“Love You Like I Did” is a wholesome song that is both robustly performed and delivered from the heart. Hannah Scott’s clever words twist emotions with earnest intent and the result exudes a delightful, almost melodramatic, sentimentality.

Whilst it may not be a style of today, you won’t go far wrong with a literate singer songwriter like Openwork and “Heroic Couplets” makes the most of metaphorical intent as if the golden days of songs with a message were here once more.