Song reviews

Lightweight and endearing, “By Blue” is the kind of electronica that ends up being more than the sum of its sequenced synthetic parts with the restrained female vocals adding more than enough mystical candyfloss to keep your ears interested.

Keeping it close to the basics, The Raptors – it’s been a good week for Glasgow bands – make some serious girl powered and guitar led sounds and duly turn their song “Your Dreams” into one worthy of a replay at maximum volume.

Retro never gets old and, as if to prove that very point, Ghosts of Social Network exhume the successful chart sounds of the expressive eighties and turn them into a moody and rather interesting song called “Don’t Let Me Down. Well worthy!

Good to be able to do some words on a Glasgow band and Walt Disco duly prove themselves worthy with their song “Strange To Know Nothing” revelling in retro theatricality and the kind of offbeat touches that were once the sound of Scotland.

It seems to have been a wistful week in the wide world of music and “Katrina” by Tiny Fighter therefore fits right into the current playlist. Americana flavoured this time, the balanced male and female voices give the song the emotional depth it needs.

Wistful melancholy is the way that Diamond Thug choose to go with their song “Aphotic Waters” and, while there are indeed synthetic elements to the band’s sound, the organic, if rather bleak, poetry of the lyrics shines through.

Power pop is pretty much designed to make you feel positive about the world and Norwegian band The Needs do not disappoint with “Summerbore”. The song sounds so American yet, with its infectious freneticism, it could only have come from somewhere else.

So full of elegant melancholy that the song has to be a product of Scotland, “Wholesale” nonetheless marks Broken Chanter out as a songwriter of some maturity with his finger on the stylistic pulse of these dark days.

Whilst clearly worshippers of retro synth sounds, Candy Says have not forgotten the value of a good pop song with “Crave Easy” utilising all the hypnotic power of sequenced loops to imprint itself onto your consciousness. Works for me!

A low key choice for a single perhaps but “Boom” has enough in the way of melody, scratchy guitar riffs and harmonious female vocals to keep your ears interested. Friedberg should generate some attention for themselves with this one.

Laidback is the way that Calle Hamre chooses to go with his ballad “Lovers Will Be Lovers” and it would not be difficult to imagine this song making its way on to the notoriously conservative playlists of mainstream radio. There’s even a guitar solo in there.

If you are going to do an emotionally meaningful ballad then you need a piano and Annie Drury duly does so. “You Took Me Dancing” is nothing if not conventional yet Ms. Drury shines as she balances emotion with eloquence. Classy!