Song reviews


  Penelope by Porteau


Penelope cover art


Floaty

I’m pretty sure that folk rock is the genre of choice for Porteau as Victoria Williams’s voice floats over their song “Penelope” in that quirky way that singers of mystical motivation did so successfully way back in the past. As it was then, this is sonically appealing.


Review date: 
  www.porteaumusic.com

  Underground Love by The Urban Sea


Underground Love cover art


Solid

“Underground Love” might well seem like an echo from the past but that doesn’t stop Australian band The Urban Sea from making their mixture of rock and soul enticing to the ears of today. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to hear more from them.


  Step by Step by The Jasmine Minks


Step by Step cover art


Survivors

Thought this might have been a blast from the past but, no, it’s a new song. Indie popsters of old The Jasmine Minks have returned with “Step by Step” and, while the song is older, wiser and heavier, it still has enough jangle to the guitars to evoke sentimental thoughts of the band’s glory days.


  If I Don’t Tell You by HAVVK


If I Don’t Tell You cover art


Purposeful

Nineties retro guitar sounds hide behind the ever impassioned vocals of Havvk to thus make “If I Don’t Tell You” a musical missile targeted equally at old and new ears. To Havvk’s eternal credit, they always sound like a band with both intellect and a purpose.


Review date: 
  www.havvkmusic.com

  Runaway Girl by Kakkmaddafakka


Runaway Girl cover art


Indie

Kakkmaddafakka have the mark of a band who have studied the ways of their genre well with “Runaway Girl” being spirited enough to please a festival audience yet still having enough weight to catch the attention of jaded indie rock addicts.


  I Am The Sun by Fafa Galoure


I Am The Sun cover art


Oblique

Fafa Galoure are my kind of band. At times they are conventional and at other times they are positively angular. “I Am The Sun” demonstrates their oblique musical traits nicely with the song veering from the mind to the street in under three minutes.


  Treat Me Good by Leah Harris


Treat Me Good cover art


Uptown

“Treat Me Good” is about as uptown as you are likely to get these days with Leah Harris throwing in enough organically smooth jazz influences to keep the crowds in the better part of town happy. That might be old school, but she clearly knows what she is doing.


  Dear Monday by The Girobabies


Dear Monday cover art


Cosmic

What does a protest song sound like nowadays anyway? Ask the Girobabies for their song “Dear Monday” really reeks of revolution. Not many bands can mix apathy challenging lyrical literacy with the kind of stab you in the head attitude like this band do so why aren’t they legendary? Questions, questions.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/girobabies

  Watercolors by Emily Rowed


Watercolors cover art


Mellow

Emily Rowed aims at understatement with her song “Watercolors” yet she nonetheless remains pleasingly poetic while staying within the rigidly sequenced expectations of a modern woman with a song to sing. This one grows on you.


Review date: 
  www.emilyrowed.com

  ‘Til The Morning by Claire Ridgely


‘Til The Morning cover art


Sentimental

Although infused with the easy going vibe of yesteryear, “Til The Morning” is still a song of today with Claire Ridgely pressing all the right style buttons to give her song appeal to the those of the coffee shop generation who still value sentiment.


  No More Lies by Undersound


No More Lies cover art


Smooth

If ever a song deserved to be described as urban super cool then it would be “No More Lies” by Undersound. Full of coffee shop pleasing smooth jazz overtones and topped off with eminently classy voice of Bella Collins, the song is where the cool cats are at.


  1988 by Swimming Bell


1988 cover art


Calming

I found myself quite intoxicated by “1988” by Swimming Bell. Devoid of any crude attempt to get you from the get-go, she instead draws you along on a misty, indeed mystical, musical journey that will remind you why you always liked folk music.


Review date: 
  www.swimmingbell.com


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