Song reviews


  Leaving by Ashley Iona


Leaving cover art


Real

Not one to chase mainstream appeal, Ashley Iona instead stamps a notable amount of class upon her song “Leaving” with the result being the kind of song that resonates. Some might call that an old school approach, but the truth is always, and always should be, real.


Review date: 
  www.ashleyiona.com

  Mandrel Cantus by Jo Quail


Mandrel Cantus cover art


Extended

Even though the song runs to the best part of seven minutes, “Mandrel Cantus” sounds like it was meant to be longer with Jo Quail’s considered and elegant approach to music making clearly designed to entrance rather than immediately impress.


Review date: 
  www.joquail.co.uk

  Halflife by Sandra Kolstad


Halflife cover art


Switched

It’s not hard to guess that “Halflife” by Sandra Kolstad is yet another example of the uber cool Scandi electro pop genre but there is nonetheless enough complexity and quirkiness to get this song attention in both the sunshine and the shadows.


  Flip by Dolores Haze


Flip cover art


Trendy

I am always suspicious of bands with a name that is also a literary reference and, indeed with "Flip", Dolores Haze prove themselves to be the voice of the trendsetters with their synthetic urban sound designed perfectly for iPhone playback.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/doloreshazeband

  Please Baby Please by Awkward Family Portraits


Please Baby Please cover art


Retro

I suppose that some might regard my classification of “Please Baby Please” by Awkward Family Portraits as teen Americana to be simplistic yet this Glasgow band are so obviously in awe of the past as to transcend the easy accusation of being a mere pastiche.


  Heaven was Closed by 12 stone Toddler


Heaven was Closed cover art


Smart

I would have thought that Britpop would have had its day by now but Brighton band 12 Stone Toddler have other ideas with their song “Heaven Was Closed” being infused with both lyrical acuity and left handed quirkiness. Good it is.


Review date: 
  www.12stonetoddler.com

  Schiehallion by Vive La Rose


Schiehallion cover art


Thoughtful

I can’t say that I am familiar with the past musical escapades of Edinburgh’s Vive La Rose but his song “Schiehallion” exudes enough maturity and alt-folk sensibilities to make me curious. Laidback he may be but he is clearly not short on purpose.


Review date: 
  vivelarosemusic.co.uk

  EGC by TGC


EGC cover art


Synthetic

About a heavily processed as you can get without actually being a computer programme, “EGC” demonstrates that electropop duo TGC know that the sound of today is an entirely synthetic one but that our times still have need of a heartbeat.


Review date: 
  www.facebook.com/thisistcg

  Sweaty Lake by Active Bird Community


Sweaty Lake cover art


Worthwhile

Active Bird Community mix the raucous with downbeat successfully with their song “Sweaty Lake” with the result making the concept of mature indie rock more of a reality than any press hype could ever hope to do.


  Pink California by Eden Warsaw


Pink California cover art


Brooding

Happy songs are not in vogue these days so “Pink California” by Eden Warsaw ticks the necessary downbeat style boxes whilst adding enough electro rock influences to make all that brooding melancholy seem worthwhile.


Review date: 
  www.edenwarsaw.com

  Spray by Candy Ambulance


Spray cover art


Edgy

As haunted by the ghosts of pop punk past as they are, Candy Ambulance nevertheless keep their song “Spray” on the rough-edged right side of the tracks for all of its two minute duration. The guitar, as is so often the case, says all there is to say.


Review date: 
  www.candyambulance.com

  How Will I Know by Nick Ferrio


How Will I Know cover art


Mature

One man and a song should surely be enough or at least that is what Nick Ferrio asks within the walls of his song “How Will I Know”. It’s a question many might also ask but at least our Nick has something of an answer with this pop rock pick.


Review date: 
  www.nickferrio.com


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